Bob Long's Sports Blog

Instant Replay.  Major League Baseball.  These two phrases have never been linked throughout the history of baseball.  Even as instant replay was implemented in other sports, such as football, basketball, hockey, and tennis, the issue was simply disregarded by baseball officials.  Instant replay became the elephant in the room; the issue no one would address but everyone knew was there.  In 2008, replay was primitively instituted in the MLB.  Umpires could only review boundary calls: fair or foul with regards to a home run, and whether a potential home run ball cleared the fence.  In reality this tool was almost never used.  This was the extent of the replay system, and Commissioner Bud Selig maintained that instant replay would not be further instituted.  Most fans accepted this statement.  However, this attitude changed during the 2009 MLB Postseason.  The issue of instant replay became the focus of attention in early October 2009, as a large scale debate among fans, announcers, players, and managers erupted.

So why did instant replay become a popular topic?  What changed that caused the sudden uproar?  The increased attention on the subject stems from the rapid increase in television broadcasting and filming technology.  Television networks now have the ability to broadcast baseball games through crystal clear HD cameras, providing fans with a unique viewing experience.  Fans can watch games on television almost as clearly as people who attend the games can.  Fans can also see every close call in slow motion replay, and have the unique ability to see each call much more clearly than the umpires can.  Therefore, the improved technologies of television networks such as FOX and TBS, coupled with the fan’s ability to see missed calls clearly, have directly led to the large scale debate about instant replay.

Another cause for the popular debate that erupted over instant replay during the 2009 Playoffs is the fact that many fans watch the playoff games.  Each playoff game is nationally televised, and as a result the television networks have much more viewership than during the regular season.  The regular season, which is 162 games long, spans nearly six months.  Many fans do not pay close attention to the regular season because of its length.  In addition, each team has its own local network, and only a few games each week are nationally televised during the regular season.  However, the postseason lasts for approximately one month, and is much more exciting and intense than the regular season.  For these reasons, many fans who did not watch much regular season play watch the entire postseason.  Baseball television ratings spike during the playoffs.  Therefore, the advanced technology that displays the flaws of umpires is magnified in the postseason due to the increased viewership.  Every baseball fan, from casual to dedicated, sees every bad call umpires make on national television during the playoffs.   

In order to not sidestep the issue, it is also important to realize that umpires are, to an extent, responsible for the demand for instant replay.  As an umpire, I can say that while umpiring is a difficult job, it is not impossible.  In order to be successful as an umpire, it is important to know the rules of baseball thoroughly, to put oneself in proper position to make the calls, and then to execute the correct call.  Major League umpires know all the rules; that is not the problem.  However, the umpiring crew expands from four members in the regular season to six members in the postseason.  This produces a crammed feeling in the field of play, and can confuse umpires as to specifically which call is their responsibility.  For six months umpires have worked together on a four man crew, so it is no surprise that suddenly changing to a six man crew for the postseason would be confusing.  This change in operation is a possible reason why umpires are sometimes out of position when making calls and do not execute them correctly during the playoffs.  Although the new HD camera technology and increased fan viewership are both important reasons why a call for instant replay has arisen, the simple fact is that there would be no lobbying for instant replay if umpires were performing to their capabilities during the playoff games.

Now that the causes of the demand for replay have been identified, what are the possible consequences of the increased debate over instant replay in Major League Baseball?  Could a change be produced?  One consequence of the debate will most likely be that the Commissioner and other baseball officials will find some system to make the fans happier.  Baseball is a business that thrives upon its fans.  Fans fill the 50,000 seat stadiums 81 times a year, buy the merchandise from the MLB, and serve as the nourishment to keep the sport alive.  If the fans are not happy with the current product, it will be changed.  In the economic climate that exists today, teams are having enough trouble filling their stadiums with fans.  Now many fans are disgruntled with the fact that umpires are compromising the integrity of Major League Baseball by making the wrong calls.  Commissioner Bud Selig will need to change something to reverse this negative trend.  He can not continue to remain silent on this issue, as the stakeholders in the MLB, the fans, will begin to abandon the sport if they are not satisfied with the product.  Therefore, a possible consequence of the fans’ call for instant replay will be that Commissioner Bud Selig will attempt to institute a system that permits instant replay on questionable calls. 

Given the possible consequences from the instant replay debate, should instant replay be incorporated into Major League Baseball?  If so, what type of system would be instituted?  It seems that because of the possible negative consequences that may arise from the poor performance of umpires, an instant replay system needs to be implemented.  Coupled with the fact that most other major sports have instituted instant replay with much success, baseball needs to take the step to keep up with the technology utilized by sports such as football, basketball, hockey, and tennis.

However, baseball needs to be extremely careful about how it institutes an instant replay system.  A Major League Baseball game averages just over three hours.  The length of these games is one of the biggest complaints voiced by fans.  Therefore, the replay system needs to be effective in that it allows the umpires the means to make the correct call in close situations.  It also needs to provide umpires with an efficient, quick way to complete the call so as to not substantially increase the length of games.

The easiest, most efficient way to solve this problem is to allow managers to “challenge” any call other than the strikes and balls.  Each manager would only be delegated 2 challenges per game, as coaches are in football.  The umpires themselves would not make the call, because it would take too long for them to find the camera, make a definitive decision, and then restart the game.  Instead, each umpiring crew would include a person seated in the press box with access to a television monitor.  This official would have full control over the decisions on challenged calls.  The umpire-in-chief on the field would communicate with the replay official in the press box, and thereby these calls would be made within a minute, and rarely more than two or three minutes.  This system provides a quick, efficient, and effective way to institute instant replay without radically changing the game of baseball.

Stay tuned tomorrow when I take the opposing stance and argue why further implementation of instant replay in the MLB would not be beneficial.