Tom Verducci
The replay system works very well but it could use two upgrades: transparency and speed.
The transparency involves putting a microphone on the crew chief to make sure paying customers actually understand what just happened. It’s insulting to leave them without explanation when calls are upheld or changed. Thankfully, this change should be coming by the end of this season or next season, per an agreement with the umpires.
Transparency also means we know who made the call and why it was made. Name the replay official working in New York who made the call and provide a one-sentence, specific reason why the call was made. Don’t leave us guessing.
Emma Baccellieri
This is an idea that hadn't occurred to me before I saw former Braves outfielder Lane Adams share it on Twitter last week, but the more I think about it, the more I like it: Don't share the call with the review crew before they get a chance to look at the play.
As the rules work now, there must be clear and convincing evidence for a call to be overturned. But I think that language creates an unnecessary hurdle. The question shouldn't be, "Is there sufficiently convincing evidence to overturn this call?" It should be, "Is the runner safe or out?" The goal should be to get the decision right, regardless of how it was originally called on the field, and I think that gets complicated by placing the burden of proof like this. Just have them assess the play itself! Maybe place a time limit on the process, and if the reviewers cannot make a decision quickly enough in New York, revert to the ruling on the field. But I think a shift like this would be useful for reframing the process—with a focus on making sure calls are right.