Your New York Sports Blog: MLB to Try Instant Replay

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Major League Baseball is making tentative plans to experiment with instant replay in the Arizona Fall League, according to a baseball official with knowledge of those discussions.

If that experiment proves practical and successful,

MLB then is likely to continue the experiment next March during the World Baseball Classic and spring-training games.

If no insurmountable problems arise, baseball could begin using replay -- though only to decide home run calls -- as soon as next season.

What is yet to be determined is whether calls would be reviewed by a "replay umpire" in each stadium, as the National Football League does, or in the MLB offices in New York, a system that would more resemble the National Hockey League.

Calls for some kind of instant replay system for home runs have arisen following a string of questionable home run calls by umpires.

...Both the Yankees and the Mets would have wished they had the use of instant replay this week when Carlos Delgado was robbed against the Yankees and Alex Rodriguez was robbed last night.

The problem is using the instant replay only on home run calls is that it is a VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE. It will tick managers off if the instant replay decides one game with a home run, but does not for a play at the plate.

I have a feeling it will fail, but if they do decide to go with the NHL style with a "home run judge" is better than having an ump go look at a booth.

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