Armando Galarraga‘s imperfect game stands out as the ideal example of a player that was robbed of an incredible accomplishment due to human error. Bringing the instant replay aspect into the game would certainly clear up many missed calls, and it could change the outcome of close games.
It’s a debate that roars on in MLB today. Other leagues use instant replay extensively, and the implementation takes a certain amount of pressure off high-speed situations. That’s not to say that referees can afford to be lazy, but it’s crucial to catch those hockey shots that skim off the inner post, or the tiptoes that stay in bounds when catching a football. The NFL and NHL benefit from its usage, why not MLB?
The argument against instant replay is just as strong as the argument for it. Bringing instant replay into baseball would elongate what is already a very long game. Fans today have a shorter attention span than those of the past, and bringing instant replay into the nine-inning game could result in some long nights.
Baseball traditionalists don’t want to alter the imperfections of the game, arguing that the real aspect of baseball is what makes it the national pastime. To err is human, and as long as the calls go both ways, some analysts are OK with the occasional missed call.
MLB has already implemented instant replay to determine questionable home runs, but should they expand it throughout the game?
