Expanded replay coming soon to MLB?
Hey, great news: Major League Baseball is interested in getting more calls correct.
According to a report by the AP, MLB is leaning towards expanding replay for 2012 to include “trapped balls” and fair-or-foul rulings down the lines. Apparently commissioner Bud Selig and a group of umpires discussed the extra video review at spring training and were in agreement that more replay should be added.
One of the dumbest arguments against there being more replay is that it’ll slow down the game. Hey, guess what? If a fan wants to watch baseball, he or she is already ready to invest three hours of their time into the sport. Everybody wants action, but for those that follow the game, they understand that it’s slow-paced. They understand that they could watch a three-hour contest that ends with a 5-1 score.
I like the idea of added replay and to this point, I haven’t heard someone provide an intelligent argument for not wanting to get the calls right on the field. You obviously don’t want umpires huddling over every single play, but maybe adding a fifth pair of eyes in the press box would make sense. Maybe having another umpire sit in the booth and make calls quickly will cut down on both the time factor, and the bickering on the field between managers and umpires.
Follow the Scores Report editors on Twitter @clevelandteams and @bullzeyedotcom.