CHICAGO — Baseball general managers meeting here failed to take a vote yesterday on expanding instant replay following a postseason filled with blown calls by umpires.
MLB began video review in August 2008, but only to determine whether potential home runs were fair or foul or cleared fences.
“We talked about the mechanics behind instant replay,” said Jimmie Lee Solomon, executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner’s office. “We talked about the structure. We talked about where it’s housed, the umpires’ procedure. But it was all confined to the current instant-replay system that we have.”
Commissioner Bud Selig opposes widening the use of video review.
“I know there are some who have talked off line about the expansion of instant replay,” Solomon said. “Right now, the commissioner doesn’t see any reason to consider it.”
The GMs also heard a report from umpiring vice president Mike Port on training, evaluation and structure.
“I think Commissioner Selig is going to look at the entire umpiring structure and he’s going to seek ways to enhance the entire structure,” Solomon said.
Other topics touched on during the GMs’ initial 4½-hour meeting were restructuring the Arizona Fall League to include younger players and modifying the amateur draft to reflect the previous year’s postseason performance.
Solomon said there was no discussion on pace of the game, a topic that came to the forefront during the World Series after numerous visits to the mound by Yankees catcher Jorge Posada.
Video review by umpires is in its infancy.
“There are those who clamor for more and more instant replay. I think we need to digest what we’ve got,” Solomon said.