MLB to mic’ up umpires so they can explain reviewed calls
- Thread starter soxhop411
- Start date
It's a necessary addition to an inherently flawed process that will do little to reduce the confusion over why calls that look like they should be overturned aren't because the play doesn't meet the absurd NFL-esque "clear and irrefutable" evidence to overturn. IMO, umps use their judgement in real time and the same judgement standard should be applied to when plays are reviewed i.e. in the reviewing umpire's opinion does the replay show that the foot hit the bag before the ball arrived. The clear and irrefutable standard is far too conservative to fix the issues that replay is meant to fix- when umps get the call wrong in real time.
Seriously, when I saw the OP my first thought was "why is this at all necessary"? Probably something like 95% of replays are for obvious reasons - safe/out, fair/foul, did the ball hit the batter, etc. And for the remaining 5%, I actually think broadcast crews and their teams are pretty good at deciphering more complicated rulings, and most people in the ballpark can just look up what people are saying on Twitter or whatever if there is legitimate confusion about why a call went a certain way.
Not that I think this is a terrible thing, just seems to be another example of MLB addressing a "problem" that doesn't really exist.
Using a microphone is hard. Football Referees work very hard on their microphone work, and being good on a microphone is probably more important to moving up to higher levels than getting calls right. There will probably be a serious learning curve here.
Can you expand upon this? Communicating the call clearly in short snippets? The logistics of turning the mic on and off? Not speaking too closely? Not saying something stupid on a live mic?
As someone watching the refs weekly make it seem quite easy, I am curious.
MLB umps don't have a monitor in front of them to even see why a call is being overturned - so I'm confused why this is necessary. Aren't they just connecting with the MLB replay room and going off of what those guys determine.
You want to effectively communicate to fans and coaches what you have, but not provide so much detail as to muddy the water. Obviously I'm talking about an unusual play or something that's not canned. A normal foul would just be a canned announcement: "False start, Offense # 74, 5 yard penalty, 2nd down". For better or worse, fans and coaches will base their opinion of your credibility based on how smooth you operate on the microphone. This is difficult when you realize that 99% of the time the referee never actually sees the play, and is having everything described to him secondhand by another official who did see it.
Here's a example of a strange situation with an announcement that makes the crew look good:
View: https://youtu.be/WBfCCDAFZk8?t=3546
Here's a ....not as good example.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vctpSLt-Xfo
Now imagine an umpire having to get on the microphone and explain the Trea Turner interference call on a live mic.
I was really hoping this would include the clip of the ref announcing the penalty for "giving him the business."
