Baseball general managers recommend instant replay for first time

[Thumper]

By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer

November 6, 2007

 

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- For the first time Tuesday, baseball general managers recommended instant replay be used to help umpires make difficult decisions.

 

The recommendation, by a 25-5 vote, was limited to boundary calls -- whether potential home runs are fair or foul, whether balls go over fences or hit the top and bounce back, and whether fans interfere with possible homers.

 

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig opposes the use of replays but said last month he was willing to let GMs examine the issue.

 

"I don't like instant replay because I don't like all the delays. I think it sometimes creates as many problems or more than it solves," Selig said then.

 

But Jimmie Lee Solomon, an executive vice president in the commissioner's office, thinks Selig's stance has changed a bit recently.

 

"He seemed to be softer, at least on the consideration of the subject," Solomon said Tuesday.

 

He added it was unclear how the proposal will proceed and acknowledged there is "glacier-like movement in baseball" when it comes to innovation. Solomon said if Selig is willing, the commissioner probably would run the idea by owners. The plan needs approval from the players' association and umpires.

 

Solomon said GMs favored having a Major League Baseball official in a central place with access to all camera angles. If there is a disputed call, that official would be contacted and would view the television replay to make a decision.

 

"We have a very technologically savvy group of GMs," Solomon said. "I was surprised that we had five teams that said no."

 

Solomon also said that to speed up games, baseball was considering limiting the number of times a hitter could step out of the batter's box during an at-bat and the number of times any player could visit the mound.

 

So where's everyone stand on the issue? Personally I don't like it, it takes away from the game. I know umps can make s***** calls but it's part of the game. Baseball shouldn't have to take after other sports. And if anything it'll slow the game down more while the umps review the play.

[TheKilo]

So where's everyone stand on the issue? Personally I don't like it' date=' it takes away from the game. I know umps can make s***** calls but it's part of the game. Baseball shouldn't have to take after other sports. And if anything it'll slow the game down more while the umps review the play.[/quote']

 

Couldn't disagree more. This is only being used for potential home runs, and I'd rather see them get those calls right.

 

If you move into the realm of balls and strikes, then I can understand the hesitation. But those home runs are calls they have to get right.

[26 to 6]

I'm against instant replay in this game...except in this instance. I always thought that if instant replay were to be implemented that it be just strictly for these fair/foul HR scenarios. I don't have a huge problem with it.

[Thumper]

That's how it'll start, which is fine. But watch give it a few years time and they'll start instant replaying the looking strikeouts.

[rician blast]

I'm looking for expansion of the rule...Nothing like a 5 hour baseball game.

 

Actually I think it's a smart idea. I would also like it if they'd employ some methods to speed up the game. In one Sox-Yank game I was timing seconds between pitches...45 seconds was not uncommon, depending on who was at bat. That's ridiculous, although I am sure teams are happy about the added beer and other concession sales.

[Gom]

I love it. I wish they'd include safe/out calls, fair/foul calls, caught/trapped calls.

 

Like football, every team gets one challenge a game, and one in extra innings.

 

There is rarely more than one blown call a game anyways.

[YAZMAN]

I love it. I wish they'd include safe/out calls, fair/foul calls, caught/trapped calls.

 

Like football, every team gets one challenge a game, and one in extra innings.

 

There is rarely more than one blown call a game anyways.

 

Yeah, but in football you lose a timeout if you were wrong. What's the consequence here?

[RedSoxRooter]

"I don't like instant replay because I don't like all the delays." Selig said then.

 

Ummm. That's a little ironic, don't you think? If he could sell ad space during the upstairs play review, I think he'd jump all over it.

[Soxfan1]

This year was a terrible year for umps.

 

Toss 'Em week, Milton Bradley, Holliday not tagging the plate.