GMs vote for Instant Replay

GMs vote to explore instant replay
Posted November 06, 2007 by Marc Lancaster
Updated Nov 06, 2007 at 01:12 PM

ORLANDO—General managers voted 25-5 this morning to explore the use of instant replay in baseball.

Jimmie Lee Solomon, MLB’s executive vice president for baseball operations, said replay use would be limited to home run calls, including whether the ball is fair or foul, whether it clears the fence and fan interference. The discussions were general, and commissioner Bud Selig—who is not known as a replay advocate—must approve any measures to bring such technology into the game.

Plenty of details remain to be worked out, but Solomon said the final decision in replay cases may be made by an MLB official at a central location rather than officials at each individual ballpark—the same type of system the NHL uses.

Solomon sounded skeptical that a system could be implemented in time for the 2008 season, noting the “glacier-like” pace at which baseball tends to move, but momentum clearly is trending in favor of some sort of replay being instituted for future seasons.

Speaking of glacial, the sticky issue of time-of-game also was addressed today, with the discussion focused on making sure pitchers and batters don’t take excessive time between pitches. There also was talk of restricting the number of visits that can be made to the mound. Glaring in its absence from the list of potential solutions, especially for postseason games: cutting back on the length of between-innings advertising breaks.