By Jacob Posik
On Thursday of last week, Major League Baseball owners gave the OK to expand the use of instant replay league-wide. This issue has caused quite the controversy amidst the league and its fans, who are concerned that expanded replay will affect the integrity of the game. Baseball is also considered the slowest of the four major North American sports, and bringing replay into the league may make games even longer than they already are.
However, recent big plays in the league have begged for replay in the sport, and it’s tough to argue with the questionable outcomes that have happened on the field.
Most recently, last year’s World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals exemplified several questionable calls, including the walk-off obstruction call that ended Game Three.
Another bad call was seen in 2010, marking the most recent upsurge in public outcry for the implementation of instant replay in baseball.
Armando Galarraga, then pitching for the Detroit Tigers, pitched a perfect game for 8 and two-thirds innings before first base umpire Jim Joyce called Cleveland Indians base runner Jason Donald “safe” at first base. Upon further review, it became apparent that Galarraga threw Donald out a step before he reached the bag. Not only was this the wrong call, but the result of the play also tarnished Galarraga’s chance to make history.
It is evident by these findings, as well as the positive effects expanded replay has had on other professional sports like the NFL, that it’s time for the MLB to make this change.
The new system will allow managers to have one replay opportunity during the course of a game, and a possible second if their first challenge is upheld. After both teams’ challenges are gone, and from the 7th inning onward, umpires have the authority to trigger a replay.
This system is not perfect. There is a chance that more than one incorrect call could be made between innings 1-7. This is also when the bulk of the game will be played. However, MLB executive Tony La Russa expects that after this change, nearly 90 percent of plays in a game will be reviewable, which is a step in the right direction.
The process needs tinkering, but after years of watching the NFL and NBA benefit from the use of replay, baseball is finally catching on.
By enabling expanded replay and challenges among team managers, the integrity of the game can be improved by making the correct calls on the field. There is nothing more disappointing to fans than their team being negatively affected by a bad call. In most of these instances, the calls are a result of poor judgment on the behalf of the umpire. Like in the Galarraga case, sometimes umpires just make incorrect calls.
Human error can be eliminated by allowing expanded replay, and by ratifying its existence in the league last week, MLB owners are creating a more fair contest between teams for the future of the sport.