Umpires could start explaining replay rulings after all-star break
Adrian Gonzalez dives headfirst into home and seems to beat the tag by Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, but is called out. Safe, shout fans at Dodger Stadium who see replays on the board.
Umpires go to their headsets for a video review, and three minutes later, the signal comes: Out!
Want to hear exactly how disputed calls get decided, like that one in last year’s NL Championship Series?
Soon, we might. While nothing is set, Major League Baseball and umps are expected to discuss a plan — similar to what’s done in the NFL and NHL — for crew chiefs to wear a microphone and explain replay rulings.
Under one possible scenario, they would start at the all-star game on July 11 in Miami, tweak the process over the season’s second half and then go forward with the experiment in the playoffs.
People familiar with the talks spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because an agreement has not yet been reached.
Last year, MLB asked for the plate ump to wear a mike at the allstar game, but there wasn’t enough time to do it.
The umpires are in the middle of their five-year labour deal and any change would involve negotiations, plus a comfort level on both sides that the system would be efficient, accurate and easy.
So no way to say for sure if fans at ballparks across the majors will become familiar with the voices of veteran crew chiefs — be it country singer Joe West, ordained minister Ted Barrett or Dale Scott, once a top 40 AM radio disc jockey.
“It probably would be nice to get a little more explanation,” Marlins reliever Brad Ziegler said. “They’re supposed to say the call stands or the call’s confirmed. ‘The call stands’ means you can’t tell. A lot of times we don’t get that … they just signal out or safe.”
In the NFL, the phrase “upon further review” has long been part of the lexicon. The NHL for some time has miked up officials to explain coach’s challenges, based on what the central replay booth tells them.
MLB has tried to speed up reviews this year, aiming for the umpires in the New York replay booth to relay the final calls to the field in under two minutes.
“It’ll take more time,” Boston pitcher David Price said. “It’s not going to make them any shorter.”
As for making the system more informative and entertaining? “Yeah, until they have a problem with the umpire’s mike,” Price said.