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But He Was Out - Why Baseball Needs Replay
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Last night's playoff game to see who would go to the playoffs was really great.
But bro was out at home.
Therefore the outcome of the game is a sham.
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Colorado and San Diego played 162 games and they had to play an extra game last night to settle their tie. The game went into 13 innings. Totally exciting, totally awesome, a classic game. But when Brian Giles threw home to Michael Barrett, Barrett dropped the ball but he blocked the plate. Matt Holliday slid headfirst into Barrett - not the plate. Barrett went after the ball, tagged Holiday but the home plate umpire called the Rockie safe, falsely.
How can people run around calling it a great game if the ending was completely wrong?
Sure it's great that San Diego got the short end of the stick, but how can we deny Barry Bonds any love because he's a fraud, but celebrate that fraudulent game last night?
With all due respect to my cohort Jimmy, whose writing I appreciate and whose takes I usually agree with, last night's game was amazing, indeed, amazingly disappointing.
Baseball pretends that it's above needing Instant Replay - claiming that the "human element" is a vital part of the game. But when they say that they ignore all the new technology that players ingest in their bodies, use in analyzing opponents, and utilize every day.
The most human element of baseball happened last night: a ball was hit to the outfield which led to a play at the plate.
If an umpire has been working behind the plate for 13 innings and misses that play, people who stubbornly defend "the way things have always been" are missing the point - the calls need to be right.
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The fact that San Diego as a community seems to be accepting their fate, or the odd fact that the Padres haven't put the game under protest should be ignored. Like that wretched city.
The Chicago Cubs are about to enter the playoffs. If they lose in the World Series because of a missed call that would have been reversed if baseball had Instant Replay - the reaction will not be the collective yawn coming from our lame neighbors to the south. Nor should it be.
AP photo by Jack Dempsey
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