COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Calling it a historic moment, Commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday that Major League Baseball plans to expand its video review process next season, giving managers a tool they've never had in an effort to dramatically reduce the number of incorrect calls made in games. "I'm proud of them," Selig said of the replay committee. "It's worked out remarkably well. It's historic. There's no question about it." A 75 percent vote by the owners is needed for approval and the players' association and umpires would have to agree to any changes to the current system. Managers will be allowed one challenge over the first six innings of a game and two from the seventh inning until the completion of the game. Calls that are challenged will be reviewed by a crew in MLB headquarters in New York City, which will make a final ruling. A manager who sees a call he feels is incorrect can file a challenge with the crew chief or home plate umpire. Only reviewable plays can be challenged. Non-reviewable plays can still be argued by managers, who can request that the umpires discuss it to see if another member of the crew saw the play differently. Reviewable plays cannot be argued by the manager. Challenges not used in the first six innings will not carry over, and a manager who wins a challenge will retain it. The home run replay rules currently in use will be grandfathered in to the new system, Schuerholz said. MLB expects to use the new system in the 2014 playoffs, and the system could be enhanced in the postseason. Training sessions for umpires will start in the Arizona Fall League this winter and continue into spring training. One of Selig's major concerns was the possible slowing of games. Schuerholz said with a direct line of communication between the central office and the ballparks the expectation is that replays under the new system will take 1 minute, 15 seconds. Current replays average just over 3 minutes. "We want to prevent stalling," Schuerholz said. "If it's a reviewable play, he (the manager) has to tell the umpires he's going to review it." Link
don't get the challenge system...feel like its still trying to deter managers from actually using replay. isn't it much easier to assign a designated ump to be in a booth at the stadium then buzz down with the call? MLB makes enough money they can afford to pay another umpire at each game to do that. that said, this is better than nothing.
I don't understand HQ involvement, just give refs better tools and their own affinity for accuracy, fair play and credibility will win out.
