11/22/14

Replay

Major League Baseball expanded replay prior to the 2014 season. I feel that it has helped fix the game, but the system is still flawed. I was at a Pirate game against the Chicago Cubs in September. Cubs outfielder Arismendy Alcantara attempted to steal. He was called "safe". Clint Hurdle challenged the call, but the call stood and Alcantara was safe. When umpires are looking over a play, the fans are also showed the same thing as the umpires. The replay clearly showed that Alcanatara was tagged just prior to touching second base. In May, the Pirates were playing a game against the Cincinnati Reds when pitcher Alfredo Simon came to the plate with bases loaded. Simon hit a ground ball back to the pitchers mound. Pirates pitcher Edinson Volquez threw home and Russell Martin touched home plate to get the out. Reds' manager Brian Price went out to challenge the call, as he felt that Devin Mesoraco was interfered with when he was sliding home. The umpires went to replay and overturned the call. This was incorrect because Mesoraco was out because of a force play. Replay failure does not only happen in baseball. The system is flawed in football as well. When the Steelers played against the New York Jets, the Jets appeared to fumble the ball and Steelers' defensive end Cam Heyward recovered the ball. The refs determined that there was no fumble on the play and the Jets punted the ball. On the punt return, Steelers' wide receiver Antonio Brown fumbled the ball and the Jets took over possession. In hockey, there is too little replay. In Game 1 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Penguins and Flyers, Flyers' forward Daniel Briere scored a goal to cut the Pens' lead to 3-1. The problem? Briere was offsides. There are too many calls that are incorrect with all sports, but I feel that professional sports leagues need to fix their replay systems. In Major League Baseball, the system is helping to a point, but it still needs a lot of work. What is your opinion on replay in professional sports?