The Problem With Replay

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MLB introduced replay review in 2008, and it made perfect sense to do so. Plays can happen so fast and be so close, that it is understandable for umpires to make mistakes. Replay allows any close plays to be reviewed using slower video with multiple angles, and any incorrect calls to be corrected. The main problem people have with replay, is when a play gets reviewed, but then the wrong call is still made. It may not be something that happens all that frequently, but within the last week there were two blatantly incorrect calls that were made, where replay failed to correct them.  

The first one happened on April 8th in the Marlins and Mets game. With the game tied 2-2 in the ninth inning, Mets right-fielder Michael Conforto stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. With a 1-2 count, Marlins closer Anthony Bass throws a slider that ever so slightly grazed the right elbow guard of Conforto. This meant that Conforto is awarded first base, and since the bases were loaded, a run comes into score and the Mets win. This issue however, was that the pitch was a strike, and should have been called strike three.

MLB Rule 5.05(b)(2) states, “If the ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called be a strike, whether or not the batter tries to avoid the ball.” Not only did Conforto make no effort to avoid getting hit, it looks as if he leaned into the pitch to get hit intentionally. Home-plate umpire Ron Kulpa was starting his motion to indicate strike three, but then changed halfway through, and tapped his arm indicating that the ball hit Conforto.

This is where an issue with replays arises. Balls and strikes cannot be reviewed by replay. Understandably so, or else any borderline pitch would be challenged, and games would be egregiously long. Determining whether a batter was hit by a pitch or not can be reviewed, but in this situation, the issue isn’t about if the ball hit Conforto or not, it’s about whether or not it was a strike. Marlins manager Don Mattingly came out of the dugout to argue the call which led the umpires to go to a replay review. However, since balls and strike are non-reviewable, the only thing that could be reviewed, was whether or not the ball hit Conforto. It did hit him, but that isn’t the issue, this issue is that it should’ve been strike three and the ump was going to call it, but then changed his mind half-way through the call. The replay shows that Conforto made no attempt to move away from the ball, and that should be able to be reviewed and overturned. This is a common sense play, where you can clearly see that it was a strike, so it should be able to be reversed using replay.

While it is fair to assume the Marlins would have likely lost anyway, as that would have only been the second out of the inning, it’s crucial to make the right calls in these scenarios so that there is no room for controversy.

The second controversial play came Sunday night between the Phillies and the Braves. It was the top of the ninth, runner on third base, one out, and the score is tied at six a piece. Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorious hit a shallow fly ball to left field where left-fielder Marcel Ozuna caught it and quickly unleashed a throw home in attempt to get Alec Bohm who tagged up from third and was looking to score the go-ahead run for the Phillies. It was a very close play at the plate and the umpire ruled Bohm safe. However, when you look at the replay, you can see that Bohm’s foot never actually touches home plate. Given how quickly and close the play was in real time, there was nothing wrong with the umpire calling Bohm safe; there is an issue however, that despite all the angles showing that the foot never touched home plate, the call stood as safe.

What is the point of replay if wrong calls on the field are not going to be corrected? There are some cases where plays are just too close and inconclusive to overturn, but this was not one of them. From all the angles, it is clear that Bohm’s left foot slid in front and over home plate and didn’t touch the ground until it was passed the plate. It is mind-boggling how anyone can look at the replays with all the angles and still say that he was safe. This also stems from another issue, which is that there needs to be conclusive evidence to overturn a call on the field. If Bohm were initially called out, and then they went to replay, he would have been out. This is giving too much power to the first ruling on the field which was made as the play happened in a split second. Replay review should ignore what the call on the field was, and just decide on a call based on all the replays that they have. This errant call was worse than the Conforto call, because the Conforto call was more based on silly technicalities, but this one was just called terribly wrong.

One of the worst things about MLB replay reviews is that there is no explanation on what is going on. It isn’t like in the NFL or NHL, where when there is a challenge the referees get on a mic and announce what is going on, and what the call is at the end or the reason. In baseball, the umps just put the headset on, listen to the video room in New York, and then motion either safe or out depending on what the outcome is. There is no explanation on why the decision was made, or if the call is confirmed or if there just wasn’t enough evidence to overturn the call on the field. This lack of transparency hurts the game because it can leave fans lost and confused, especially when you are at the ballpark.

Replay makes the game better. Umpires are human, and plays happen so fast it is understandable that they can make mistakes every now and again. The issue with replay is when the incorrect calls are not overturned. More often than not, the correct calls will be made, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that there are missed calls that go uncorrected despite the use of replay. These are two examples where the wrong call was made, replay didn’t correct them and it essentially cost two teams potential victory.

With teams like the Mets, Phillies, and Braves – who are all competing for the NL East Division title – one game could make the difference between being division champion and missing the playoffs all together. These types of errors are inexcusable, and MLB has to do a better job at making sure they don’t happen. This may just be a case where two unfortunate errors happened so close together that it seems like a much bigger deal than it is, but if this were to happen in the postseason, where the stakes are high, the consequences on the teams on the receiving end would be massive.

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