WILL POWER REPORT: INSTANT REPLAY FOR BASEBALL
Nothing but the Truth!
I
nstant Replay for Baseball
October 23, 2009 -- I love baseball- in spite of the drugs, the drinking, the cheating, and the high salaries. But I hate the egregiously bad calls which affect the outcome of games, series, careers, and franchises.
In the recent playoff series there were at least four rulings that were wrong. A fair fly ball was ruled foul, even though the defending outfielder touched the ball in fair territory. A pick-off play at second base showed a player was out, but the umpire ruled him safe from two feet away. Then there was the comical ‘Who’s on third?” play, where two base-runners, standing off the base were both tagged out. But only one was ruled out. The umpire later admitted ‘I wasn’t watching his feet!” A base-runner who clearly tagged up legally on a sacrifice fly was ruled out.
So- it is time. It is time for instant replay in baseball. In fact, I would really like a laser system developed to measure balls and strikes. It would work better than what passes for subjective ball and strikes.
The Home Plate umpire can easily throw a game by subtle changes in the strike zone. Clearly, it is easier to swing freely on a 3-0 count than on an 0-2 count. If a laser system could measure balls and strikes, it would ensure that home teams could not intimidate umpires and swing games.
All games are already televised and multiple cameras make video review a simple task of viewing the video tape. All angles are covered. I don’t see a problem.
Fans deserve a fair playing field. Eliminating umpires mistakes may actually increase the fan base and get America’s pastime back on top. Clearly, the current umpires are incompetent. Fans deserve a level playing field.