So instant replay has been around for years in the NFL, was adopted in hockey, as well as help with last second shots in basketball, it even ha come into play in baseball on questionable home runs. Now, there is the very real possibility that instant replay will be included on close fair or foul calls and traps.
Call me a purist, go ahead I'm ok with it, but this will ruin part of this game. I understand the thought of wanting to get the call right, and we now have the technology to do so. What I don't understand is how will baseball make up the difference in which base a runner should be on? On the trap call would the man on third have tagged to score? These are game changes just as much as them using technology to get the play right.
Picture this. Your team is down by a run in the top of the 9th inning. You have a man on 1st and 3rd with 1 out. The batter hits a screaming grounder down the third base line that is called foul. The man on third scored easily, and the man who was 1st was easily on 3rd base with a chance to score. After review of the play it is determined that the ball was fair so the award the runner at third home scoring the tying run, then allow the runner on 1st base to take 2nd since they cannot award 2 bases. The hitter gets 1st even though the ball would have been a sure double. The next batter hits a ground ball to short for an easy double play. Eventually the other team wins the game in extras.
Because baseball attempted to get the call right, they actually took a win away from the team. These calls do not fairly put the game back to what would have happened in the first place. In this scenario, there is a possibility that the team losing team should have won if it was able to be played out correctly. I do not think instant replay is the major answer to the games so-called problems (for the record I do not think there is a problem), they just have to ensure they are training the umps, who are sportings best trained officials already, to do their jobs just that much better.
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