Baseball Adopts Instant Replay Umpiring

Major League Baseball has surrendered to technology at last. As of last night, umpires can consult video replays to judge whether a potential home run cleared the fence, was interfered with by a fan or was fair. The change is a small one, but it could be the thin end of the wedge that undermines human umpires and alters the game permanently.

The video replay has been inevitable in all sports since the invention of video tape. What has amazed most in that time is just how many times umpires and referees get the call right. Often, the camera angles result in an inconclusive determination, but rarely does the video show the official to be dead wrong.

What is troubling about the use of video replay is that it will spread. Under the current rules, only the home-run shot is in question, but how many times have fans watched other situations where video would help? Fouls, “bang-bang” plays in force out situations, and diving catches may all benefit from the use of video. And there will be pressure to extend it to these situations.

The result most likely would be a break up in the flow of the game. Imagine a ball curling toward foul territory, the umpires calls it foul. The runners don’t move, but the replay shows the ball is fair. What the heck happens? Is it a hit? Do the runners move forward? Could a run score? Does the batter have to go back and hit? A giant do-over?

Baseball has, of course, seen worse. Moving the World Series to night games ensured that children never get to see the 9th inning of the fall classics games. The designated hitter rule has dumbed down strategy in the American League while providing a gravy train for has-been hitters. And when lights were put in at Wrigley Field, well, the less said the better.

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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