Say It Ain't So

MLB getting closer to rolling out replay

Major League Baseball is working out technical issues to start instant replay for boundary calls such as home runs, hoping to institute the system before the end of the season.

"We've got lots of time in August," Bob DuPuy, the sport's chief operating officer, said Wednesday as a two-day owners' meeting began. "There's plenty of August still to go."

Replay was among the topics discussed but doesn't require a vote because it is not a rule change.

"There's not any opposition to it that I've heard," DuPuy said.

Commissioner Bud Selig, once a staunch opponent, appears to be more comfortable with the use of replay. Agreements are needed with the players' association and umpires' union.

"We don't need a lot of lead-up," DuPuy said. "What we need is stuff installed, and what we need is people to make sure it's going to work, and what we need is for the umpires to understand the protocol. What we need is to make sure that everyone understands it."

No, what we really need is for the guys in charge to realize instant replay is a REALLY STUPID IDEA.

Selig should be ashamed of himself for caving.

A rash of missed boundary calls — fair or foul, over the fence or not — prompted the Selig to alter his opposition. Replays would not be used to review close plays on the bases or balls and strikes.

Oh, sure, now they say that. But once the cat's out of the bag...