The bigger potential issue will be stalling by managers. This wasn't a big deal in spring training because nothing was on the line, but I suspect we'll see some strange shenanigans once the real games begin. When issuing a challenge, a manager is supposed to leave the dugout and issue his challenge to the umpire (there will be no flag tossing as in the NFL). But there appears to be a gray area here.
If a manager goes out to argue a call, how long before the umpire demands to know whether he's issuing a challenge? Teams will be allowed to monitor replays from the clubhouse and have some sort of relay system to alert the manager on whether to challenge, so I suspect we may see a lot of arguments in which the manager keeps looking back into dugout for the bench coach to scratch his armpit.
Fredi Gonzalez has gone out to argue/stall 3 times tonight and gone back in without any challenges.
― Oren Zombarchi (WilliamC), Saturday, 12 April 2014 01:46 (ten years ago) link
I guess we'll see "clarifications" on that part of the rule soon where they limit the number of times a manger can leave the dugout, but they could just have the on-deck batter stall and go back to the dugout three times to switch bats or tuck in his shirt.
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Saturday, 12 April 2014 11:31 (ten years ago) link
I thought a manager had 30sec to issue a challenge?
― francisF, Saturday, 12 April 2014 18:21 (ten years ago) link
Still a few bugs to be worked out. (Braves score 2 runs on a ball Freddie Freeman hit off his own foot into fair territory -- the umps didn't see it and it's not a reviewable play.)
― hey, big dispender (WilliamC), Sunday, 20 April 2014 00:12 (ten years ago) link
I'm not sure what the hell happened there... it looked like it hit the dirt right next to his foot, but the bounce sure was funny.
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 20 April 2014 12:45 (ten years ago) link
Bryan Price wouldn't take "call stands" for an answer, gets tossed in 1st vs. Braves.
― Alvarius B. Goode (WilliamC), Sunday, 27 April 2014 18:00 (ten years ago) link
Yikes--Baseball Reference includes challenge-related data on a manager's page:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/willima04.shtml
Formulas and year-end awards to follow.
― clemenza, Friday, 9 May 2014 23:33 (ten years ago) link
baseball-reference has been going nuts with awesome new stuff lately <3
― mookieproof, Friday, 9 May 2014 23:46 (ten years ago) link
Don't get me wrong, I'm always in favour of new data, it just seems weird that the page goes right from the most basic stuff imaginable--wins, losses, divisional rank--to challenges. Is there nothing else about a manager between here and there worth keeping track of? Average innings from a starter, sacrifices, pinch-hitters, shifts, trips to the mound--about a million things, I would think.
― clemenza, Friday, 9 May 2014 23:55 (ten years ago) link
"We have begun to examine the Crew Chief Review in tonight's Reds-Marlins game, which resulted in a violation of Rule 7.13, the call being overturned and a run scoring on the play. We plan to discuss this situation further with the appropriate parties tomorrow, and we will communicate with the Clubs after our discussion about this play."
http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/8/1/5959739/reds-marlins-instant-replay-review-blocking-plate-rule
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Friday, 1 August 2014 19:58 (nine years ago) link
I know this isn't exactly enlightened analysis, but this was certainly much more fun than watching guys stand around a phone, waiting to hear back from New York.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx7-8w4QD64
"He's gotta get out the way! He's gotta get out of the way!"
― clemenza, Wednesday, 3 September 2014 01:10 (nine years ago) link
cardinals vs reds
there was a force out play at 2B, the runner appeared to beat the throw, and the fielder appeared to be off the bag when he caught it anyway. call on the field was out. it was reviewed. they declared him to be...out.
he was clearly safe. like, not in that too-close-to-call gray zone, but clearly, without-a-doubt safe. so ???
― 1992 ball boy (Karl Malone), Thursday, 6 August 2015 19:06 (eight years ago) link
Pitcher Chris Young otm:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/why-mlb-needs-to-keep-exploring-ways-to-improve-pace-of-play-021308998.html
"The biggest thing I'd like to see is the automatic strike zone," Young said. "It's the single most important aspect to the game and the most subjective aspect. Umpires do an amazing job, but they're human beings, and there's a margin of error there. To me, that would speed up the game dramatically."Half the time now it's guys stepping out of the box, asking where the call was. It doesn't eliminate the home-plate umpire. You still need him for check swings, plays at the plate. It makes his job easier. And you know what you're going to get. I know when I step off the mound, half the time it's to think, 'OK, don't get wrapped up in the call.' I gather myself, compose myself. But it takes a minute. We're human beings. We get focused on what we consider a missed call."
"Half the time now it's guys stepping out of the box, asking where the call was. It doesn't eliminate the home-plate umpire. You still need him for check swings, plays at the plate. It makes his job easier. And you know what you're going to get. I know when I step off the mound, half the time it's to think, 'OK, don't get wrapped up in the call.' I gather myself, compose myself. But it takes a minute. We're human beings. We get focused on what we consider a missed call."
― Andy K, Thursday, 27 August 2015 16:07 (eight years ago) link
Interesting bizniz at the Cubs-Braves game -- on a passed ball or wild pitch, Camargo came home but was called out on the tag. The replay seems to show him pretty clearly safe, but the call was upheld by the replay official. Joe Simpson flat-out accused them of covering for the ump's shitty call ("protecting the brotherhood"), which had Chip Caray trying to calm the waters in the next half inning.
― WilliamC, Wednesday, 16 May 2018 01:34 (six years ago) link
wasn't there a reversed replay call involving the A's about a week ago that everyone was mad about? i don't think recall umps are "protecting the brotherhood" but the wording about needing clear and definitive proof to overturn (or however it's phrased) gives them a convenient reason to not overturn (i didn't see camargo being "pretty clearly safe" in the replay personally, but i am a cubs fan obv)
― na (NA), Wednesday, 16 May 2018 14:40 (six years ago) link
That was one of the WORST replay reviews I’ve ever seen.Conclusive? Definitive?Call on the field meant nothing? pic.twitter.com/50Phgtbo43— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) May 12, 2018
that's the reversal i was referring to
― na (NA), Wednesday, 16 May 2018 14:41 (six years ago) link
“Out” pic.twitter.com/5ahcXzqh4W— Josh Reddick (@RealJoshReddick) September 10, 2018
― Andy K, Monday, 10 September 2018 13:34 (five years ago) link
starting to think instant replay is bad for the game
― frogbs, Monday, 10 September 2018 14:08 (five years ago) link
I bet the 1985 Cardinals wd disagree
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Monday, 10 September 2018 14:13 (five years ago) link
we just had a Very Bad use of replay erasing whit merrifield in kc-bos
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 6 August 2019 23:18 (four years ago) link
Not a fan of this sh1t. You lose a call go cry to your grandma
― calstars, Tuesday, 6 August 2019 23:47 (four years ago) link
Red Sox challenge call that Whit Merrifield is safe at 2B in the 1st; call overturned, runner is out. Powered by @Mitel. pic.twitter.com/MRCn2rvu0z— MLB Replays (@MLBReplays) August 7, 2019
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 01:20 (four years ago) link
starting to think calstars is Billy Martin
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 03:23 (four years ago) link
i agree that that's dumb, but it seems like the problem isn't instant replay but the idea that you have to maintain constant contact with the base to be safe
― na (NA), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 14:26 (four years ago) link
yeah idk if instant replay is really good for the game or not but giving managers the ability to challenge any safe call where it looked like his hand might've briefly slid off for 1/100th of a second is definitely bad
if the replay crew can't tell if you were off the bag while watching at full speed, then you should be safe. none of this frame-by-frame crap. why would you emulate the one thing everyone hates about the NFL
― frogbs, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 15:15 (four years ago) link
or just change the rule so that a split-second loss of contact doesn't keep you from being safe
― na (NA), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 15:22 (four years ago) link
this wd be easily remedied by saying there's a "safe zone" above the bag if your foot comes off for a split second, or somesuch
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 16:17 (four years ago) link
guys i don't know much about baseball but I'm pretty sure one of the rules is that one is "safe" when touching the bag
― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 18:17 (four years ago) link
* at 2nd or 3rd base* except for a period after the play has determined to have ended but the next play has yet to startetc etc
there are already exceptions to that rule
― na (NA), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 18:39 (four years ago) link
i don't want a safe zone, and if you are tagged while off the bag you should be out -- if the ump sees it. make whatever happens after the runner's initial contact with the bag unreviewable
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 18:59 (four years ago) link
this shit is getting out of hand and really soils the spirit of the game
― boobie, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 19:42 (four years ago) link
except for a period after the play has determined to have ended but the next play has yet to startyou mean when time out is called?etc etcwhat is the etc? it's not complicated. stay on the bag!
― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 19:44 (four years ago) link
Yeah I hate replay with the fire of a thousand suns but if the guy's tagged while off the bag he should be out, replay or not
― Screamin' Jay Gould (The Yellow Kid), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 19:47 (four years ago) link
i have to say i think replay works pretty goddamn well in baseball, particularly relative to other sports. Hawkeye in tennis is the only system that's better but that's just because the judgment calls are so much simpler.
― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 20:30 (four years ago) link
Hawkeye is great because it's so fast - what does it take, like 10-15 seconds? If MLB replay was fast I'd love it. But it's unbearably slow.
(better than NBA replay though, that's for sure)
― Screamin' Jay Gould (The Yellow Kid), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 21:43 (four years ago) link
what is the etc? it's not complicated. stay on the bag!
the times when the runner's forward motion causes their hand to slide off the bag for 1/20th of a second. in general I hate the idea of using replay to overturn plays that never would've been called that way in real time.
― frogbs, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 21:59 (four years ago) link
hawkeye is almost instantaneous iirc
anyway i would like to point out that i was otm four hours ago
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 23:14 (four years ago) link
btw fuck the spirit of the game, that sounds like George Will
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 8 August 2019 01:33 (four years ago) link
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31240968/braves-rip-embarrassing-call-home-plate-keyed-phillies-win
definitely looks like they fucked this one up
― na (NA), Monday, 12 April 2021 15:47 (three years ago) link
MLB replay system would be a hell of a lot more accurate if the crew in New York didn’t know what the call on the field was.— Lane Adams (@LA_Swiftness) April 12, 2021
― mookieproof, Monday, 12 April 2021 21:09 (three years ago) link