Comments on: Bud Selig: we don’t need replay. Just look at our attendance!

By: anxovies

anxovies — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:10:58 +0000

I really hate to find myself on the side of the likes of Bud Selig, but even a blind pig sometimes finds an acorn. One of the attractions of baseball is its human scale. In football the experience is much different than baseball, you don’t need to be close to the field to enjoy the game. In fact, being close to the sidelines in football is not necessarily the best place to watch the game, that’s why the cameras are placed high in the grandstands. In baseball a big part is being up close, even when watching it on TV. Even the cheapest bleacher seats gets you closer to the game and the players than football. Depending on TV replays to decide important moments in the game cheapens the unique human experience of the ballpark, Sometimes getting it right is not necessarily getting it better. I can’t believe I am agreeing with Selig on something.

By: kp20520

kp20520 — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 19:34:53 +0000

Do it like the NHL. Home base in Toronto makes the calls. Have a team of experts sit in front of 60″ top of the line tv. Quick, accurate and doesn’t slow the game down.

By: chumthumper

chumthumper — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 17:45:11 +0000

Craig, I absolutely agree. Selig and the owners only do what enhances their bottom line. That’s why we have wild card games and soon, more undeserving teams qualifying. One of these days, the World Series will be broken into pre-Christmas and post-New Years games. And it doesn’t matter how many season games you win, home field advantage is determined by an exhibition game. Another sad point, is one day this bozo will be given a bust in the HOF as the greatest thing since sliced bread..

By: cereal blogger

cereal blogger — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 15:31:21 +0000

Worst commish in the history of sports….steroid era, juiced balls, unlevel playing field, failure to promote the game in urban areas, overall drop in popularity, failure to adapt to modern technology, All star game ties,,,,,he’s the worst

By: brenenostler

brenenostler — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 15:27:25 +0000

I hope everyone who thinks Roger Goodell is a bad commissioner saw this

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 15:24:11 +0000

Your defense of non-replay is because people can’t wait to cheer? Come on. What’s next, because you’ll miss the excitement of an umpire/manager snafu?

By: bigleagues

bigleagues — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 15:14:59 +0000

I don’t have a problem with leaving most of the human element in the game. And I think that people who want to neuter the umpires altogether need to find a new game to watch.

Where I do have a major problem is when an umpire completely botches a call on the field – either because they were out of position or had an inadequate view of the play – and their call (or reversal of call) negatively affects the game.

There are two recent examples of this. DeWayne Wise’ phantom catch in RF stands and the Cardinals having a called triple-play turned into a single out – despite no compelling video evidence to overturn the call on the field.

By: bigleagues

bigleagues — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 15:09:03 +0000

Perhaps the irony was lost on people?

MLB is NOT in the right place with umpire accountability . . . nor is it in the right place on instant replay.

But mostly I was satirizing Bud Selig’s on-going war on the obvious.

By: Kevin S.

Kevin S. — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:13:29 +0000

Agreed except for the catch/trap thing. If ruled a trap and is actually a catch, nobody gets to tag. Sorry team that got screwed by not getting to tag, but having the out and no tag is still better overall than mistakenly allowing the hit.

By: thefalcon123

thefalcon123 — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:54:35 +0000

Bud Selig:
Good for the business of baseball
Bad for the *game* of baseball

By: ajcardsfan

ajcardsfan — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:01:09 +0000

You think we could get away with a petition on Change.org?

By: gmsingh

gmsingh — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 12:08:53 +0000

Bud Selig–the single worst thing to ever happen to professional baseball. Besides, he’s being dumb: those instant replays on TV can have sponsors paying more to sponsor them–that’s all he cares about.

By: skids003

skids003 — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 11:43:54 +0000

Let’s boycott all the stupid baseball writers!!!

By: nothanksimdriving123

nothanksimdriving123 — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 06:58:54 +0000

Dear Bud, there was a time when games were seen only by those in the park, and then some were televised but we saw each play just once. Then more games were televised and we got replays. Up until then, fans might argue about a close play until they were hoarse, with both sides believing they were right, but neither ever knowing for certain. It was arguably one of the game’s charms. THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE. Now, every game is televised and from myriad angles we see super slow-mo, and now we all know, not believe, but know that the umpire erred and the result of the game is false and unfair and tainted. And that hurts the integrity of MLB. More fans are showing up? My word man, people bought millions of cars that had no seat belts, but the safer ones are better. That you and others don’t get this is saddening and frustrating for many of us. You want us to boycott and not go to your ballparks? OK, schmuck, I’ll boycott. I’m just one fan, but until you get it, you don’t get me.

By: giantschamps

giantschamps — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 04:41:48 +0000

This is one reason the NFL continues to kick MLBs azz. This old dinosaur refuses to modernize the game. Isn’t about time for you to go Bud?

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 04:10:49 +0000

“Bring it on!”

Geor…uh, Bud Selig.

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 04:07:18 +0000

I hate to agree with the Antichrist, but no more replay!!!! Limited is enough. I think the problem here lies at the feet of the umps, but I’m not naive enough to suggest Selig take on their union…because I think it’s pretty clear how good he is at dealing with the help…er, labor.

By: cur68

cur68 — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 03:26:24 +0000

Pretty much, I guess. If he reads HBT, and he should frankly, then that very sentiment would be abundantly clear to him. Just a really, really stupid decision.

By: highump

highump — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:57:53 +0000

The reality is, a trained umpire could quickly decide where the runners would have gone (and should end up), based on the reversed call.

Catch/Trap – If the runner(s) are tagging, the call has no effect on the play. If the runners are halfway, this could make for a difficult decision, but not an impossible one.

Foul/Fair – Ground Rule Double/Homerun/Infield Single, if overturned to be fair. Foul is foul, anything else that happened afterward would be erased from the record.

Please cite any further examples you can think of…

By: djpostl

djpostl — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:49:01 +0000

The same auto industry that would have ended in ruin had it not been for a taxpayer bailout?

By: Glen

Glen — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:47:02 +0000

And on the same day, we won’t buy gas!

By: highump

highump — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:39:49 +0000

Little League International has shown that replay can work. None of the LL replays have taken longer than 1 minute with most under 30 seconds with a (so far, perfect) response back to the field. Each team gets 1 challenge. If they win the challenge, they can challenge again. Any play is able to be challenged. If the play is overturned, the replay official will put the runner(s) where they should have been. This system could work in the pros.

A better system for the pros, would be a 5th umpire in the booth. He would have access to each team’s tv feed, eliminating the “homer” replays, and would buzz down to look at a close, game-changing play. Legitimate “bang-bang” plays would NOT BE ELIGIBLE for review as this would make a mockery of the game. Balls/Strikes also should not be reviewed. Only plays that looked bad in real-time and as bad/worse on the first replay would the 5th umpire buzz down for a challenge. This would include all of the plays that are already being used as an arugment for instant replay.

The reality is expanded instant replay would cost $$$. 15 games @ 1 additional umpire/qualifed replay official = 15 six figure salaries (with all expenses taken into account) = 1.5 to 2 million in human expenses + technological expenses. Seems like a drop in the bucket when you consider Chone Figgins will make 9.5 mill this year, but it is still enough to continue dodging the question.

By: themajorleagueblog

themajorleagueblog — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:29:49 +0000

Bud is looking to save time and time is money, and what is in the best interest for Bud wins.

By: footballchic777

footballchic777 — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:26:01 +0000

Selig! Are you REALLY that big of an IDIOT? Are you saying that in order for us to get instant replay, you want us, as fans, to boycott the games to prove our point? How stupid can you be? You are just getting your fan base back, stadiums are having to remove/cover seats, and you want us to boycott? You are totally unconnected with the fans! We keep telling you these absurd, which are being made more and more, need a way to be overturned. Limit them to 2 per team. Have a replay crew that their only job is to watch for these questionable plays so they are called quickly! But please…………get us instant replay!

By: buffalo65

buffalo65 — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 01:27:58 +0000

Replay and baseball don’t mix. Last thing we need Is to have everyone waiting to cheer on a close play cause of the threat of replay. Leave it alone.

By: rcali

rcali — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 01:21:37 +0000

Dear Bud,
Please Retire.
Thanks,
Baseball Fans

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:53:26 +0000

” But hey, as long as a problem in the game doesn’t hurt revenue, who cares? As long as an improvement doesn’t increase revenue, why bother?….Find me an example in American business history where such thinking didn’t lead an industry to ruin.”

Tabloid journalism.

By: jimbo1949

jimbo1949 — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:44:23 +0000

Ah yes Baseketball

By: BratLee

BratLee — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:30:53 +0000

Attendance is up, so we must not be charging enough for the beer.

By: The Dangerous Mabry

The Dangerous Mabry — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:08:59 +0000

Of course, every single possible answer to those questions is better than getting it wrong and being happy about it (celebrating the “human element”).