BASEBALL REPLAY

The umps have been terrible. On that we all agree. But what to do? Replay is the immediate reaction and except for balls and strikes, why not? Baseball complains it would make long games even longer. But would it make games longer than managers coming out to argue for 2-3 minutes or more? I would suggest a replay official in the booth to take a look at everything except balls and strikes during playoff games. 162 games a year per team would raise costs and camera angles wouldn't be as plentiful for regular season games. Plus the greatest importance would be playoff games, when even the average fan gets incensed over blown calls. With all the meetings between catchers and pitchers, managers and pitchers, throws to first to hold runners, batters adjusting their batting gloves, the game is already filled with wasted moments. Getting calls right in the playoffs is time well spent.

Tim Melton