One of the current hottest topics in Major League Baseball right now is if instant replay should be put into effect. This subject is very debatable amongst a long list and wide range of people. If this becomes a realization for the M.L.B. and they are seriously taking instant replay into consideration and have a vote for it before next season, I would vote yes if my input mattered. It has been said that one issue of having instant replay in baseball is that it would slow down the game. That to me is not a good argument because baseball is already a grinding and slow paced game. Professional baseball games last almost two hours every outing any way so I don’t think a couple of two or three minute reviews would slow the game down anymore. I would agree to those who oppose instant replay in baseball if every debatable call was questioned, but that wouldn’t be its intent. The intent would be very simple. The instant replay that I’m referring to specifically deals with questionable home- run calls if they are fair or foul or if they clear the yellow line, and close calls at the plate because they ultimately can determine the outcome of baseball games.
One of the most recent baseball games that could have clearly used instant replay was the tiebreaker between the Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres. That game decided who got the National League wild card . In this particular game there was a couple of controversial calls that influenced and decided the game’s ending. The first of the arguable calls was when the Rockies Garrett Adkins hit a line-drive ball that bounce off the left-field wall. The Rockies claimed it was a home-run but umpires ruled it a double. Obviously to only get one look at a hard hit ball picking up speed in the outfield would be hard for anyone to judge. If this hit was a home-run this call could have cost the Rockies the game if they would have lost by one run. In this big of a game and knowing the magnitude of the situation there needs to be instant replay to get the best and accurate decision. Not saying that instant replay will always give the clearest view to make the right decision but it sure wouldn’t hurt to have on hand for situations like this. The next example is the second and most important of the controversial calls. The Rockies Matt Holliday slid head first into home plate while it appeared Padre catcher Michael Barrett was blocking the plate, Umpire Tim McClelland called Holliday safe anyway. Not saying McClelland’s decision was wrong but it was the deciding call that clinched the Rockies a spot in the playoffs and the Padres packing home. The teams battled for thirteen innings and I would hate to know that there is a possibility the game winning call was wrong. This was a very close and season ending or season making call, so shouldn’t there have been at least a second look? According to Dan Gelston, Rockies Manager Clint Hurdle wasn’t even sure that Holliday scored. Hurdle is also still wondering how Adkins’s double wasn’t a homer-run. Home plate Umpire Tim McClelland admitted later he had doubt on his call at the plate after watching a replay later. McClelland has been in the M.L.B. umpiring business for twenty five years, so if this veteran’s calls can be questioned can’t any umps calls be questioned.( http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071003/SPORTS01/710030386/-1/news0301) I strongly feel that instant replay is needed in Major League Baseball to simply get the home-run and close plays at the plate right or as accurate as possible. This would benefit Major League Baseball tremendously because it would give the umpires all the help and support they can get in making the best calls.
1 comment:
I think replay would be a great thing for baseball. But I think it would only be used in certain situations. Those situations are, determining whether or not a ball was a homerun and whether or not a player was safe or out. I agree about the Matt Holliday slide. That paly should have had a second look since it was such an important play. I mean, it decided who was going to go to the playoffs. It was a clear judgement call since he did not see the plate at all and I feel that if Barrett would have held on to the ball, that the Ump would have called Holliday out. But since he did not hold on, he called him safe. Replay would help out the MLB immensly in my opinion, it could only help out by making calls on the field more clear and justifiable and in even turned over in some cases.
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