Did You See That!?
As I was watching, well trying to watch the game yesterday, the jackwagon commentators from the local KC station brought up instant replay being a part of Major League Baseball. Ok, I have two problems with this. One, the numb skulls decided the top of the 8th inning was a great time to discuss this. Meanwhile, our future Hall of Famer, number #15 was up for his last at bat of the game, provided we didn't tie it up, and he still didn't have a hit. (On a side note, it must have made Pedroia mad too that they chose to start that conversation at this point. Hey, whatever works.) The second problem I have with this is that they are part of the problem. TV is the only reason there is such a debate about this. If you show a replay from 7 different angles, your going to find that one that removes some of the certainty about the call. Don't get me wrong, if it wasn't for TV, we wouldn't see a lot of games, so I am thankful for the boob tube.
The Human Factor is what makes baseball great. Your asking a human man to make a split second call and I don't know if you have noticed but, there aren't that many plays in Major League Baseball that aren't close. There have been those "not close by a mile" plays that went the other way and made every jaw in America drop, but guess what, for the next two to three days after the bad call, that father and son who haven't talked in 6 months, well, they're talking now. Baseball, the way it is now, is a conversation starter. I'm not saying that there aren't a few instances in the past that it wouldn't have been nice to have a second look, like whether or not a runner is out at first when a perfect game is on the line. Even then, Mr. Joyce felt like a complete waste of space after he saw the replay. He did what a man should do and walked up to Galarraga and apologized. Galarraga also took the high road in his comments after the game. "He's human. I know I pitched a perfect game and I will show my son one day. I will say to him, this is when your dad pitched a perfect game." The thing is he wasn't throwing a fit, or preaching for instant replay to be implemented immediately, and if anyone has a soap box to stand on about the debate, it's Galarraga. He simply smiled and moved on.
The knucklehead macspazatron commentators from KC then moved on to the possibility of red flags being given to the team managers. A red challenge flag? Really?I'm pretty sure Francona would use it as a snot rag before he threw it out onto the field. This is baseball, not football. Not only that but what are you going to do if the ruling on the field is upheld? Take a timeout away?
Look, baseball has been just fine the way it is for a very, very long time. Leave it alone and let the boys of summer just play. Besides if we get instant replay, we wont get to see all those entertaining nose to nose conversations or the dirt kicking, base throwing, bat chucking, drink cooler smashing, temper tantrums that makes us enjoy the game even more.
"Nuff Said!"
The Human Factor is what makes baseball great. Your asking a human man to make a split second call and I don't know if you have noticed but, there aren't that many plays in Major League Baseball that aren't close. There have been those "not close by a mile" plays that went the other way and made every jaw in America drop, but guess what, for the next two to three days after the bad call, that father and son who haven't talked in 6 months, well, they're talking now. Baseball, the way it is now, is a conversation starter. I'm not saying that there aren't a few instances in the past that it wouldn't have been nice to have a second look, like whether or not a runner is out at first when a perfect game is on the line. Even then, Mr. Joyce felt like a complete waste of space after he saw the replay. He did what a man should do and walked up to Galarraga and apologized. Galarraga also took the high road in his comments after the game. "He's human. I know I pitched a perfect game and I will show my son one day. I will say to him, this is when your dad pitched a perfect game." The thing is he wasn't throwing a fit, or preaching for instant replay to be implemented immediately, and if anyone has a soap box to stand on about the debate, it's Galarraga. He simply smiled and moved on.
The knucklehead macspazatron commentators from KC then moved on to the possibility of red flags being given to the team managers. A red challenge flag? Really?I'm pretty sure Francona would use it as a snot rag before he threw it out onto the field. This is baseball, not football. Not only that but what are you going to do if the ruling on the field is upheld? Take a timeout away?
Look, baseball has been just fine the way it is for a very, very long time. Leave it alone and let the boys of summer just play. Besides if we get instant replay, we wont get to see all those entertaining nose to nose conversations or the dirt kicking, base throwing, bat chucking, drink cooler smashing, temper tantrums that makes us enjoy the game even more.
"Nuff Said!"
