Are you kidding me?

The number one story of the baseball playoffs was not about any team or player, it was the umpires. In nearly every single game of the divisional and league champions series (and even in the World Series)there was at least one very "questionable" call. You probably saw about a dozen of them. Is there a solution? You bet there is!

The NFL has had some issues of its own. I remember on Thanksgiving when the umpire messed up a coin flip. Last year an ump blew a huge call against the Chargers that almost kept them out of the playoffs (week 2 vs. Broncos). And you know what? The league is doing something about it. Instant replay began what, 5 years or so ago? Every year they tweak it a little more as it is needed. Just about all umpire controversy has left. And it has vastly improved the game.

In baseball two years ago they finally agreed to institute instant replay, in a ridiculously narrow scope: only on home run calls. In the World Series, it actually worked for that; ARod hit a shot that was changed from double to home run after a second look. But what about the Mauer shot off Melky's glove that bounced in fair territory and was called foul, or Swisher's slide into second that was called safe, or that crazy run-down double tag against the Angels, or the handful of bad calls in the Red Sox series? Yes, there have always been bad calls but this postseason the frequency and degree has been unprecedented. Yet the available technology has never been better.

Yet yesterday, baseball's general managers decided that it is not a problem.

I know there are some who have talked off line about the expansion of instant replay,” said Jimmie Lee Solomon, executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner’s office. “Right now, the commissioner doesn’t see any reason to consider it.” “link

Doesn't see any reason to consider it? How about the dozen of blown calls in the most important games of the season? Come on MLB, wake up! We are in 2009, not 1909. There is a dozen cameras at every game. Sitting at home we can confirm ten seconds after a horrible call has been made. We see the play from different angles and speeds. Why rely on human beings' memory of a bang-bang play viewed from one angle that may have been obstructed? We have the technology, go ahead and use it! It would also avoid almost every coach blow-up fiasco.

There are two argument against the use of replay. 1) It will slow the pace of the game. 2) How far do we go with it?

First, why is the only major sport that doesn't use a clock the only one concerned with time? Replay timeouts are not the culprit. Ever watch a game? Warm-up pitches, stepping out of the box, throws to first, bluffs to second, coaches arguing with the ump, catcher and/or coaching visits to the mound, pitching changes; there are a million breaks in action during a baseball game that have practically no impact on the outcome of a game. Secondly, how long would it take to get it right? Push a button or make a phone call to another umpire in a booth, sees one replay and confirms: "yeah, that was clearly a fair ball," and play resumes. Max of 20 seconds, which is about the same amount of time as between pitches. Instead, they stick with their initial decision and we talk about that bone-head play for a week. Getting the call right should be baseball's number one priority, not saving one minute of game time. Hey, even in tennis, players are granted a certain number of challenges that take 5 seconds to confirm, and then the controversy is over. Expanded replay would have a very minimal effect on the speed of the game and a dramatic improvement to the integrity.

As for the other problem, I don't see why we can't have wide expansion, much wider. My dad's opinion is get rid of the human element completely and have everything electronic. While I don't go that far, I think there is plenty of room for video replay. Keep balls ands strikes up to the home-plate umpire as it is. Fair or foul, plays at first, missing the base, plays at home, catch or trap, foul tip or swing-and-miss, hit-by-pitch, home runs, they should all be reviewable; maybe even check-swing calls. Get the calls right! Let's be fair! Limiting the availability to home run plays is like an M&Ms factory only producing yellow M&Ms.

How is it to be done? Like I said earlier, it can be done with an umpire in a central office monitoring all games or one on-site. Coach throws a red flag onto the field; that seems to work in football all right. Wait a few seconds for the call to be confirmed, then announce the decision. Or, the booth ump can initiate a challenge. If it's better, the field chief can go visit a booth like in football. After September 1, coaches are allowed one challenge per game. In the playoffs, two challenges are allowed. In the World Series, a booth ump can initiate any challenge since it is the only game on and the most important one to get right. It really doesn't matter, just that the opportunity is there to be right.

I admit that a little progress has been made. In the World Series, I saw umpires deliberating together for a call for the first time. That alone could have saved Tim McClelland a lot of embarrassment. Also, the home run call in the World Series was corrected and it may have changed the whole outcome of the series. But with all the resources available, give the umpires some support by taking them off the hook by expanding replay onto the field. After all, millions of people at home get the same luxury.