Replay vs. No Replay

Evening Sausages,

I don't want to beat a dead horse but I just can't help writing what seems to be on every one's minds as the MLB postseason is in full swing. Will a blown call affect the outcome of a game or worse, a series? The playoffs are a day old and already there is drama.

Exhibit 1: Last night during the Yankees/Twins Game 1 Greg Golson the Yankees RF appeared the catch a sinking liner by Delmon Young. The ump ruled otherwise which brought Jim Thome to plate as the potential tying run. We've all seen this old dude who is at least 50 hit many a clutch playoff homerun and when the incorrect ruling was made on the field I felt the same thing was going to occur. Luckily for the Yankees, the call did not come back to bite them.

Exhibit 2: Michael Young's check swing (see above). If called correctly, it would have been out #2. Instead, Young hits a 3-run homer later in the at-bat. The tide of the game changed with one blown call and one swing. That put Texas up 5 and they coasted to a 6-0 win (their second in 2 days) vs. Tampa. It serves to be noted that an entire series can change on one umpires call.

So I pose the question to you Sausages...should instant replay be expanded before a series becomes determined by one or a series of controversial calls? Backers of instant replay seek enhanced accuracy and the minimization of human error. Opponents cite an unproven process and the fact that games would take a lot longer. But we all can agree that some form of action must be taken because human error in high profile games is becoming excruciatingly glaring.

I know human error is part of the game and we aren't perfect but let's not have the wrong call be the deciding call in a game or series.

- KA