Major League Baseball is testing instant replay at only 3 series this weekend, and only for "boundary calls" on home runs. On TV you will hear many talking heads make several arguments against this, all of them fallacious.
1) "It's unfair to change the rules in the middle of the season."
Yes, you can. Because the rule doesn't govern the way the game is played strategically, it doesn't favor one team over any other. And that's the true definition of fairness. Conceivably, every team has an equal chance of benefitting or being hurt by a newly reviewable play, once again, fairness.
2) "You're taking the human element out of the game."
Good. The human element makes a lot of mistakes. Instant replay, when applied with in reason will help get more calls right, and therefore make it better for everyone.
3) "Instant replay will slow down the game."
This may be so in other sports but if you've watched any of the disputed home run calls this season you know they begin with a long manager's argument, continue with a long umpires' meeting and if reversed, continue with a long argument from the other manager. If an umpire can go into a clubhouse or dugout and look at a few replays in less than say two minutes, it would alleviate all that trouble. "You'll see it clearly on the replay after the game" is a good way to end an argument with an irate manager.
According to Major League Baseball, under this system only 18 plays all season so far would have been subject to review.
The only negative of the system is putting it into place in the middle of a penant race doesn't give them time to work a=out any potential kinks in a pressure free environment.
ReplyDeleteIts still much better than not having it at all. It makes complete sense.
Not to mention this whole situation wouldn't exist if every new ballpark wasn't built like a PGA golf course with all of the yellow lines and hills and Japanese ads and foul poles that aren't attached to the outfield wall. Oh wait, that's Yankee Stadium and Fenway I'm talking about. Still, you get my point. Viewers can't tell half the time what's a home run and what isn't.
ReplyDeleteThis should have been done years ago. I am sick of these fat umps overruling each other (incorrectly) and it usually ends up screwing the mets.
ReplyDelete