After 2 games, the Phillies certainly sit in a comfortable position, having taken 1 game and home field advantage from the Yankees. But, are you satisfied with the split? I am not, nor should the Phillies be either.
I know it’s such a cliche to talk about bad umpiring, especially after a loss, but hear me out. It’s becoming a problem because it’s affecting the outcomes of very important games, and hurting both sides. There have been bad calls and missed plays throughout the season, but they are incredibly magnified here in the playoffs, especially with awareness at an all time high thanks to slow motion instant replay on TV.
If there was a guy in a booth looking at replays of the close plays yesterday, then Howard fails to get anyone out on the low line drive and the Yankees most likely tac on a few extra runs. Then, in the top of the next inning, Utley is safe and the Phillies have a 1st and 3rd with 1 out and Howard at the plate. Instead, both innings end with no runs scored for either team. And in a close game, those calls are extremely important to get right, whatever it takes.
All I’m asking is that replay would be considered in some way starting next year. The fundamental problem is we are asking umpires to do something that is inherently impossible; accurately determine the timing of a ball hitting a glove and a foot hitting a bag at the same time. Well, I don’t know anyone who can look in 2 places at once, and the speed at which this game takes place makes it pretty impossible to tell the difference on a bang-bang play that goes either way.
So I’m not going to sit here and say the umpires are terrible, although their judgment at times should be questioned. I’m asking for the fairness of the game, in order to determine for sure who the best team is at the end of the year, that we use the technology that is so readily available to make sure these close calls go the right way. I don’t really care how it is implemented. You could only use it in the playoffs, or only use it in late innings, or only use it when it directly affects whether or not a run would have scored (like a guy scores from 3rd on a double play with 1 out). I liked the idea I heard on the radio a few weeks ago that you should have 2 guys in the booth (at least during the playoffs), and they both have to agree to overrule the call for it to be changed. The amount of time it would take them to take a time out and come to a conclusion would be equal or less than how long it takes for a manager to get thrown out arguing the call.
So, can we at least agree that something needs to change? I am a baseball purist, and hate almost all changes in the game (like interleague play), but it’s time to start getting this right when it matters most, so that one entire fan base is not left complaining (sometimes legitimately) about the umpiring from the games.
I’d love to hear your ideas/suggestions for improvements.
One correction that I have to make…in the Utley double play, had Utley been safe it would have been 1st and 3rd with 2 outs, not only 1 out.
I’m still thinking about how I feel about instant replay. I’ll give that some thought and write more later.
What I’m thinking regarding instant replay is that it should definitely only be used in the playoffs. The regular season is long enough that I really don’t think it would make a difference to use replay then. The post season is different because one game being blown by a call can change the entire series.
As for how to handle it, I think there could just be one extra umpire in the booth. If the field umpires decide that they need help with a call, they could then have the booth umpire make the call. It should also have to be definitive in order for the booth ump to overrule a call.
I like the idea of having the field umpires make the call to use replay because if the managers made that call then they’d be requesting it on every close play. That could get very disruptive to the game. I also don’t like the idea of having the booth ump just call down and overrule a play because that would make it feel like you don’t even need field umps at that point.
I’m sure there are other ways to do it and maybe I’d like one of them better, but that’s my initial thought.
As fans, it’s natural to have the perspective that a blown call has more of an impact on your own team, because we are obviously biased towards our own players. Whether it affects my team positively or negatively, I would rather the call be correct every single time.
The bottom line is we have the technology to do it, and for the sake of the sport (meaning the fan’s trust in it’s legitimacy), I feel it’s necessary on some level to ensure the fairest outcome.
I really don’t care how they implement it, but the sooner the better. Thanks for your thoughts, Dave.