Even the umpires appear to want instant replay now

[Porter]

Even the umpires appear to want instant replay now - Sports Rumors - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

On the television screen, with the benefit of a zoom lens and slow motion and high-definition, there didn't seem to be a lot of mystery about what happened with the line drive, low and hot, that Shane Victorino ripped to leftfield. At the last possible moment, the ball hooked just to the left of the base of the foul pole. It caromed sharply to the right after hitting a railing and dropped behind the fence. It appeared clearly to be a foul ball and, as the tabloid television shows like to say, it was all Caught On Tape!

The problem was that third-base umpire Dale Scott didn't have the zoom lens at his disposal. Or the slo-mo. Or the high-def. Pretty soon, he will. And that's a good thing wrote Philadelphia Daily News columnist Paul Hagen.

Asked if that was the kind of call in which replay would have been helpful, Scott didn't hesitate.

"Yes," he said bluntly. "That is what replay is going to be there for. And replay is coming very soon. I can't give you a date, but it's going to be this year."

This is a real touchy subject with me personally. I thought they should have had some sort of replay for a while now. But I guess they want to finally get out of the stone age and try something new for once.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

You know, I'm beginning to think that ONLY, let me repeat, ONLY on homers it's gotta happen. They are too big of an impact not to get the call right, and sometimes they're just too close too far away from the umps to see with the naked eye.

[Porter]

And thats the way it should be.

[love_that_reefer]

Homeruns only starting next year. Can't start it now or in the playoffs.

[browntown653]

Why not?

[love_that_reefer]

Because it isn't perfected and isn't fair.

[Porter]

Because it isn't perfected and isn't fair.

Nothing is going to be perfect and If its homeruns, you can't tell me they cant four camera to get a good views of the foul poles and 30 seconds to decide?

[browntown653]

Replay for home runs being perfected is as simple as this: You show the replay. Everyone can tell what the correct call is. You make the correct call. It's really ****ing simple.

[love_that_reefer]

There are still things to work out even if it does sound simple. Plus it isn't fair to start now when other teams have been ****ed over earlier in the year. Wait till next year when everything is worked out and fair.

[Porter]

At this point of the season the previous instances really aren't to catastrophic now. And there have been a couple of instances where it was used by accident in the past. Who's to say if those calls were reversed they would end up winning the game. Anything can happen and you know that.

[love_that_reefer]

I know anything can happen but to say they aren't too catastrophic now rather than earlier is just wrong. Every game counts in the regular season! Whether its April 13th or the last day of the season. Look at how tight these races are. It is better for everyone to start it in Spring Training, work the kinks out and start fresh next year. It is fair to everyone and will be perfected with no arguments from coaches and management.

[Porter]

So you're telling me if one of those teams misses the playoffs. That one game is going to matter and not the other 161?

[love_that_reefer]

One game matters! Every game matters! I am not saying blown calls cost the teams chances to win but they did not have the advantage of having review.

[Porter]

Yeah but neither did the other 30 or 31 teams either.

[love_that_reefer]

Fair point but I don;t think it should start 5/6 through the season. Only contending teams are benefiting now. A season's a season and the rules should go the same way. Making up rules as you go isn't fair.