Baseball, Instant Replay and a Modest Proposal

The playoffs.  The best time of year in any sport, but something special for baseball.  The 3/4 sleeves; the crisp air; the endless commercials...oh, who am I kidding?  The late starts, the length of games, and baseball in November are almost intolerable.  I watch it because I love it, but the mindless babble on TBS and the endless string of commercials is beginning to wear me down.


None of the above annoyances, however, impact the integrity of the game.  That ignominious distinction is reserved specifically for the men in blue. This year's cast of characters brings two issues into clear focus: accountability for umpires and instant replay.


I think it is important to begin by identifying the offending parties.  Unfortunately, I've had to lump the good umpires in with the bad to start, but never fear: I'll make sure the bad get their fair share of press time.

Gerry Davis, Bob Davidson, Jerry Meals, Ron Kulpa, Angel Hernandez and Tim Timmons worked the Philadelphia/Colorado series.  Dana DeMuth, Brian O'Nora, Mike Everitt, Jeff Nelson, Ed Rapuano and Tony Randazzo did the LA/St. Louis series.  Tim Tschida, Chuck Meriwether, Mark Wegner, Paul Emmel, Jim Joyce and Phil Cuzzi dealt with NY/Minnesota.  JoeWest, CB Bucknor, Eric Cooper, Greg Gibson, Brian Gorman and Dan Iassogna worked LA/Boston. 

For the LCS, Tim McClelland, Dale Scott, Jerry Layne, Fieldin Culbreth, Laz Diaz and Bill Miller are overseeing the ALCS, while Randy Marsh, Gary Cedarstrom, Tom Hallion, Ted Barrett, Bruce Dreckman and Sam Holbrook are patrolling the NLCS.

If players get into "slumps," umpires apparently do as well.  Last night, Tim McClelland and Dale Scott botched three calls in two innings, including two on the same player between second base and home plate.  Nick Swisher got picked off second cleaner than a pirhana picks clean bones and was called safe.  About 4 minutes later, Swisher tagged up and scored, only to be called out for leaving the bag early by an umpire who admittedly never saw him leave the bag.  You think your heart is an issue Tim?  So is mine...it's breaking while watching you umpire.

There are a couple of calls in these playoffs that really stand out though.  One occurred last night, where Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada were not fully punished for their baseball stupidity.  While both were off the third base bag, Jeff Mathis tagged both.  McClelland got one right, but somehow missed the call on Cano, who was two feet off the bag when Mathis smacked him in the chest.  Frankly, I don't know how half of the Angels team didn't get thrown out of the game (my good friend Mike thinks Scioscia got a talking to after the Red Sox incident and that is why he is so quiet and sullen).

Of course, there is the Cuzzi call as well, which might have cost the Twins a real chance at tightening up their series with the Yankees.  When your primary job is to call balls on ONE FOUL LINE and you blow it, you shouldn't be an umpire in the major leagues.  Period.  Add to these calls the C.B. Bucknor blown calls at first base in the 4th and 6th innings of Game 1 of the Sox/Angels, Bob Davidson's blown call in the 6th inning of Game 1 of the NLDS, Jerry Meals and Ron Kulpa blowing the Chase Utley "hit" in Game 3 of the NLDS, and incredibly inconsistent strikezones, and you have a debacle in the making.  Where have you gone, Don Denkinger.

I've heard the arguments against instant replay.  Guess what...they stink.  Get the calls right...it is really that simple.  If it adds 10 minutes onto the game, so what?  Enforce the rules to get the pitchers to throw the ball and keep hitters in the batter's box.  Or, goodness, decrease the time between innings!

Here is my modest proposal.  Equip the crew chief with a buzzer and a wireless headset.  Put an umpire up in a booth with a TV monitor and replays.  If there is an egregious call, hit the buzzer, talk through the headset, make the correct call.  Is it really that simple?  Yes.  If hockey can give and take goals in a game in Anaheim from Toronto, and if college football can use the buzzer system without terribly delaying games, then it can work.  Will it be perfect from day 1?  Of course not.  But we are striving for perfection.

Baseball is perfect.  Umpiring...not so much.  Why not make it better?