SAN FRANCISCO — Upon further review, major league baseball will begin using limited instant replay on home-run rulings beginning Thursday.
Commissioner Bud Selig, long against instant replay, explained during a conference call today that overwhelming evidence and advanced technology motivated the change.
“When you have an umpire running out trying to see a ball 300 or 400 feet away, it was impossible,” Selig said. “I think this is in the sport’s best interest.”
Replay will be used, Selig emphasized, only on boundary and fair-or-foul home run calls. It will not be expanded during his watch, he vowed.
Because of the configuration of new ballparks, where the seats are pressed right against the outfield fences, there have been several instances, including a handful involving the Rockies, where home runs have been incorrectly ruled. The fair-or-foul issue became a flash point earlier this season when umpire Bob Davidson botched a home run call involving the New York Mets on a Sunday night broadcast on ESPN.
Instant replay will begin with three series Thursday — Twins at A’s, Rangers at Angels and Phillies at Cubs — and all remaining new series Friday. The agreement with the players association calls for instant replay to be used for the remainder of this season.
Following the completion of the playoffs, the players union has the right to request a review of the system. If no concerns are voiced by Dec. 10, it will run through the remainder of the collective bargaining agreement, which expires after the 2011 season.
Selig said he had no misgivings about launching the system in the middle of the season.
“I think to wait until the postseason, that struck me as awkward,” Selig said. “It’s not Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. I am so comfortable with the technology that there’s no reason to wait.”
The system will center on the umpire crew chief. If he determines to review a call, he will signal a “T” for timeout to let teams know that the call is under review. A message will flash on the jumbotron alerting fans. The umpire will then leave the field to a designated area to view the play from all available TV feeds – both home and opposing team’s broadcasts. The crew chief, not a video technician watching the same feeds in New York, will ultimately rule on the call.
This was the preference since the umpire knows a ballpark’s ground rules better and will be on-site to answer any questions from reporters.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
