Instant Replay

I know I’m 18. I know I haven’t been watching baseball for as many years as many bloggers out there. I know that I don’t know the full tradition that is Major League Baseball. However, I do know one thing: we need to further install an instant replay system.

Now I know many old bloggers have just stopped reading, but here me out. Think of all the boundary calls that have changed a game recently. The Derek Jeter home run that put the Yankees to yet another World Series. Think of the Todd Walker foul ball that was ruled a home run in the 2003 ALCS (The Red Sox didn’t go to the World Series, but that was thanks to Grady Little). And think of, um, the entire 2009 playoffs.

Look. I know that my baseball knowledge is limited to new millennium baseball, but c’mon man! Basketball initiated instant replay successfully. Football has had it since I can last remember. Now that the playoff races are getting tighter and tighter, Major League Baseball can’t afford to blow a game – even in the regular season – because of a silly call we could’ve gotten right!

I do agree that instant replay should only be used for boundary calls. After all, does the NBA review every out of bounds call or foul call? Does the NFL review roughing the passer calls or personal foul calls.

Now we don’t need the umpires to go into a clubhouse and spend 10 minutes looking at the same play. What’s wrong with an umpire surveillance box that can watch the game and look at the boundary calls? I mean, all they need to do is see whether it is fair or foul.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in my mind, this is a simple problem to fix. I am actually surprised that efforts to institute instant replay haven’t already been taken (yes, Grammar Nazis, I did use passive voice because NOBODY TOOK ANY STEPS!). To me, instant replay makes too much sense to not use it.

Leave a comment