Will instant replay hurt baseball?

[2535Miles]

According to the article:

For now, video will be used only on so-called "boundary calls," such as determining whether fly balls went over the fence, whether potential home runs were fair or foul and whether there was fan interference on potential home runs.

- http://sports.excite.com/news/08262008/v9005.html

[weezie]

As long as it remains with the boundary calls, I think the game will stay the same. Umpires make a fair amount of plate and field out mistakes though...maybe we'll be seeing touch sensitive bags in the future.

When is MLB going to stop with the studies and surveys and make a real call on the breaking bats though? Stop screwing around!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Using it for home runs only - fair or foul, over the fence or off it - I think it's a good thing. When they start using it to correct umpires' calls for safe or out, games that now take 3+ hours will take 4+ hours. And the "neighborhood play" at second base (on double play turns) will have to disappear.

I don't want to see umpteen replays of when or whether a tag was made or not, like we see in football on "when did the knee touch down" or "did the ball hit the ground during the catch". Let the umps make the calls.

[Indoor66]

I personally oppose replays in any sport. In golf you have what is called a "rub of the green." That is what I call questioned calls in sports. Let the ref's make the calls. Errors will occur, that is part of the game - the humanity of the games - a rub of the green.

I no longer watch football because of the excessive time required because of all the delays in the game. Baseball is a leisurely several hours that does not need to be extended by replays.

Basketball is getting ridiculous. Remember when a game started at 7:30 and by 9:00 or 9:10 you were heading home? Now it is 2 hours + per game. Is the game better for all the angst over 1 or 2 seconds? How many teams come back from 3 possessions down with 28 seconds left? Too many time outs, too many clock stoppages.

It is, IMHO, out of hand.