08/26/2008 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that it will enact instant replay for home run calls this week, becoming the last of the four major North American sports leagues to do so.
The use of replay will begin in series' that start on Thursday and after. Like the NHL and NBA, replay will only be used in specific circumstances -- to decide if a home run cleared the fence, in fair/foul calls on homers, or to decide if there was fan interference.
"I believe that the extraordinary technology that we now have merits the use of instant replay on a very limited basis," said MLB commissioner Bud Selig. "The system we have in place will ensure that the proper call is made on home run balls and will not cause a significant delay to the game."
The replay will debut on Thursday in Chicago, where the Cubs host the Philadelphia Phillies, in Anaheim, where the Los Angeles Angels host the Texas Rangers, and in Oakland, where the Athletics host the Minnesota Twins. Replay will begin everywhere else starting on Friday.
Technicians will be paired with either umpire supervisors or former umpires at Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLB.com) headquarters in New York, where they will view television broadcast feeds from all games. A television monitor and a telephone line to MLB.com, placed next to the monitor, have been installed at every Major League ballpark.
If the crew chief elects to use replay, he will call the MLB.com technician, who will control the video feed to the monitor at the ballpark. The decision to reverse a call will be up to the crew chief. There must be "clear and convincing evidence" to change a decision made on the field.
Players and coaches will not be permitted to argue the results of an instant replay decision. Should a home run call be reversed, decisions regarding the placement of runners will be made by the crew chief, who will place the runners where he believes they would have been had the call been made properly.
MLB's general managers voted 25-5 last November to ask the league about exploring the possibility of using instant replay on a limited basis. Almost 10 months later, after working out agreements with the unions for players and umpires, the league is ready to go to replay.
Replay will remain in effect throughout the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, which ends in 2011, unless either the umpires or players union objects.
"We are pleased that we were able to reach this agreement," said players union chief Donald Fehr. "Following the World Series, the players will review the matter, and then determine what course to take for the future. While the use of instant replay is an experiment, we hope that over the balance of this season it will prove to be a success."
Selig reiterated in a conference call on Tuesday that replay will not expand.
"My opposition to unlimited instant replay is still very much in play. I really think that the game has prospered for well over a century now by doing things the way we did it," said Selig.
"But when you look at the technology we now have, and the new ballparks, and even some of the old ballparks that have been reconfigured, there's no question that it was a challenge to the umpires ... Like anything else in life there are times when you need to make an adjustment,"
MLB is the last major professional sports league in North America to go to replay, which debuted in the NFL in 1986. The NFL, which dropped replay in 1992 only to bring it back in 1999, is still the only league to use replay for a wide variety of calls, and the only one to allow coaches to decide when a play is reviewed.
The NHL began using video replay in the 1991-92 season to check goals and, like MLB, the NHL uses a central location -- in Toronto -- to control review video feeds. The NBA has used replay to check last-second shots since the 2002-03 season, and last season began using video in situations involving fights or flagrant fouls.
<< Skip Holtz, ECU agree to extension
Greenville, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - East Carolina and head coach Skip Holtz
have agreed to tentative terms that would keep him with the team through 2013.
Specific details of the contract cannot be released until final approval by
the
<< Marlins activate Waechter from DL
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Marlins activated pitcher Doug
Waechter from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday.
Waechter was put on the shelf on August 11 with inflammation in his rotator
cuff.
In 39 games this season
<< Nationals' Kearns headed back to DL
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Nationals placed
right fielder Austin Kearns on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday for the
second time this season. Kearns has a stress fracture in his left foot.
Kearns mis
<< Bears part ways with Manning
Lake Forest, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bears terminated the
contract of veteran cornerback Ricky Manning, Jr. on Tuesday.
Manning came to the Bears in 2006 as a free agent and in 31 games, he has
posted 106 tackles,
Panthers sign WR Parker >>
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Carolina Panthers signed wide receiver
Samie Parker on Tuesday.
Parker, who was signed by Denver as an unrestricted free agent on April 15 and
released on Monday, spent the first four seasons of hi
Report: Strahan to stay retired >>
East Rutherford, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former New York Giants defensive end
Michael Strahan will reportedly remain retired, turning down an offer to come
back and play for the Super Bowl champions.
According to a report on FoxSports.c
Cadillac in the shop; Bucs place RB Williams on PUP list >>
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers placed oft-injured
running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams on the physically unable to perform
list, assuring he will be out of action for the regular season's first six
weeks.
Boston places Drew on DL, among other moves >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox made a slew of roster moves
as the club placed right fielder J.D. Drew on the 15-day disabled list with a
lower back strain and activated pitcher Tim Wakefield from the 15-day disabled
list to
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers SPORTS TRASH TALK
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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