Instant Replay

The 2008 MLB baseball season became a huge success with one simple change. For the first time, they were finally able to install instant replay for umpires to review a questionable call. Was it fair or was it foul? Did it stay in the park or did it go out? The main purpose of the instant replay is to get a second look to see if the hit was actually a home run or not. For years many home runs that were hit fair were called foul by poor eye sight from the foul line umpire and some that went foul were called fair. Well managers are tired of this and now is their opportunity to make sure the right call is made. There were even questionable calls to judge whether the ball was hit over the fence and out of the park or whether it hit an object that was still in fair play. The game is so fast and sometimes as an umpire, it can be hard to view the baseball if your not in the correct position.

Instant replay is only used in this situation, however if an umpire wants to re-look at other plays, they should have that option. Unfortunately, they do not. The only calls that are eligible for instant replay are home runs. In my opinion, if an umpire wasn’t 100% sure on his call, he should have the right to go back and look at the replay to see if he was correct or incorrect. No one is perfect and therefore error is expected. The only problem is, the other side of the party wants redemption or if at all possible, a changed call.