Video review has no place in baseball

Umpires gather to discuss a call during the 2009 World Series

During the 2009 Major League Baseball playoffs there have already been close to a dozen “blown” calls made by different umpiring crews, putting Commissioner Bud Selig and his often reliable boys in blue under the microscope.

The debate whether or not replay should be implemented into America’s pastime is divided. While many want the game to be as fair as possible many believe that adding replay takes away from the purity of the game.

As it stands, MLB currently allows video review only to determine certain “boundary calls” — disputed home runs and fair-foul decisions.

Since its inception in August of 2008, replay has been used 54 times with calls being overturned in only 22 cases.

Along with the umpiring crew, each stadium is equipped with eight-cameras for replay purposes. This abundance of “extra eyes” allows almost every angle to be covered.

If the eight cameras weren’t enough, MLB beefed up with 15 cameras for the LCS games and a whopping 20 for the World Series, only adding to the pressure that the umpires are under.

The truth as officiating hasn’t gotten worse. Technology has just gotten better.

Umpiring this postseason has fallen under such analysis because technology has spoiled us with the right call almost every time.

High-definition video has become an umpire’s worse enemy, allowing the viewer to get an even better view of the play than those on the field. Freeze-frames and slow motion break the game down to a snail’s pace, allowing us to see every inch of the play.

With these advancements in place, many skeptics argue that this technology should be used to advance rather than hinder the game.

Other leagues such as the NHL, NBA and NFL have flirted with replay and have had moderate success, but in a game which relies so much on human judgment and error, the replay takes that element out of the game entirely.

In these leagues that do have replays, the referees still make incorrect calls after viewing the replay, so replay is hardly a failsafe.

The human element in athletic competition is what provides the drama. The flaws are fundamentally part of that overall package.

Game by game, play by play, nearly every call the umpires make is the right one. It is not until the one mistake they make is scrutinized and discussed over television that we hear cries for more replays.

Instant replay allows teams to make excuses. Bad calls don’t blow games, only bad plays. When reviewed under numerous replays one bad call blinds everyone from the numerous mistakes in execution over nine innings.

The majority of players and managers agree that sanctity of the sport can only be upheld if the rules of replay are not tainted.

Manager of the Chicago White Sox Ozzie Guillen, summed it up best: “I think we have to trust the umpires. We cannot make this game a computer game. We have people out there that have jobs, and no matter what the call is, we have to respect that. Sometimes that’s good for baseball.”

Philadelphia Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel does not shy away from confrontation with umpires.

Manager Charlie Manuel, whose Phillies have been on both sides of the call this postseason,  believes that adding more video replay is not the way to fix the game. “I think human nature plays the game. I think the game was built that way. I think everything that goes into it was built that way.”

At the end of the day, no coach, player or fan will agree with every call an official made.

More instant replay isn’t the watertight solution. Hold the worst officiating crews more accountable for their mistakes. Deny them future assignments. As with any profession, the best performers receive the more important games.

If we start undermining an umpires every decision, then the umpire not only loses respect but also his authority in the game. If we are going to have big brother in a booth reviewing every play, then what is the purpose of umpires anyway?

Ratings for Game Two of the World Series were up 44 percent over last year so a few missed calls are not hurting the game’s image.

For every walk-off homerun, we get a routine grounder that goes between Bill Buckner’s legs. Baseball is a game of ups and downs. It is unpredictable and is victim to human error and that is the beauty of it.

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Posted by Brandon Wile on Nov 8, 2009. Filed under Features, This Week's Edition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.