Heres the problem with replay. An until its solved there will be no replay. Runners on first and second. Batter hits a line drive down the left field line. The ball is ruled foul, But replays show the ball was fair. Where do you put the runners? You cant assume a double. You cant assume the runner on second would score, while the runner on first ends up at third. You cant grant the batter a double becuase you cant assume that he would slide in safely to second. And you cant put him at first, because for all we know we would have slid safely into second.

Using instant replay creates to many assumptions. Before you say so what, remember that this is a league that doesn't even assume the double play on routine grounders.

Tim McClellan has been around a long time and for the most part has been very good. He was the umpire in the pine tar game and although that call was over turned it was accurate

I am for instant replay for one reason: The money involved in the sport. People aren't playing baseball because they love it. They are playing baseball because they love it AND they love the paycheck. If teams and players are making millions of dollars a year then I think every tool should be used to ensure the right calls are made.

What Tim McClelland has in his heart and four and a half bucks will buy a San Andreas Angel of Anaheim an iced cappuccino at Starbucks.

McClelland should consider himself lucky that he's working the ALCS. If he were in Philadelphia, he'd've eaten a couple of those horrible horsemeat and velveeta sandwiches they make up there and he'd have a nice thick layer of cholesterol plaque lining his ventricles to go with his good intentions.

The call first call at 3rd base evened out, Swisher was out by a foot on the pickoff on 2nd but was called safe, he left on time at 3rd but was called out....two crap calls off set each other....let's move on

Instant replay only way to go as long as there are no stupid delays in the game it should be resonable only like in the NFL.

Seems to me the umpires can not even get the Ball and strikes correct. That is if the electronic box on the screen is correct where the ball went. But the biggest BS is their arrogance about their decision and refusal to ask for help. Remember the homerun in yankee stadium the kid touched and the umpire ruled a home run he was so damn sure the kid never touched it.Instant replay in the booth if a team will challenge the call. If the team is wrong it will cost them an out. The play goes on as if fair all the time.
But the big thing in my opinion MLB needs for the yankees to win the series. And I think right now they are playing the best ball of all teams. But they do not need an ump on their side.

They get paid the same whether replay or not. Instant replay would cause too many problems. Having umps make occasional mistakes is considered part of the game, it's the human element and sometimes it's not fair.

I think we can all agree that the umpiring has been pathetic. But that does NOT mean that we need expanded video review. What we need are better umpires!

While I am pleased to see an umpire admit his mistakes, the calls from last night's game were shocking, and, even more so, was the lack of calling them out by the broadcasters. I was waiting for one of them to say that it seemed as if they were watching a Little League game with the missed calls, but that never came. I understand why Joe Buck wouldn't, as a career broadcaster, but I thought that Tim McCarver would have had the courage to state what was going on and the lack of quality.

I completely understand the difficulty with umpiring plays where the runners are moving quickly and calls have to be made in the blink of an eye - the plays at home plate were, as confirmed by replay, completely accurate and, in my opinion, more difficult than any of the calls at 2nd or 3rd - these umpires who work in the LCS games are supposed to be the "best of the best" and their performance last night was sorely lacking. Swisher was picked off at 2nd, Posada and Cano were both tagged out, and Swisher successfully tagged up at 3rd and should have scored. While judgements will always be made by officials in any sport, instant replay is coming online in some form or fashion and I think that MLB should push past any resistance to permit some sort of challenge system where managers can challenge two plays a game, and, like the NFL, if you lose, you lose an out; if you win, the correct call is enforced.

No matter how you slice it, it's a difficult job but one that should be done as accurately as possible with all available tools. [For the record, I'm a life-long NYY fan.]

Larry - I agree with your comments about some types of plays have a difficult reslolution of whether the runner should be on one or another base. But a corrected ruling based on instant replay is still better than allowing the wrong decision.

I like the football solution of giving each manager a couple of flags to use throughout the game on rulings they want to challenge, except balls and strikes. The refs should also be allowed to use the replay if they think they might need a review.

As far as balls and strikes accuracy, which is missed on almost every batter according to the strike zone rectangle shown on TV, that is easily done with the technical advancements of today, similar to the tennis in/out rulings. The homw umpire remains there just for hit batsman, player infractions, and other non ball/strike needs.

Now you have a far more accurate ballgame played in every stadium everyday - tradition is not as important as getting it right. Otherwise, all the other advances in technology used in the game would not be used.

Ray

REfs getting old!

You bring up a great point about replay that, believe it or not, Joe Morgan, rightly, has actually been championing for a few years now. However, the anticipation of one unfortunately instance does not preclude MLB from expanding replay in other instances. Each blown call last night was another example of where IR could have been used. Also, it would have taken maybe a combined 30 sec to overturn each call (granted the tag up wouldn't have occurred if Swisher was correctly ruled out at 2nd).

The blown call on 3rd only made up for the blown call at 2nd that occurred 1 batter before where swisher was clearly off the base when he was tagged out. yet nobody made mention of this

You raise good points but football has the same issues. What happens when the ref rules the play dead and reply shows a clear fumble? You cannot award the other team the ball and assume the person who picked it up and ran 30 yards downfield for a TD would have done that. The refs blew the whistle so most players stop play. The stopping of play maybe added 20 extra yards and the TD. So you cannot award 10 yards because you think he would have only gone that far You cannot also rule a fumble and spot the ball at the spot of the fumble, it is not fair for the team who recovered. Thus they simply call the play dead, and rule no replay is allowed.

I would assume the same applies here in theory, that reply should be used ONLY in certain situations.
like:
-Was runner out at first via a throw from third?
-Did runner tag up after the ball was caught?
-Were both players on the bag, one or none?
-was runner picked off?
-Did runner slide under a tag at home?

I would hate to see reply used for balls and strikes, foul or not (except home runs) hits, etc. As you say some situations are too crazy and require people to make crazy judgment calls about what might have happened.

And with everything as the reply evolves, it will get smarter and more accurate.

My big issue is the stoppage of play and time delay. Red Sox Yankees games are already over 3 hours during the reg season (each seems like a playoff game) and reply would make it even longer.

There's no problem with where to put the runner...just make it a ground rule double. That's what you do on a ball down the line that a fan intereferes with. You can't assume a double there either. You can't even assume a double on a ball that bounces over the wall.

Thanks for the comments, I am not opposed to instant replay, but the problems I stated before is not a remote possibility and is likely to occur. The problem with instatnt replay is what do you do if the play is ruled foul and it wasnt. A foul call ends the play.

Like I said, it's not a dilemma.

95% of the time, a ball down the line is a double. In rare cases, it's only a single, or a triple. It all evens out, you call it a ground rule double.

Okay, two things---first, there should not be a limit on replay challenges in any sport---that is saying, the accuracy of the call is only important if the team that gets screwed has timeouts left.

And what if the final out of an inning in baseball is the one that gets challenged? Would the team challenging the call (if not right) start the next inning with one out already on the board?

Point is, we should use IR in every case that we can. The accuracy of the calls is the important facet, not the human element. When the 49ers and the Vikings played in the NFL, week 4 i think, the 9ers had no challenges left to review a call that would have awarded them posession, but the clock was at 2:45 seconds. Had the play happened 45 seconds later, it would have been replayed by the booth. So this says that only if a play happens within the last 2 minutes, is the call more important than the teams timeout standing.

As children playing sports are always told, each play is as important as the play before and after it. We should hold our officials, and their calls, to the same standard.

If a play is wrong, and the whole world can see it on their HDTVs, it should not be allowed to stand. The leagues (plural--ALL OF THEM), need to use a remote live replay system. If a call is wrong, the official is alerted, the correct call is told to them, the change is announced, and play moves on. No referee under a hood for 5 minutes, no waiting for officials to conference with one another wasting another 4 minutes. Just the right call. In a timely fashion. In this age of technology, fans should be able to demand at least that much (and also ticket prices to drop by 50+%, but I wont be too greedy--just get the damn calls right.)

Runners can always be moved back if the play continues and you have an override (foul ball).

I believe the way to proceed is to have the umpires down the line signal fair if they cannot make a "clear / instant" decision. Allow play to continue and reset (move the runners back) if video shows conclusively a foul ball.

I agree with you, if it's stopped instantly nothing can be done.

The so-called human element can no longer be considered a part of the game because a hundred million people can see the mistake seconds later.

There should be an instant replay umpire in a special booth at all games and the same quick decisions that are made in tennis can be made in baseball. All disputed calls in the field except balls and strikes should be subject to review.

Bottom line - Yankees scored 10 runs...... neither of his mistakes would have changed the results dramatically enough to change the result of the game..... Umpires are human...there have been mistakes worse than the ones last night made throughout the history of the game (the Royals / Cardinals world series comes to mind...play at first base..)...having replays slows the game down and, quite honestly, there are going to be cases where even replays wont definitively prove a call one way or the other....

For several years now, the umpires for the post-season are not the "best of the best." The umpires' union had that changed a couple of contracts ago and they are rotated on a regular basis and merit has not bearing on their selection.

Two wrongs don't make a right. You still have two blown calls.

Clearly 2 blown calls, luckily didn't affect the outcome of the game. However, gotta give McClelland some credit, so few umps would 'man up' and actually admit he blew them.

Some of these problems with incorrect umpiring calls could be reduced if one of the other umps would assist and confer with the ump who obviously blew the call.For instance,you know the home plate ump saw both Cano and Posada tagged while off the base.
Fans would respect the umps more if they worked as a team when appropriate rather than not wanting to embarrass the other even if they knew the call was wrong.

That's not the point. Nobody's arguing that the Angels would have won if there weren't blown calls. For all you know, there could've been a momentum factor. In future games, a blown call can lead to the early removal of a pitcher, who then can break the game wide open. There are a million things to consider; whether or not the opposing team would have won is not one of them.

You are correct. If only the 2nd base umpire would have owned up to his mistake - Dale Scott.... I agree - let's move on. The RedSox are not in the playoffs so I really don't care.

Any sport or game should be decided based on the facts and not the opinions of humans. Even John McEnroe was right some of the time in his tantrum days.

The best approach to replay is in college football. That approach could be modified to work in baseball.

As to the absolutely absurd issue of balls and strikes . . . The new HawkEye like systems they are using for TV could be ported to the umpires ear and the scoreboard -- one buzz for a strike, two buzzes for a ball. If the umpire chooses to override the computer he can -- as it would remain his call -- but he would override at his peril.

The calls Tim McClelland missed last night were too obviously wrong. He wasn't even watching Swisher and called him out. The unassisted double play by the catcher at third was elementary. I think McClelland has gotten too old to be umpiring at this level. I felt like he blew calls at a number of games I watched this season. Everyone reaches the time to retire. Time to go, Tim.

Replay would have quickly corrected the safe call on Swisher at second and the uncredited double play at third. Give the managers red flags like in the NFL.

Hats off to anyone that can admit their mistake in front of so many.

He had to admit it....he was clearly wrong on both occasions and, had there been no reply, I doubt he would have fessed up.
You're right Scott, he needs to retire...this is do-or-die time with the World Series at stake. The least he should do is ump any more games this year.

Where were the other 5 umpires. Mclelland was unsure he should have consulted with the officials. The homeplate umpire and the second base umpire should have been right there as a second and third set of eyes. This is the playoffs its unacceptable and just apologize.

Did he ask for help? I didn't see him asking for anything...he had the calls and messed both of them up...you do bring up an interesting point, Cohen...I wondered if the homeplate umpire could have overulled the Swisher tag-up or at least discussed the missed double play.

why are people always being rude about Philadelphia......just cause the Phillies ROCK - again this year there is no need to be not liking us! Go Phils

The last thing baseball needs is something else to slow it down. The umps should have final say as they do now. I have never heard of an ump "throwing" a game and if a bad call happens every now and then so be it. What is so frustrating about football is the delays caused by the constant replays. It seems in most cases "the play stands as called" is the outcome. Baseball is already pathetically dull and long when the pitcher constantly throws to first or can't make up his mind on the pitch. The last thing we need is the addition of replays everytime the ball is hit. Will the managers challenge every called 'ball' and strike' as well? Nonsense!

People, it's baseball..blown calls, "make up" calls are all part of the charm of the game. Please, it's been that way since the beginning of time. Get over it..and this is from a die hard Angel fan....who has World Series tickets in hand...that I know probably will be refunded. But it's what we love about baseball. Whether it's watching my 4 year old grandson picking daisies in t-ball, grandson in the Little League Majors and our Pony baseball player, it's all the same. Sometimes even the older kids think there are only 2 ours and run in off the field. It's BASEBALL.

1

Not sure what football games you watch where there are "constant replays"....the coaches are allowed 2 challenges per game and only under 2 mins does the offical booth stop play for reviews.....i don't see that as constant. To make it simple, give the baseball coaches the same option. At the plate have the ump call as normal but then only allow the team 2 pitch track challenges. The only problem that would occur is on foul ball calls that were fair with runners on. But we have a rule for into the dug out throws and fan interferance so that situation could follow those guidelines.

Larry, umpires do this all the time. When a ball is hit down the line and it is interfered with by the ball girl/boy, the umpires have to decide where the runners end up. This is not an issue. Start using replay now.

I do not understand McClelland's comments about the Posada and Cano calls at third base. As an unfortunate Cubs fan, I remember witnessing this same play back in the 70's. I don't recall who the players were but unless the rules have changed it would not have mattered if Cano was on the base or not. Once Posada came back and touched 3rd base, he established this as his base. The brilliant thing was the order in which he tagged them. Had he waited to tag Posada first then he would have been out and Cano could have established 3rd as his base. He instead tagged Cano first, who was in no mans land, and then Posada who over ran the base. I don't think it would have mattered if Cano was on the base or not. If this is corect then McClelland still doesn't know the rules.

I don't know how much instant replay can help. The officiating of all of the postseason series has been bad in just about all parts of the field. Suddenly pitches that were strikes aren't being called strikes and balls low and off the plate are now strikes.

The officiating in the Twins/Yanks series virtually took every decent chance of a Twins rally away (I'm not a Twins fan). The strike zone hasn't been consistent in just about every game I've watched. It's pretty bad.

"You are correct. If only the 2nd base umpire would have owned up to his mistake - Dale Scott.... I agree - let's move on. The RedSox are not in the playoffs so I really don't care."

If you do not care, then why are you posting? This is not even about the Sox, so it does matter to others. Are you saying we all should move on because the only apparent team that matters, the Sox, are not involved? Your not caring is OK with us. Your conceit in thinking your second place and out of the playoffs team is more important is not OK with us.

There are two issues here and within each the issue of replays. There is the regular season and the playoffs/championships. Umps/refs make mistakes in every sport, every day in the regular season. But in the playoffs/championships, they are more visible and because the umps/refs are picked based on experience and performance in the regular season; so you expect better. Whatever instant replay rules exist in the regular season exist, then those should be the only replays allowed during playoffs; because everyone is familiar with it and the consequences thereof. Even so, you don't need instant replay when it comes to foul balls or controverisal plays in playoffs where there are two extra umps. Just require the 1st/3rd base ump to to what they normally do in the regular season and make the call at the same time with the left/right field ump while home plate ump covers their back. If both umps say it is fair/foul, then it is what it is. If they disagree, then they talk and quietly & quickly agree, and the players live with it. In a controversial play like the tagouts, the umps should briefly conference, then the ump in question make a final decision based on their input, and(re)makes the call. The fans, coaches,and the players accept it and we get on with the game.

I for one am not a Yankee or Angels fan, but I am a fan of proper calls. And the umpiring this post-season has been horrendous. I am a Twins fan and that ball was fair! But the Yankees were better... so I digress. You might have seen on TV over the weekend in an English Premier League soccer game a goal being scored after bouncing off a beach ball on the field. This goal should have been disallowed thus giving the team a tie instead of a lose. The referee of that game has been demoted to a second division game this week. (Equivalent: MLB umpire screws up = next week he umps in the minors) Now that shows accountability that some lame apology after the fact can not do. I believe if there were some real consequences these umpires would be more focused on the job at hand, instead of just going through the motions.

Everyone knows that umps make mistakes. This is the way it has always been for baseball. The question is "why do we need instant replay?" I've loved baseball for years without it. I will love baseball years to come without it. What's next? Cheerleaders? Lame half time (7th inning stretch) entertainment from Bon Jovi? Leave it alone please. The umps and the leagues should do what they can to have the best umpiring they can and be satisfied.

just give them one base, like a ground rule ddbl

Guys, don't knock them till you've been in their shoes. These guys rarely miss a call, especially when you look at the statistics kept on them, and the scrutiny they are under. Sometimes even instant reply can't tell. So, don't be an armchair umpire and criticize, unless you've tried it.

How about his novel idea? Hire umps that can get it RIGHT the first time. Most of these blown calls aren't bang-bang plays. They are OBVIOUS. Hire umps that pay attention to the damn game!!!

I love baseball because there are no clocks, no computers, and no replays. You get what you get.

As a former umpire, it's not so much about more need for video replay, but umpires at this level thinking that it always has to be their call (ego of umpires? never). How about an appeal to home plate umpire who most likely visually saw Cano foot off the bag at 3rd? It would have been settled and 3rd base umpire would not have looked like a game changing idiot? Also, the 3rd base umpire was lazy and did not establish good sight position to see when Swisher left 3rd @ the time of the catch. The home plate umpire had a better vision of this timing as well.

Well said,Simons....

I believe with existing technology we could actually remove umpires from the field and put them up in a booth watching play after play. Why not do that instead of this stinking replay idea baseball is slow as it is lets not slow down more. Is it the cost that MLB is not comfortable with? Granted MLB needs to have their own cameras and not rely on the media.

So you've got NO problem with umpires using their judgement in making calls, but in an esoteric case you don't think they'd be able to come up with a reasonable solution?

At the very least all the runners should advance at least once base. If there were 2 outs, and the runners were going, it would take a slug on 2nd not not score on a shot down the line.

You make this out like it's rocket science and would prefer the worst possible outcome. That's just dumb.

Right on tpk. Adding all of these gadgets does not add to the fun or excitment. Let's remember, this is a game. Its a bunch of guys playing. It's entertainment. It's not deciding right or wrong. It's not deciding guilt or innocence. It's not deciding anything.

Simons is right.

The umpire who missed the call had an obligation to appeal to an umpire with a better view. I can't tell you how many times I've had to watch a "Little League" 6-4-3 double play where the umpire covering 2nd base ruled the runner going to 2nd base out even though the 2nd baseman didn't even touch 2nd base before throwing to 1st base.

Home plate umpires to be able to appeal on checked swing calls. Maybe the folks who evaluate umpires need to start evaluating them as a TEAM, where each umpire is ready and willing to rely on their team-mates. Controversial play? When the play stops, call an official's time out and have a quick umpire team conference:
- "Hey, did you see it differently?"
- "Yeah, you were screened: the runner didn't even touch the bag before he was tagged. He should be out."
- "OK, thanks for seeing that...."

I say, lets go a step farther technologically and insert sensors in the game balls in all sports, and use laser boundry marking devices to determine whether the ball is a strike, ball, or out of bounds etc. With all the technology we have, why not!!! With the amount of $$$s spent in sports today, its affordable and feasable. Wasting time on instant reply is 1970s technology.. lets move on to the 21st century please!!

Why stop there? Let's replace the ballplayers with Idoru and have the outcomes of the games decided by the computer that controls the animation. Why do we need to blanch over our morning cafe con leche because of the latest whinging and indignation of another prima donna? Oh, alright - I guess you could inject some interest into the procedings by programming one of two of these virtual valiants to be cranky, spoiled, immature or depressive. But as long as we're going that route, why stop there? If it's the human factor we want, let's get rid of the Idoru and replace them with actual flesh and blood ballplayers subject to all the idiosyncrasies and all the shocks the flesh is heir to? And while we're at it, let's replace the random calculations of the computer with even more random human umpires who, being human, make the mistakes that define the game? What was that old joke that ended with the umpire sneering, "It ain't NOTHING until I call it?"

There's no joy in mudville anymore since instant replay came into the picture. Look, this is a game. It isn't perfect. It's why football is so boring. "Did he cross the plane before his knee went down?" Seriously? Do I care?

Bad calls give us stuff to talk about. It's also a part of every game. If you're going to have someone calling the shots on the playing field, your susceptible to their questionable calls. We try to make everything perfect. We're not perfect. Let's get over it. Sportswriters need to get off the "bad call" bandwagon and move on with what's important.

Really, did the Angels get blown out 10-1 last night because of some bad calls. I think not.

Hmmm, that sounds a little sensible. Don't you think we should come up with a more complicated way to solve things? Talking to each other is overrated. Let's throw in technology. Maybe they should text each other so we have a written record. I feel your pain, Former.

well, first off. the double play was a blown call. luckily, the only harm done by it was 4 more pitches and a little morale. secondly, swish shouldnt have been on third base anyway. he was CLEARLY tagged at second base 2 plays earlier but that call was blown as well. its unofficial law that if one call is blown and you know it, you make up for it with another call. dont beat yer self up about it ump.

That is the point...he has been around since the pine tar game in 1976 so he must be 65+ yeares old. The union rewards length of service instead of performance.

Its true wat u said about the double on instant replay, but it could still get many missed calls such as a while ago the fan touched the ball to rule wiether it was a homer or not.on close plays like both of them in the '11'-1 yankee win, swicher tagging and the call on posado n cano, the other umpires shounlda went to him n told him bout the horrible call.its not his complete failt his angle was diffrent den ours, so u cant yell at him 4 tht even though im a die heart yankee fan.yah we got tht call but u guys still got the swisher call. tht call was complete bull cause he had perfect view.idk he mite get fired

I would like to know, why if the 1st or 3rd ump sees a player swing, why in the world would he not just call it instead of letting it go if not asked? same thing with leaving to quick on a fly ball - why does it have to be protested? if he swings or leaves to early, call it - as to balls and strikes - I think this make the most difference to a hitter than anything that you could do - ie - called strike on low inside pitch will make hitters swing at other similiar pitches - dont think for a minute the pitcher and catcher dont know this - the strike zone should never be permitted to be established by the ump - this zone is set and should never, ever be allowed to be altered in the least.

The answer here is not instant replays... it's putting the most accurate umpires into the post season games. Their Union apparantly has a random rotation knid of thing going... Bud Selig needs to grow a set of cojones, and challenge this, because it is bad for the game (as evidenced this entire post season).

Installing instant replays would change the game as it would be with them, from how it has always been. In effect it can be LOOSELY related to players using PED's now, and players in the past didn't, so statistics are skewed... Replays would have a similar sewing factor, but more on a team (win/loss) level than on an individual level.

Bottom line... no replays, just better umps please.

OK. FORGET ABOUT INSTANT REPLAYS. JUST ADD A
COUPLE MORE UMPS WITH POTBELLIES TO EACH GAME
SINCE THEY SEEM TO HAVE DIFFICULTY SEEING THINGS
ON THE GROUND.

The Angels lose regardless of the umpiring. They are just inferior to the Yankees in every department. The Philadelphia Cheesesteak is God's gift to junk food. The Yankees and Phillies will be in the World Series - Cheesesteaks and Pizza for everybody! The ngels will have an early tee time on Friday Morning. And Old Gator is a loser.

Wow, so pretty much half of you blogging here are whining. If you think you can do better than these umps, go do it yourself. Fix the damn solution yourself. Is technology the solution? No, that just complicates things even more. I agree with everyone here who actually loves the game. It's simply just that - a game. For those of you who sit here and bitch about what needs to be changed and everything, I don't see any of you doing anything about that. You want the rules to change, go do something about it. Blogging about it isn't going to do a damn thing. You think people care what your opinions are? You think the MLB cares what your opinion is? Nope. They care about one thing: money. And guess what? You keep giving it to them. And how is it that you keep doing that? You go to the games, buy those expensive-ass ballpark franks and beers and sit here in blogosphere whining about how "too many umpires get the calls wrong" and "we need new technology to make things perfect." I forget who said it, but whoever it was here said it best: nobody's perfect. There will never be a perfect game, or human being. This is why we watch baseball. And thus, it gives you a reason to have something to bitch and whine about here on the Internet. That goes for you, too, Craig Calcaterra. Sit down and shut the f*** up.

I'd go for technology to rule on fair/foul at the pole and homeruns at the wall, since that could be an instant red/green signal, but no instant replay.

And quit the slow motion replay on TV. Real time only. If it has to be slowed to a close-up, frame-by-frame review to get it right, it's too close to call. Real people calling a real game. That's baseball.

If a call is hotly contested, call a "do-over".

I think somehow you missed the whole point of my comments. I absolutely agree with you that the umps contributed little to the Angels' mad dash for winter exile. As I noted somewhere else around here, the umps' mistakes just look worse to the San Andreas team and their fans because they're already getting their tushies handed to them.

It does look like a Borg-Phillies series, and if so I look happily forward to it. I've got no rooting stake in either team, so I can just sit back and enjoy watching two very evenly matched powerhouses claw each other's eyes out for a couple of weeks. Mariano Rivera versus Howard in the bottom of the ninth? Brad Lidge versus A-Rod with a subtext of redemption haunting both sides of the matchup? Oh yes. What could be more ambrosial for a real baseball fan.

As far as Philly cheesesteak being any deity's gift to anyone, I suspect that if divine intervention was involved it was on the part of Hephaestos, god of indigestion, or Ghede, lwa of atherosclerosis. If there was a god of dripping grease, I don't doubt he was involved as well. I don't doubt the recipe was carried into Philadelphia by shipborn rats. Now pizza - good pizza, like the stuffed spinach special at Giordano's of Chicago - of course, is a form of communion.

Larry you make a good point. I believe that there should be replays in MLB because the umpires miss calls all the time. That double play at third could of caused more runs, I don't think because he felt it in his heart is good enough. In your case, man on first and second, batter hit it down the line, well they can award him a single, if the umpires can't get it right.

Instant replay is not the answer, this will only delay the game and cause more issues. The botched call at third with Cano and Posada should have been corrected by the other umpires. They have eyes and they all should have been watching. The botched call regarding Swicher should have been corrected by the home plate umpire who had a better view and had both the left fielder and runner in sight. I don't understand why these plays were not conferred with the other umpires. As for instant replays on close calls if a player was safe or not, this happens often throughout a game, with majority of the time the umpire getting the call right. However, if they stopped the game for every close call, the ball games would be well over 5 hours long...boring. Heck if you have instant replays, then you don't need umpires anymore, might as well use the strike zone electronic box to call strikes and balls. Then next they'll want to use robots. This get real. Mistakes happen, we should try to lessen them, but not make it worse.

obviously not everything will be up for review. just like football and hockey - there will be limits set. we want everything done right but at the same time we can't deal with 12 hour games because everything was questioned. it'll just get ridiculous. fair/foul territory is a pretty easy one to manage so unless it's a home run case i don't think that will be up for review. neither will balls and strikes.

why do the yankees need to ?? they are the "evil empire".

It seems to me that the Umps weren't this bad or wrong this often when I was a kid (I'm 52 now). The Umps were the best in the business and wrong less often than in any other professional sport. Or is it perhaps the technology, we now watch games in HD, that is exposing the "human element" of the game? Also, MLB has ALWAYS used instant reply to meat out fines in cases of fights & bench-clearing brawls - so MLB will do whatever they need to do but ONLY when it suits their needs.

3 Options:

1. Embrace the horror and go full electronics & cameras. Microchips and cameras everywhere. This pastime can be called perfectly if we want it to be, but we like the errors it gives us something to complain about and keeps otherwise useless sports reporters and commentators employed.

2. Use instant replay. Figure out the best place to use it smarty, give managers a few challenges just like in football. Its not that compliacted. And dont give me time arguments. this is the American "Pastime"

Main Entry: pastime
Function: noun
Date: 15th century
: something that amuses and serves to make time pass agreeably : diversion

3. Shut up and play ball...

It's a very interesting debate. I have no vested interest whatsoever in the ALCS. The Angels did a fine job promptly ejecting any vested interest I had in this years Postseason. Speaking strictly as a fan of the game the umpiring this entire postseason has been nothing short of atrocious. There were blown calls in the Angels/Red Sox series and what happened last night was awful. First and foremost Swisher was out by at least a foot and Kazmir had him picked off clean. I'm not sure at all why Aybar didn't argue or at least signal to the dugout to get Scoisca out there to at the very least talk about it. Say what you will McLelland probably saw that Swisher was clearly out, the call was blown, and had he an opportunity to make it right he'd call Swisher out if he could. I'm not saying this was done with forethought and intend but you can't discount that it wasn't floating in the back of his mind.

The play at 3rd is a complete mystery to me. How are both men not out in that situation? If both men were to be on the base at the same time the lead runner would be called out, both man were tagged out when neither were on the base therefore the only appropriate call is that both men are out. This seems a no brainer to me. Kudos to Tim McClelland for having the testicular fortitude to admit he goofed but this is the LCS that's a mistake that simply shouldn't ever be made and any Babe Ruth League or High School umpire knows that if you're tagged out and you aren't standing on the bag then quite simply you're out.

I don't know if instant replay is the answer because of the reasons stated above. Major League Baseball does not assume the double play on a ground ball and doesn't assume a double on the ball hit down the line. Larry's points are very valid in that what do you do when these situations occur and where would you put the runners in these hypothetical scenarios. It's too many what ifs for MLB and Selig and Co are going to counter with that very point there is too much that is left to assume. Carl Crawford or Jacoby Ellsbury are gonna score if they are on 2nd base on any base hit to the outfield but who is to say that Ellsbury doesn't blow out his knee rounding 3rd? or Crawford's achilles doesn't explode sliding into home? I'd be all in favor of baseball implementing a similar system to the NFL of challenges but how do you regulate it? How many times can a manager challenge a call during the game? What are the ramifications if the challenge is not succesful? Do you start the next inning with one out? Does the batter step up to the plate with a strike on him already? What's the answer? I'm not sure I have one but if these are the best of the best of MLBs umpiring core then perhaps I should submit my application

only one option. Shut the f*** up and play ball. bunch of whiners thinking they can do better. enjoy it for what it is i say.

and to Joe Lennon, you put it best: you're right, the game was different when you were younger because as you clearly stated, there never used to be HDTV, slow motion cameras or that lovely strike zone box they post on TBS, which we all know isn't completely accurate itself. thus, no one really complained as much as you people do.

with the MLB, you do one of three things. A) Play in the game; B) Umping the game; or C) Watching the game. Considering none of you are professional baseball players or MLB umps, why don't you just sit there and do YOUR job and let everyone else do theirs.

With instant replay, unless I am mistaken, you would not be able to reverse a foul ball call and be burdened with placing the runners. On the other hand, reversing a FAIR BALL call is a different matter, as there is not judgement required with respect to batter or runner placement, everyone goes back to where they were, and the batter comes back to the plate. As umpires at any level should respect, once you kill a play (foul ball, whatever) it is DEAD. It would not be possible or practical to change a call from foul to fair using replay.

As an umpire for 30 years (not MLB), I am kind of appalled by these recent calls. These are things a high school umpire wouldn't miss, and the umps seemed to be in the proper position to see the play. At the end of the day, however, we all make mistakes, and these guys are looked at from every possible angle.

Each team should be allowed to challenge 1 or 2 plays.

these umpires are delusional They make terrible calls (two guys off the base, tagged and only one is called out? This is bush league.) At least 20% of the plate calls are out of TBS' strike zone and these guys wont allow replays? Let's get into the 2000s. Use the technology.

Crappy calls in a playoff is ruining the game.

Let the manager throw a bad ump out (with two in reserves at each game) How about a booth over call for close calls and a base rewarded for the runner when the field ump is wrong.

How about a rating review for umps. And how about an extra out for the idiot player who pretends he caught the ball when he trapped it.

It's hard to tell the cheaters from the incompetents.

Drugs aren't the only problem in this sport, its the officiating.

because the umps AREN'T doing their jobs and MLB is not moving into a technological age. lets move into the 2000s please. The umps are becoming part of the game.

Perhaps the umps should be replaced by electronics, the strike zone showen after the pitch shows the ump was off by calling a ball a strike or a strike a ball. If a ball is on the line it would be in the field of play. I would hate to see any team loose a game, let alone the World Series due to a bad call by an umpire.

Umps have always been "part of the game." That's the way it has to be viewed, not that they should be infallible robots. Just as players make errors in the game, so do umpires. The team on the short end of those bad calls must then work harder to make up for it. Do NOT expand instant replay.

And pray tell, why does MLB "need" the yankees to win?

Hey Larry. I had not given a lot of thought to replays. You have and bring up several good points. I must agree with you view point

OK baseball fans, time for a vote: In this postseason, which have there been the most of: A) Blown calls by umpires B) Blown saves by "closers" C) Photos of Kate Hudson D) All of the above

I'm going with (C)....that's funny, rje

Give each team 1 replay [per game, up to two per series during the regular season, 1 & 3 for the LDS and 1 & 4 for LCS & WS. If managers feel strongly enough about a call, they can ask for a replay, until they are used up.

Reply to "notanumpire": First of all, clean-up your language. Secondly, get your head out of the sand. History has proven that any entity, individual, or organization that fails to evolve, will become extinct. Technology has advanced and will continue to advance. Baseball, like any other business, will have to figure out how to incorporate it, or become extinct. As a baseball fan (since I can remember), player (through college) and an umpire (for the past 29 years), I am dismayed by the performance of the acknowldged 'best in the business' in this years' post season in general. I like to think I cut umpires as much slack as anybody, am definitely conservative and a self-admitted traditionalist (I don't even like the DH), but this year has been worse than anything I can remember and something needs to be done. Baseball is already losing its fan base, and cannot afford to see it erode further by staunchly hiding behind tradition and out-moded attitudes. It really only has a passionate following in New England, New York and St. Louis. Everywhere else it is second-fiddle, at best. "If every objection to any proposal must be overcome before anything can be attempted, nothing would ever be accomplished." The time is now, or even us old guys will watch reruns of M*A*S*H instead of the playoffs.

McLelland should be suspended for the rest of the playoffs and replaced. Two such glaring errors are unforgivable for a professional umpire. The SEC just suspended an entire officiating crew for two major bad calls. MLB should take the same steps and suspend McLelland. Baseball is slow and boring enough without instant replay. Replace bad umps, do not extend instant replay.

The Pine Tar Incident was in 1983, not 1976. McClellend is 57.

IR, NO WAY! The human element is one of the things that make baseball GREAT! ALL you whiners, put away your crying towels and get a life !!!

How bout playing without any umpires. It would be more interesting and there wouldn't be any umpires missing calls...

I love the idea of electronically monitoring balls and strikes. It would bring a high level of excitement to the plate. The batter is trying to guess knowing full well the monitoring device is going to get it right. The umps behind the plate during all these series have been pathetic. Mark me down for the machine. Beats the heck out of watching CB Bucknor (by the way voted the worst umpire by the major league players) screwing up so badly behind the plate. Not to mention the bad calls he made down the line at first.
Sox Fan
There's always next year and at least i don't have to watch ManRam play the Yankees.

Did anyone notice that the hubub is all over calls that went against the Yankees? Anyone seriously think the same would apply if the calls went against the Angels? IR is all about satisfying the cry-babies in the major media markets and has NOTHING to do with baseball and its traditions. The money to the players isn't even really the issue -- most of them get far more over the course of the regular season anyway.

I am rooting for a Dodgers-Angels World Series for no other reason than to stick it in the eye of the East coast media elite who care about one thing and one thing only - RATINGS.

I'll take this one step further and argue that technology will be at a place very soon where it should be used to call balls and strikes. The software has advanced far enough now to the point where the strike zone can be accurately simulated by a computer. Of course, there will be some mistakes, but I'd be willing to bet that those mistakes will be far fewer than those that are made by umpires. In watching games closely, it's clear that the strike zone is subjective to a great degree. One umpire calls a strike just at the knees; another consistently calls the same pitch a ball. One umpire gives the pitcher the very edge of the inside part of the plate; another doesn't. In both cases, the ball is either in the strike zone as defined or it isn't. There is way too much money invested in putting these games on and in the players who execute on the field to leave it to the feeling or even the mood of an umpire.

All calls do not have to be reviewable. Just like in the NFL, certain plays are not reviewable. There could be something worked out where calls made at the plate or the bases are reviewable,fouls balls called are not, but if they are home run terriorty, you know, at the pole fair or foul if it was a homer...certain things like that...it can be done...just set the rules as to what plays are reviewable and there you have it!

OBVIOUSLY U'VE NEVER HEARD OF A GROUNDRULE DOUBLE...THAT'S AN ASSUMPTION RIGHT THERE.

Exactly, like the ump behind the plate at the Detroit - Minnesota game would not admit that Brandon inge's jersey was hit by a pitched ball, granted it didn't bean him in the head but none-the-less with bases loaded could have drove in the winnig run.

There was another angle where the umpire's view was blocked by the third base coach and Posada so I can see where the umpire missed the call

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