Thursday, May 31, 2012

MLB Discussing Replay Review ...


MLB Discussing Replay Review At 'Central Location' For 2013

Blown call after blown call. We see them weekly, if not more often, and sometimes they can change the outcome of games.
MLB has inched toward replay review by instituting a review of disputed home runs, but, led by Commissioner-for-Life Bud Selig, the league has dawdled when presented with situations that could easily be reviewed and corrected.
Now, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com, in an interview on radio Tuesday morning, MLB is ready to institute an expanded review system in 2013. It’s summarized by Cork Gaines at Business Insider:
A group of umpires will watch games from a central location

On plays that are “clearly wrong” the group would then signal the umpires at the game and let them know there is an obvious call that needs to be changed

MLB hopes to implement an introductory version of the system in 2013

The initial system would only review home runs, whether a ball is fair or foul, and whether or not a player caught a ball

The system would then be expanded “after a year or so” once the system is optimized

At that point, the system would be expanded “to all sorts of calls.” However, Stark says exactly what would be included would have to be negotiated
This sounds similar to the NHL review system, where disputed goals are reviewed in a central location. What’s proposed here is neither perfect nor comprehensive, but it’s a start, and it's something MLB should have done years ago.
Better late than never.

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