That would really speed up the game huh Roch?

I understand that Major League Baseball will be using Supervisor of Umpires Richie Garcia as their man at command control to rule on all instant replays.

Instant replay is bad! The whole ambiance of baseball will be ruined. You know it won't stop at just home run calls; soon it will move to balks, stolen bases/tags, etc. It is a slippery slope towards a non-human game. Baseball is so great because of the human touch and the occasional miscalls.
U is for unique and umpire which we should treasure.

It will have the same impact in the games like the NFL. It has to be discussed more by the owners and players. The rules still have to be made up.

New York Teams get cheated out of homeruns and MLB reacts. If Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts had been cheated out of the homeruns. This wouldn't have come out. ESPN had some influence on this...but its just my opinion.

Shouldn't we have some congressional hearings first.

Tony Tarasco too may want to add a couple cents... and everyone else from Baltimore in 97.

I'm actually opposed to instant replay in baseball... not completely, but when it comes to the strike zone, I say hands off. In fan interference situations, yes, I'm in favor, as should any O's fan be, but IMO the umpires are a big part of a games suspense. Baseball wouldn't be baseball without your Hirschbeck's making everyone frustrated beyond belief.

I guess IR wouldn't affect the strike zone. I was talking to my friend recently who suggested that there should be some kind of crazy tech advances in baseball like a blue tooth strike zone or an infared foul line system. I wouldn't want that to happen. Don't think it will though.

Strike zone, check swings, balks, tag plays and force plays should be left to the umpires for the sake of the past time, but fair/foul calls, questionable home runs and fan interference, IMO, are all variables in a game that should be able to be verified by replay.

If the Patriot act passed, this certainly should. Maybe we get our out back that Jeffrey Maier stole from us. Better yet, perhaps we can have him arrested.

it actually would speed up the game. there would be less arguing from the managers as there will be a definitive look and nothing one could really argue about; just put a guy in the booth or, like hockey, have a guy in a completely different city who is watching all games, and give him a call. would be less of a chance of people claiming he/she is the "hometown" replay judge. it works for hockey, it takes about 5-10 secs for them to figure out if a disputed goal is good or not. on that note, hockey is bar none the best officiated sport going.

i think it would make the game much longer but then again it could be a good thing...

Roch, do you think maybe Roberts and Markakis are pressing too much this year with the departure of Tejada? Roberts and Markakis have a ton of Ks combined and considering they are vets and have been with the O's for a while so maybe they are trying too hard?

oh god... that's fine for just homeruns, but no instant replay for close calls. Sure it would be nice since the O's get a lot of bad calls, but it would ruin the game.

Baseball needs to get with the times and use instant replays on run scoring plays... Markakis seems to be striking out a lot, but that play in the outfield made up for it...

I say yay on the replay.

And it won't add an extra 20 mintues to a game. Nice exaggeration Roch.

It may add like 5 minutes. So what? Big deal. What are ya gonna do if you had those 5 minutes anway? Go home and watch TMZ or something?

Is Markakis getting himself straightened out a good idea? Man, he is just a mess at the plate.

Not for nothin', but Ramon Hernandez is bad and getting worse...he will be worth absolutely nothing at the trade deadline. His at bats are simply pitiful.
There are reminders every time this team plays about how much work they need to do to simply approach mediocrity.

Is it just me, or are Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis striking out a lot more than usual? I've looked at some of the stats, and both are on pace for more strikeouts, but I'm noticing more swings and misses too.

I just don't remember Roberts swinging and missing that often at all the last few seasons. I guess I could be wrong.

Bascom went 5 in his debut giving up one run, Snyder and Tripp have gone deep so far.

Just think how good the '07 draft would be looking if they had 2nd and 3rd round picks.

Rodriguez didn't hit a home run, he hit a double. That's what the umpires ruled it.

Instant replay is no good, no matter how it's used. Even though I'd like to I don't watch pro football much until the playoffs - instant replay has a lot to do with it.

What's up with NicKKK?

Or Roberts?

This offense is and will likely continue to be terrible. We have become the Ravens-- all D and no O!

Can I repeat the Earl Weaver's comments on this blog? Can we try to find the offensive version of Krannitz to replace the Crow? How can he still have a job? I would not trust the development of the young guys to him.

Damn there goes Roberts again. Whoooosh...

How does Richie Garcia have a job after his blown call on the Jeffrey Maier homerun in '96?

He's not even qualified to work at McDonalds.

That sucks...losing two of three to the Spankees after winning big in the first game. We blew it tonight when we had our chance. Markakis is striking out way too much.

Not cool dude.. not cool at all!

At least Burres didn't get the loss. Poor guy. He pitched a beautiful game. We better take all three from Tampa to make up. Grrrrrr I am not happy!!!!!!!!!

Too many strikeouts tonight. We need to stop swinging at everything!

PS I think Luke would have made a better throw at the plate than Payton. Ugh.

I hate to complain about the manager, but you have to explain how you let johnson pitch to abreu-walks him on 5 pitches- then lets him pitch to Cano-who is 0-3 against the lefty Burres tonight? If walker can't be trusted in those situations, then he has to be gone, cause that's why he's there.
And letting Sherrill sit in the pen watching this happen....and I just can't say enough bad things about this anemic offense. I guess you have to watch them every day to realize just how bad they really are.
It is a testament to this team's pitching that they are 2 games over, because left to its own devices, this horrific offense hits at a 10 games under clip. Just way too many clueless at bats.

Chalk up that win to Joe Girardi. Jim Johnson was having his way with Yankee hitters until Girardi went into his little tirade. Pity, because Brian Burres had an outstanding start tonight.

Nick Markakis looks lost at the plate right now (the Orioles will certainly use his high number of strikeouts too bring down his agent's salary when it comes time to negotiate a contract). However, that play from right was pretty awesome.

Roch -- I agree with Brian. The idea of having instant replay doesn't seem to fit a game that is already often criticized for being too slow. But if it were to be used, it doesn't make sense to have it only for determining homers. The controversial play at the plate is just as crucial, and I think slightly more frequent than the questionable home run. And what about stolen bases?

If MLB were to use it, I think it should be for only certain calls, just as in the NFL, and also like football I think a manager should only be able to have so many challenges a game (maybe one or two). But, again, no replay is probably the way to go.

Yesterday, you comment about how after a LaTroy Hawkins fastball gave Luke Scott a shave the situation could have gotten "Sam Cassell ugly" had the bad old Daniel Cabrera still been around. And you used this photo to get the point across.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/391313488_7bc791a537.jpg

Okay, good point, but I've got you trumped in the ugly Sam photo department with a closeup that makes Cassell look a GQ glamor boy. In looking at the following shot, there's just one thing to keep in mind: It hasn't been altered in any way with PhotoShop or anything else, so what you see is what you and your nightmares get--Sam in all his glory! (Burning question: Is there a Son of Sam?)

http://samugliestdog.typepad.com/photos/new_sam_pics/iw4c0045croppedcopyweb.html

Was it a good pitcher’s duel tonight? Yes. Did Nick Markakis make an outstanding play on the catch in right and the throw to first for the double play? Yes. Did Brian Burres look good? Yes. Did the Orioles fail to hit in the clutch? Yes.

But what about Chris Guccione? Umpire #68 had been demoted to the minor leagues coming into this season. He was on hand tonight at Yankee Stadium, calling balls and strikes.

When Joe Girardi was done with his performance—and it was a performance—arguing the tip of the knob of the bat third-strike call against Jason Giambi, something happened to Guccione’s strike zone. Suddenly, it became fuzzy, blurry, as if seen threw the lens of another Guccione.

Perhaps Jim Johnson should have responded with a Vaseline ball?

Not only did Girardi’s show—throwing the hat in the dirt ala Billy Martin—serve to ice Jim Johnson it accomplished something even better. It unnerved Guccione, who clearly said to Girardi late in the performance “Get the f*** out of here” to the point where the umpire called what should have been two strikes to Bobby Abreau (one on the outside corner, the other belt high where an appeal was made on the swing but should have been a moot point because the ball was a strike over the middle of the plate) balls. That produced the walk, putting Matsui into scoring position at second, from where he scored on Robby Cano’s single to left.

I laugh at the attention given to a call for instant replay in baseball on homeruns. Let’s face it, we all know the game is decided day in and day out on what is a strike and what is a ball and where the pitcher and batter stand in the count.

I second that. I'm all for instant replay after the horrible Jeffrey Maier debacle. Heck I'm still mad that they cancelled Gunsmoke.

home runs, AND calls down the line; fair/foul...... that's it

t is for times up, whats the call....

Apparently, Joe Girardi wrapped up his command performance of frustration with Chris Guccione by telling him that as long as he was manager of the Yankees, he would make sure that no more copies of Penthouse would be sold in New York and New Jersey.

And that's my final tale tonight from "The Naked City."

Sooo, it is 6:30am on Friday, and I am looking for something on the game last night. Are you going 9 to 5 on us?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm sitting at my gate waiiting to board a flight for Tampa. Been up since 4;30 a.m. You'll be happy to know I haven't gone 9 to 5. - Roch

ESPN catterwalls about something for a week, so our boy Bud decides we need to look into instant replay. There very fact that somewhere in the "Rules of Use" the word INCONCLUSIVE will be laying in waiting is enough for me to be against it. Why spend all that money, and slow the game down for something we already have? IMPERFECTION...Maybe we should consider putting an asterisk next to all the Home Run records that are set after it is implemented.

Take calling balls and strikes away from the umpire and rely on the computerized system now used as a replay to show whether a pitch was a ball or a strike. It shouldn't delay the game if the call is fed to the umpire behind home plate. Why continue having individual umpires arbitrarily decide the strike zone when it's no longer necessary?

Peter the Great is getting exactly what he wanted this year , no protection for Nick in the lineup so he can low-ball his contract,,,,,,,,,,,,what a guy,,,,,,,,,,,

Instant replay is a wonderful idea , I think in addition to home run reviews they should give each manager three challenges every game , just like football , the idea is to 'get it right'................

After a night to sleep on it, I think we really have to look at the Burres performance as the real highlight. The hitting (or lack thereof) is alarming, but we knew it would be problematic. Now we have Cabrera, Burres, Guthrie, and besides the last blip Olson putting in very solid performances every single night. Makes for competitive baseball. I think Burres may have locked up the 3-4 spot in the rotation for a long time. He is a great contrast to Cabrera and Guthrie. Two or four seem like a good spot for him.

Love the articles about Markakis cutting back on strikeouts. Really?

Very interesting series coming up.

OK, how many folks recall Trembley getting suspended late last year for his tirade after a botched call at second base? That suspension was ludicrous, but it will be interesting to see what happens with Girardi. I don't think Trembley should have been suspended, nor do I think Girardi should be, but since Trembley actually was suspended I think it'll smack of favoritism if Girardi goes unpunished.

Anybody else think Nick's swing looks different? It seems to me like it has more loft, like he's trying to drive balls out of the park. That may be confirmation bias on my part, as I've noticed his increased HR rate, decreased doubles rate, and big jump in K's and wondered whether he was trying too hard to hit homeruns to help our offense.

Was at the game last night with the family...about 50 O's fans wearing colors in the stands. Amazing play by Markakis in the first...offset by striking out with bases loaded in the third - he looked terrible at the plate - mix fastballs with off-speed and he's struggling to make contact...great chance to break the game open and knock Kennedy out of the game and we let him off the hook...did anyone else notice Bynum almost catch Jones at third base on his stand-up triple...he is fast.
What's up with B-Rob...watching a lot of third strike calls and dropped the double play ball. Offense is enemic without opposing team errors...

Instant replay is the devil. I like football, but I hate having to wait after every single big play to be sure there were no flags and then wait more after big close plays to be sure they are not overturned. Celebrating (or grieving) the instant the play happens is a fundamental and often overlooked beauty of the game. In baseball, there are no flags, no fouls, no clock, no replay, no do-overs. Adding replay on any calls at all will screw all that up. The umpires are imperfect - get used to it. Part of the game. Have we not had endless conversation material about the blown Garcia call? Would it really have been better if there was Instant Replay and the call stood because the video were "inconclusive"? Keep IR the hell away from the National Pastime. Now and forever. That way lies ruin.

Roch - thanks for the "around the clock" part of your efforts, dude. And enjoy Tampa. If it is not too much trouble, can you let us know whether you learned the reasoning of Trembley re: Cabrera warming up for the 8th the other night and the comments that cracked up Daniel and the others? Or,alternatively, if it is unlearnable and/or not on the record, can you let us know that?

Yes we need every play ever strike to be called by machines and replay

Regarding Ramon Hernandez, patience, I think, is the name of the game. His batting average of balls in play in only .211 which is incredibly low, an indicator that he has been very unlucky. For any player who plays a significant amount of time, that number will end up between .265 and .325. It's actually a good sign that his batting average isn't much less than his BA/BIP as they will rise together. Ramon's strikeouts aren't really up, another good sign. By the end of the year, you'll see him settle in at .265, 15 HR, 60-70 RBI. OK for a catcher.

Roch, are they any parameters being discussed for the instant replay? A lot of people knock the football system (it could be more efficient but generally I think it's ok), but I think the rules of a limited number of challenges and loss of timeout if the play isn’t overturned are good measures. What could baseball do? Loss of an out, with perhaps the batter that’s next to bat being ruled as the out? That could be a huge factor in a tight, meaningful game.

I understand the argument that it takes away something from the game, but I think situations like the infamous 1996 ALCS game 1 home run and even the 1985 World Series game 6 call at first have to not happen. For me, something’s lost from the game when an umpire’s obviously mistaken call decides critical games.

the game will not be slowed down any longer than the manager going out and arguing for several minutes....the right call could be made in less time than that!

Things at the corner pole in need of fixing (even though the team has been so much fun this year):

1. Markakis has to be moved out of the 3rd position. And given a couple of nights off. His strikeouts and average with RISP are just too hurtful to his own confidence and to the team. He is a stud and we want him to get hot again. Bat him 2nd, maybe. He did well when Trembley moved him there to ease the pressure earlier.

2. Payton - the Grand Slam was the best O's moment in several years. I loved it. Now get him out of the lineup, out of the outfield and At LEAST get him out of the #2 spot in the order. He cannot handle that spot. And Scott needs to play every day if we are going to see what he can do.

3. Let Adam Jones have a couple of at bats in the #9 slot or in the #2 slot. He has speed and needs to see a few good pitches every now and again. Not every game, mind you, just sometimes. 9 spot a better idea than 2, but whatever.

4. R Hernandez is just killing us. Maybe give Qiroz a couple of starts bracketing an off day and see if Ramon can get his head clear and his approach adjusted.

5. If RHernandez is hitting .200 in mid-June, then despite all the good reasons not too, I would consider (gasp) bringing Wieters up for a week. Not to audition. No expectations that he will stay, nothing to get in his head. Just tell him he is going to double A but, between A and AA, we are going to let him get a view of the game at the big league level. 2 or 3 starts, 12 ABs maybe. Just to give him some exposure. Even if he goes 0-12, he learns what he has to shoot for.

6. Trachsel - thanks for the memories. Here are some nice parting gifts. I am not sure the youngsters arte getting anything out of his "veteran" presence. He is a destabilizing force in the rotation. And with Cabrera (and Burres) pitching so well, the plan should be different going forward than it was at the beginning of the season.

7. I know we don't have the big hitters on this team, but I would like to see Markakis bat second and Millar third and Huff fourth for a while. Millar's on-base average and ok power numbers would be allright,. Take pressure off Nick and let him see better pitches. I'd like to see Mora (who doesn't bunt, has diminished speed and low on-base average but still has good RISP and RBI numbers) hit 5th or 6th.

8. Play Bynum every day as SS and bat him 8,9 or 2. With Jones also hitting 8 or 9, yoiu have a lot of speed in front of Markakis, Millar, Huff and Mora. That's a good thing, right?

9. Huff played third better than I thought he could while he was in there. Use him there and rest Mora every now and again. In fact, Mora should be a contingency plan at SS if Bynum stops hitting and Cintron can't cut it. If Mora could play some SS, you either get an extra hitter (with Huff at third) or you get to see if Moore can play in this league.

10. Carry 12 pitchers, not 13. If that means that Olsen or Trachsel or any of the starters have to stay in a couple more innings and give up 8 runs instead of 5, so be it. That issue would only arise with 2 or 3 consecutive short starts. so it is not going to hurt you very often. Meanwhile, we need the bats.

Instant replay won't add any more time to a game than the time taken when managers and umps argue the bad calls.

The major league suspension system is ridiculous. Hawkins is suspended three days for throwing at Scott. What a joke. As a reliever that probably means that he will miss pitching one inning over three games. Now that is a big penalty. It virtually has no effect on his team. If he hits Scott, we lose an everyday ballplayer for longer than that. Why doesn't the league make these suspensions hurt? Suspend him for at least a week.

Dear Roch,

If you could please forward this on to the Oriole players as an explanation to why it's so hard to find O's fans at Camden Yards.......It's because they are kicking us out! I never read the examiner, but it was sitting on my desk at work and the headline caught my eye. Sorry for the long post but you all have to read this....

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Here’s one for Luke Scott's notebook.

Zach Thompson and Matt Ward settled into their seats alongside 18 of their friends at Camden Yards to watch a recent game between the Orioles and Red Sox. They are part of a generation of young fans who have to watch “Orioles Classics” to see the team win big games.

Thompson wore an orange T-shirt emblazoned with the letter “E” so he could help his buddies spell out the first name of one of his favorite Orioles: Luke Scott. To Thompson’s gang, it’s L-u-u-u-u-ke Scott, as one person sported the L, 17 wore a U and one donned the K.

It certainly was a great night to be an Orioles fan — one so great Thompson, 23, and Ward, 21, will remember it forever.

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Orioles shed losing attitude, exceed expectations After all, it’s not every day you are honored by your beloved team for being the “Fans of the Game” one inning — and then get thrown out like Uncle Phil tossing D.J. Jazzy Jeff out of the Fresh Prince’s mansion the next.

The reason they were shown the exit faster than a Danys Baez fastball? Thompson, Ward and Co. apparently cheered too loudly for the home team that — get this — surrounding Red Sox fans complained enough to have the crew kicked out just minutes after being highlighted on the Jumbotron.

“It’s bad enough we’ve had to watch bad baseball for 10 years, then they do things like this on top of it,” Thompson, a Parkville resident, said. “Some of us still support and love them, but the same ushers who reprimand Orioles fans let Sox and Yankees fans chant, stand and do whatever they want. They take over our stadium, and we’re the ones who are asked to leave. Go ahead and kick out the true fans they still have and see where it gets them.”

Here’s what it will get the Orioles: even more empty seats in baseball's best stadium.

The Orioles certainly have put a better product on the field but continue to alienate a once-proud fan base through poor public relations decisions.

Orioles fans haven't flown the coop solely because of 10 straight losing seasons and being promised Rocky Coppinger, Sidney Ponson, Matt Riley and Josh Towers were the next Dobson, McNally, Palmer and Cuellar.

“I went to a lot of games growing up and it's nothing the players did, so I'm still going to support them,” Ward said. “I'm not going to let one incident make me not be an O's fan anymore. But when you go and give the team some positive energy, that's not the way you should be treated — especially when attendance is bad and the players they've been putting on the field haven't been great. It's embarrassing for the organization to kick fans out.”

A representative from the Orioles said the team is trying to cultivate a fun, family atmosphere at Camden Yards and, “Fans are ejected as a last resort. It usually involves obsessive use of profanity and/or overly confrontational behavior.”

When asked exactly why Thompson, Ward and friends were ejected, the representative declined comment. But what will happen if Orioles fans are kicked out of the stadium the first time a Yankee fan complains during the teams’ series that begins on Monday afternoon? Before that happens, it’s time for the Orioles to apologize — not just to Ward, Thompson and their flock, but to Baltimore. Until the Orioles change the way they treat people, they won't regain this town's trust no matter how many games they win.

Memo to Mr. Angelos and minions: Marketing doesn’t always mean having the catchiest jingle or leading the league in floppy hat and bobblehead giveaways. Often times, the best marketing is free. It’s in the way you treat people — the ones who spend their hard-earned dollars so the Orioles can pay grown men millions to play a kids’ game.

Just look at the “Lukegate” group.

Twenty tickets on the third-base line: $500.

Beer: $5.50 a pop.

Hot dog: $4.50 apiece.

Getting escorted out by four cops and a bunch of ushers with no clear explanation: The (New) Oriole Way.

“My first love was the Orioles and this is how they treat fans who want to stand up and cheer for them,” Thompson said. “The Ravens don't treat their fans like that. One Red Sox fan was tormenting Orioles fans and cussing and was never spoken to by the ushers.”

I want the Orioles to win and love them more than Kevin Millar loves frosted tips. If I didn't, I wouldn't have named my first son Brooks.

But it’s time for them to take the name of the city they represent out of the witness protection program and put it back on letterhead, stadium ads and most importantly, the road uniforms. It’s about readjusting the sights to hit their target audience. And until the Orioles end two decades of neglecting a once passionate fan base and improve their public perception, Baltimore will never again be a baseball town.

I say next time the red sox are in town, that group as well as many others go to the game and cheer their heads off. No bad words. No Red Sox bashing. Just rooting for the O's. Only stand up when we get a hit or score a run so we don't block the views of any other fans. Then there will be no excuse for kicking out the home team fans.

-Jennifer

We've got a few issues here, but it may not be as bad as we think.

1. Markakis strikes out a lot now. This is likely temporary. Markakis is a great player, and like all great players, sometime they hit an ugly period. It will pass.

2. Brian Roberts strikes out a lot now. See number 1.

3. Instant replay on homerun calls may slow down the game. But if a wrong call gets corrected, then that's what needs to happen. Bad calls ruin games and drive fans mad (O's fans know this all too well). You can say it's part of the game, but why? Especially if it doesn't need to be. How do wrong calls help the game?

4. Anemic offense. Yes indeed it is. But we knew it would be. We've been spoiled this year by timely hits, but when you look at the stats there isn't an Oriole who is really a good hitter this year. They all strike out a lot. Most of our wins were close ball games, and come-from-behind victories. So this isn't a new problem. I don't see this changing this year, but that doesn't mean we can't win games. They'll just be hard fought.

Major League Baseball announced today that it has completed a full audit of every home run every hit, including video review where available. Babe Ruth was credited with an additional 6 home runs that were scored previously as walk-off singles. Barry Bonds had 8 of his home runs removed from the record books and corrected to reflect those hits as ground rule doubles. Derek Jeter of the Yankees had one post-season home run from 1996 stricken from the records and corrected to reflect a fly out to right field.

I think once instant replay is introduced for home runs, people will want more and more plays to be reviewable.

Honestly, its ridiculous not to have replay involved in the game. The human element is what makes the game special? Whatever, I want the correct call made regardless. Its easy, give the Ump a headset and have a guy up in a booth for homeruns. They do it in hockey. You could even put red flashing lights on the wall and a siren. Do that and give the coaches one challenge. I love instant replay in NFL, I think it actually add to the suspense waiting to see if a call gets overturned.

Also, can we all agree that Markakis has the best arm in the Majors. The guy throw a bullet and its always on target. I was at the Home game verse the Yankees and someone tried to score, I turned to a Yankees fan and said "He's out" before Markakis even got to the ball.

again sorry for the length, but this article ruined my day today. : (

Also sorry but a couple headlines were inserted into the middle of the article... I just did a copy and paste thing... SORRY!

speaking of instant replay...

looked like it every time Markakis was up. Swing and a miss...Swing and a miss...

I was at the game last night it was a great performance by Burress but the offense is hurting and needs a change. Its either all or nothing with these guys. Once the 7th inning rolled around, i knew we were going to lose and alot of terrible at bats last night for the O's.
and i was disappointed with the turnout of O's fans at the stadium, i hardly saw any. But I did go up to the ones i saw after the game and told them that Trembley is doing a great job and we were still a few games up on the Yanks. big series in Tampa this weekend. This next week will let us know if the O's are for real.

Roch-
The game of Baseball been going on since what ? Over a Century ? All that time , there was no Instant Replay . All those questionable or close calls , is part of Baseball tradition . It is something we can tell our children or even grandchildren. How would anyone remember the 96 playoffs if werent Jeffrey Maier/Tony Tarasco incident ? Granted we O's fans dont like that call or the outcome , BUT what a story !

So here is my nay . Hope you catch some sleep from jet lag , Roch .

"Rodriguez didn't hit a home run, he hit a double. That's what the umpires ruled it."

And this is better?? Something that should have been a homerun is not because of a bad call and you guys defend it and say that it makes the game "special?"

Nay nay! What's wrong with getting the call right? Isn't that more important? The game is still the game if you don't have to worry that an ump is going to call a fair ball foul. (or a foul ball fair in a snowstorm on opening day a few years back... ugh...)

If you could get sensors and machines to perfectly get balls and strikes and fair and foul calls right, why wouldn't you want that? What is it about blown calls that you are defending? I feel the game is better if you don't have umpires making the game about them because they can't make a proper call to save thier lives.

And as for instant plays? Have you ever seen the umps gather after a close call and form a guessing circle?

"Anyone see that? Nope, me either... let's say... foul? Ok. Foul."

And the calls are not final... sometimes they reverse them after their guessing sessions.

So instant replay will not really add any time (with the ump discussions and manager protests) AND will get the calls right (as opposed to the umps who blow calls left and right).

Why are people arguing against this? Cause they fear change I guess? It's all I can come up with...