Sport Chit Chat

After some initial hesitation, MLB Umpires have agreed to use instant replay to help them make home run calls. As Tim Kurkjian of ESPN writes, “The era of instant replay will represent a fundamental shift in the way the game is called.” Baseball, through the use of the strike zone is grounded in the idea that the umpires make the calls, even if they are subjective. Now this has changed slightly. With the addition of computers to make the calls on home runs the subjectivity of umpiring has decreased. This is similar to the use of computers in tennis that track the landing of a ball to decide if it is out or not. The difference here is that it is not challenge based, the upms can just use the computers.

I see this as a good step for the MLB, the only league without instant replay. What would hockey be if refs had to make the call for pucks crossing the goal line, or if basketball refs had to just guess if the last second shot went in. I know that instant replays can be anti-climactic as decisions are made well after celebrations, but is it not better to have the true and right decision made as opposed to the one that suites the moment. It’s good to know that when I watch a ball game, I’ll know that the right call is made.

My one reservation to the whole idea is that I hope this does not spread to the rest of baseball. Home runs are a hard-fast type of thing. Either it went over or it didn’t. Things like the strike zone are more subjective as each player has a different strike zone dependent on height and stance. I hope the day never comes when the strike zone is automated or replays are used on base stealing. Those things need to be the umps call not only to preserve the purity of the game, but to keep the game moving. Baseball is a game that takes time and surly does not need even more long pauses for replay checks. I’m excited to see how this pans out and I hope Derek Jeter can have some solace in his called back dinger.

-Maxmillien