Instant Replay, Baseball Edition

The horrible call in last night’s Yankees-Tigers game that resulted in two very unearned runs for the Tigers could easily be avoided by a system that Major League Baseball does not appear to be considering, perhaps because it is the exact same system that the NFL currently uses: give each manager two challenges a game. Balls and strikes would be excluded, of course – just as many species of decision cannot be challenged in football – but everything else is fair game. With only two challenges at his disposal, a manager would have to be wary about using them – thus, saving them for game-changing moments and plays where the evidence should be clear.
Rather than slowing the game, a challenge system would speed it up. No longer would we have to wait for the manager to come trotting out of the dugout, engage in a lengthy conversation often requiring the presence of other umpires, then slowly tromp back to his seat, if he hasn’t been ejected, which then consumes a further minute or two. Under my proposal, he could toss a red flag from his back pocket without even moving; a replay official in the booth upstairs would review as many replay angles as are needed or available; he would then communicate electronically with the home plate, or other designated, umpire; and the call would either stand or be reversed. Further appeal would be futile. Note the one change from the NFL: there would be no need for the umpire or umpires to leave the field and look at the replays themselves, as baseball currently does for its limited home run/not home run review. If the missed call isn’t obvious to independent eyes in the skybox, the call stands.
Last night, Infante was out by two feet on Cano’s tag, and every replay angle showed the same thing. In sixty seconds, the call could have been corrected and the game could have proceeded without controversy. As for second-guessing the umpire, what umpire wants to be remembered for a bad call? And if MLB wants to proceed even more cautiously in this direction, start with one challenge per game. I’ll bet most will never be used, and pointless arguing will be curtailed even further. If a manager doesn’t have the courage to throw his flag, how seriously will the umpire take the manager who comes out to complain?

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