Deja View

I like the human element of baseball. For example, I hate that Questec or whatever it's called computer shit that grades umps on balls and strikes. Figuring out every ump's strike zone on a daily basis has been a part of the game for 100 years. There's a lulling rhythm to such a thing. Also, I'm of the mind that such over-the-shoulder questioning of every pitch would somehow make umps WORSE. Fuck that; if we have computers and lasers and Darth Vader calling balls and strikes with 100% accuracy why have umps at all? One or the other, for fuck's sake.

However, I absolutely think that MLB should allow instant replay for questionable home run calls. (Yes, of COURSE this has EVERYTHING to do with my Yankee boyfriend losing a homer to this. So Yankee haters save your stupid comments.) The unfortunate thing is umps will bristle at the mention of replay cause it makes them look as if they need it cause they're not doing their jobs well. But to me, this is different - it's not blowing a call cause you had a brain fart, or momentarily forgot a rule etc etc etc. I think you can be the best ump in the world, and if you're standing 100+ feet away you're looking for a tiny white ball in sometimes bad lighting against a fence and a post and clothing on fans of many different colors, you just may not be able to see where a ball lands. I don't think that makes you a bad ump; I think it's okay for you to say "gee, I couldn't see that at all, can we look on it on tape?" This to me is different than, say, blowing a call at home plate you're right on top of. That, you just blew, you're an idiot, tough shit, you deserve whatever shellacking you get. But if there's a problem because you literally cannot see what happens such as a home run, that's different. To me.

And of course the ump then has to stand there and live with a call he's just half guessed at while there's 14 jumbotrons around the stadium letting the fans see up close what happened, so now the poor guy can get booed at and shelled with plastic beer cups by 50,000 people. It's like having a wide-screen with George Clooney making sweet love to some lady on the ceiling of the bedroom while you're flop-sweating away on top of your woman: it's not fair. Camon MLB - FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, get something right!!!