Scott Rovak – USA TODAY Sports
Bud Selig and his front office have been known to drag their feet on a lot of issues. That was not the case in today’s snap decision to implement full replay usage in the MLB, excluding balls and strikes calls. Managers will have three challenges, just like in the NFL. All of these rules will be put into place starting in the 2014 season.
This is obviously a very big deal.
What was once considered the ‘human element’ — umps missing calls from time to time — is now unacceptable as it always should have been. Fans come to the game for the ‘human element’ of watching their favorite players perform. No one is dressing up in ump uniforms to come see their favorite ump make good calls.
Think about the implications of this rule. Had it been implemented years ago, Armando Gallarraga would have a perfect game. The monumental blown call by ump Jim Joyce would have been corrected. Though it would have robbed us of the touching apology and all that, it could have changed Gallarraga’s career. After that blown call, he has yet to make another impact in MLB, and in all likelihood will not return.
It’s going to be good for the game. It may slow it down a little, but it’ll be worth it to get the right call and make sure that umps don’t impact a game in favor of any team.
Umps are there to be judges, not players, and judges should not be settling on missed calls.
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