Effect of Instant Replay on MLB

Will the new instant replay rules beginning in 2014 in Major League Baseball cut down on Ejections and help the game?

It seems that in the beginning of the Major League Baseball season that replay is going to have an effects on arguments and/or ejections of managers, but will it last long is the question.

We don't know if this will have long term effects on the game, but in the early season it appears that replay will be worth the time it takes to get the calls right and I am sure there are many people who will argue why it took so long to get here.

Are the Earl Weaver, Lou Piniella, Billy Martin days of flipping out and having knock down, drag out arguments that see Managers losing their marbles throwing bases and kicking dirt all over the place finally over?

Time will tell but it is still in its early stages and there will of course be a way that a call can change the outcome of a game from an umpire who didn't see what was obvious to the fans or players.

Keep in mind, Managers get one challenge of an umpires call per game, and if they are correct and the call is overturned, they will get the challenge back and have a second opportunity later in the game to use another challenge. But if it is used early and they lose the challenge of the call, they will no longer have an opportunity to ask for another look at the play.

The replay rules have different interactions from the 7th inning on though. The Crew chief of the umpiring staff on the field for any given game has the right to stop a game and impose a self challenge on a call of a Home Run or play at the plate.

There is also now a person called the Field Timer Coordinator who controls the timing and will send messages to the announcers with colored cards.

This is directly quoted from MLB:

"The Field Timing Coordinator will hold up a RED card to signal when an inning break or pitching change break commences.

(ii) The Field Timing Coordinator will hold up a BLUE card to signal when the pitcher should throw his last warm–up pitch (with forty–five (45) seconds remaining in the break).

(iii) The Field Timing Coordinator will hold up a YELLOW card when the batter should leave the on–deck circle to approach the batter's box (with twenty–five (25) seconds remaining in the break).

(iv) The Field Timing Coordinator will hold up a GREEN card to indicate that the break has concluded. The Umpire shall not resume play until the Field Timing Coordinator holds up the GREEN Card."

A Manager can not decide to change his mind after asking for a replay. Once he asks for it, it is a final decision he will have to lie with no matter the outcome.

The evidence to change a call has to be an overwhelming decision to the play called on the field.
Reviewable Calls

Potential Home Run Calls

Non-Home Run Boundary Calls

Specified Fair/Foul ball Calls

Force/Tag Play Calls

Base Running Play Calls

Hit By Pitch Calls

Collisions at Home Plate Calls

The Official scorer has NO input on how calls are decided or reviewed

For more of the rules and regulations that go into factoring the how and why specifics of reviewable plays and logistics that pertain, you can find them at http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/replay_review.jsp

Overall I will say that we will not be seeing as many ejections and blow out arguments that have become associated with the game as we have seen in the past and I do think this will cut down tremendously on ejections of both players and managers.

There will still be some fine tuning and adjustments to how these rules will be enforced over the years, but for now I think this is a great thing for the game and replay will calm down a lot of managers' attitude towards what are considered missed calls or blown calls.

Other then the fact that it might extend the time of the games a few more minutes, which baseball has already been scrutinized for length of the games, overall I think the fans will appreciate and understand that getting things right has always been of the utmost importance, so go get a beer and a hot dog while they review the plays and be happy they are at least taking advantage of the way cameras and technology has effected our society and sports.