MLB Instant Replay Could Expand for 2012 Season

It looks like MLB instant replay will expand for the 2012 season. The additional plays that could be reviewed would include trapped balls and fair-or-foul ruling down the two lines. This could serve as an added asset to umpires who have been forced to make split-second calls that aren't always correct. With instant replay for television audiences, it is much easier to see if a ball is caught or has been hit foul, but to this point umpires have not had that luxury.

ESPN reportedly has a source that says a positive discussion about the expansion has already taken place. Apparently MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and a group of umpires met during spring training to discuss adding more plays to the review process. ESPN also reports that the two sides were in agreement that it did need to be expanded, and could lead to something getting introduced to the process during the 2012 offseason.

Some instances of replay can already be used by umpires, primarily during home run calls. This was a good rule that could be used if an umpire (or the whole crew) was unable to determine if a ball had been hit out of the park or simply went off the wall. With some of the outfield walls around baseball, it is often difficult to make out where the top of the wall ends and the denotation of a home run comes into play. Giving the umpires the ability to look at video became a way to simply ensure the call was correct.

The decision to add more instant replay to the game could be met with a lot of opposition. There are those who feel games are already too long, and this could add more delays to figure out if a call was made correctly. It also brings a new dynamic to the game that wasn't around in the early days of baseball. Changing the way things get done isn't always accepted immediately, but this might be one of those instances where it might actually help the game become fairer.

One thing that Major League Baseball needs to make ensure is that it doesn't go too far with the implementation of instant replay. There seems to be a slippery slope here where it could do just that, especially if it started to involve safe-out or ball-strike calls that are often at the discretion of the umpires. This is an area where baseball needs to be very careful in order to preserve the way the game is played.