Tony La Russa helped put a plan in place for MLB to use instant replay. (photo, MLB.com)
Major League Baseball made a huge step towards implementing instant replay. The proposal would give each manager three challenges per game if approved. The plan was unveiled by Commissioner Bud Selig to owners at quarterly meetings in Cooperstown, N.Y,.
The proposal was put together by a committee including Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and John Schuerholz. If approved by the players union and umpires union prior to a vote by owners, full instant replay would kick in next season.
Here’s how it would work. Almost all calls except the strike zone would be subject to review. Managers would be given three challenges per game, and one can be used in the first six innings, and the challenge would not be held against a manager if the call is upheld.
If a manager has used his challenges, the umpire crew would still look at replays for close home-run calls. Similiar to the NHL, replay officials would not be on site with the games. Instead a crew would work out of MLB’s office in New York, watching broadcast feeds and relaying their decisions to crew chiefs.
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