Rather than using replay, just improve umpiring

[Auggie]

John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle / July 20th, 2010

As Doug Harvey tells the story, he was umpiring first base in a game in the '60s, and a manager rushed out four times to dispute calls, saying each time that a replay would prove Harvey wrong. Harvey eventually told the manager, "You can take your replay and shove it because I'm better than any replay machine you've got."

Harvey's going into the Hall of Fame on Sunday, and maybe he actually was better than a replay machine, especially one in the '60s. Hey, players and managers called him "God." He was that good. He didn't have a Don Denkinger or Jim Joyce moment. He's not known for a brutal call that altered history.

Suddenly, Phil Cuzzi is known for costing the (San Francisco) Giants their sixth straight victory. He did a terrible job Sunday (July 18th), especially when ruling that Travis Ishikawa was out at the plate in the ninth inning, giving New York (Mets) an extra chance to beat the Giants - which it did.

It's the latest ammunition for the pro-instant-replay campaign, but we prefer the alternative. Rather than relying on more technology, how about trying to improve the quality of umpiring in place? Such as:

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/20/SPPM1EGNAQ.DTL#ixzz0uPhkDV1c

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Shea's suggestions: 1): More in-season training, 2): Encourage more consultations within the crew, 3): Don't be in such a hurry to make the call, 4): Constant re-evaluation of all umpires. His complete rationale is at the link.

One can still make a good argument for instant replay. Perhaps by improving umpiring it would not be needed as often.

[TZ]

1. Umpires are human. Mistakes are going to happen.

I don't know WHY MLB is so dead set agaisnt instant replay. I don't care how much training or "retraining" you do, under pressure, mistakes are gonna be made...

[RockaFowler]

2. This is what I don't get

Don't these guys want to get it right?? Don't they have pride in their jobs?? Not everyone is perfect, but isn't it better to know that you weren't the reason why a team didn't make the playoffs or if a coach is fired

[TZ]

4. I'm sure they do.

I wonder what the Umps themselves think about replay. It sounds like its MLB management/owners who are so agaisnt it.....At least it sounds like Bud "I don't care what the fans think" Selig is agaisnt it.

[Upton]

3. I'm for some sort of limited replay

the reason I say "limited" is because there's no way I want too see MLB games bogged down and infatuated with replay like in the NFL.

So, I like Shea's ideas, but it's not as easy as that. In that recent survey of MLB players, CB Bucknor, Joe West, and Angel Hernandez accounted for 94% of the "worst umpire" votes. That's an incredible ratio when you take in to account there are some 70 umpires in MLB.

These three year after year are widely considered among the worst in baseball. It's even become a running joke among announcers. So, why are they still working? I can only assume it's the umpire's union, and if that's the case, most of Shea's suggestions, in fact any changes, are probably going to run into a brick wall..

[Auggie]

5. Agree

[Yavin4]

6. Instant Replay Alone Improves Umpiring

The culture of umpiring in MLB is not to get the call right, but live with the consequences of the call, no matter what. The so-called human element. The problem is that as more and more money comes into these games, and they get more and more attention, living with a bad call is becoming untenable to the public that's supporting these games.

The NFL recognized this and introduced replay, and that alone changed the culture of officiating in the NFL from living with bad calls to group consultations and getting the calls right because no one wants to be overruled by replay.