
Replay is Slow, but Let’s Not Freak Out
In last night’s contest, both teams challenged calls made by the umpiring crew. Each of the challenges took at least four minutes, and the fans at Wrigley made it known how disgruntled they were having to wait. Better yet, neither call was overturned, leaving many wondering what exactly was going on in New York.
Okay, is four minutes really this unfathomable amount of time to make a decision about a bang-bang play? Sure fans don’t want to be sitting around while the umps stand there doing nothing with headphones on, but remember this is a system that the fans themselves clamored for. It isn’t going to be perfect, and Major League Baseball is still making improvements.
Doesn’t it make more sense for the replay officials to get the call right rather than rush into a decision because you’re getting impatient on your couch? Sorry folks, but until the league institutes a system where a fifth ump is sitting in a booth to check replays at every game, this is probably how it’s going to be.
The MLB could explore a few options for tweaking this system over the offseason, but the odds of that happening are slim unless this “problem” takes center stage in the playoffs. Replay is still only a season old, and the league is going to give things a couple years to play out before making any changes. For now, maybe use replays as an excuse to heat up that leftover pizza you have sitting in the fridge or something. We can manage with four minutes.