Baseball Needs Instant Replay

Yes, we need instant replay in baseball.

I consider myself a purist. I understand that, as part of any sporting event, officials are human and are prone to error just like the players. I also understand that for the sake of the flow of a game and for simple practical purposes, it would be unreasonable to solely rely on an automated form of officiating.

But the result of a game should not suffer from the errors of officials. It’s not fair to the players who have skin in the game. If it’s possible to use technology in such as way as to reduce the element of human error in officiating, than why not use it? As for the argument “games last too long”, that’s actually another smack topic altogether. In the context of a game, another 60 seconds to confirm whether a ball is fair or foul by checking a replay isn’t going to make that big of a difference and I’m confident that players/fans would happily sacrifice it in the name of a call being made correctly.

Understand that I’m not here to unveil the specifics about how the system should work. Certainly, it would not be used to call balls/strikes; I would suggest it be limited to adjudicating close plays and fair/foul balls. Perhaps it could work similar to the way other sports use it and/or whereby teams get a limited number of “incorrect challenges”? I don't know! I don't have the solution here, but I’m happy to brainstorm ideas.

In any event, something needs to be done. Some mistakes by umpires may seem insignificant at the time, but any fan knows the importance of an extra out. Other mistakes are more obvious to the result (think last year's NLDS). The NFL, after years of experimentation, finally has got it about right. Basketball and hockey use it to a certain extent. Even tennis has recently implemented its own form. Baseball needs to wake up and start using instant replay, as well.

Rebuttal
I completely agree that the game is subjective in terms of calling balls/strikes. Therefore, as originally stated, I would not support replay to make these types of judgement calls. Again, I would support replay for non-judgement calls such as fair/foul balls or a runner’s status on the base paths. Replay was introduced in other sports to address clear factual errors. Using your logic, Duncan, a ball is either foul or fair.

I also disagree with the argument that initiating replay will open a Pandora’s Box of replays because there would be clear delineation of what types of decisions are reviewable and what are not. For instance, in the NFL, penalty decisions are not reviewable because they are judgement calls. If implemented in MLB, the same logic would certainly apply and the use of human umpires for judgement calls would be preserved. Fans are already accustomed to the logic of limited use replay systems in other sports and would surely accept it in baseball, as well.

Baseball isn't like other sports. It's always been a subjective game. In basketball you either make the ball through the hoop or you don't. In football you either make the ball over the goal line or you don't. In soccer you put the ball in the net or you don't. But in baseball... it has always been one person's opinion as to whether its a ball or a strike. Also I don't believe you can just start with some calls in baseball. Once any plays are subject to replay somebody will want every call subject to replay. Then before you know it we have no human umpires. Keep baseball pure. NO REPLAY!!!