One of the problems with baseball (insofar as the use of instant replay would be concerned) is the use of conventions which are outside the scope of the rules. For example, doubleplays where the middle guy on the double play never touches second base; calling guys out on stolen bases when they were not touched in time; and the grossest of all, umpires ignoring the strike zone.
A few years ago when an umpire got into a dispute with a player, the umpire called the player out on strikes. The player was quoted as saying, "That last pitch you called a strike was at least a foot outside the plate." The umpire responded, "Well, I guess you should have swung at it, shouldn't you?" (I saw that pitch replayed on TV, and it was at least a foot outside the plate.) That ump was not to my best knowledge even reprimanded for his actions, and he should have been suspended or fired.
When umpires can totally ignore the rules to express their displeasure at players, the game is rotten. Rotten. Totally rotten. After that episode I cited above, I basically (mostly) quit watching baseball because it's so rotten and you just don't know who the umpires are betting on on any particular night, or who they're mad at. Their nicknames should be "the nazi kings of the 90 foot diamond." (Just kidding.)
The above being said, I did watch the San Diego/Colorado game from about the 5th inning on last night. Aside from the blown home run call,which the ump's did get wrong, the balance of the calls seemed okay. On that last head first slide into home, I would bet there is no one (unless its the umpire) who knows whether the runner was safe. The catcher surely wouldn't know, and the runner probably thought he was safe but might be wrong, and the TV replays that I saw (non-HD TV) were just not definitive.
On balance, I thought he was probably safe; I just wonder what the ump's thought process was in delaying the call?
I missed the re-play in HD on ESPN, but it'll be on again tonight, and maybe I'll catch it. Baseball can be addictive.
Regards,
Fitzie
