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The call at second base in last night's game was simply horrendous. A classic example of an ump making a call based on a guess, not what he actually saw. A bad call, like the one last night, has the undisputed potential to cost a team a run or two, if not more. As we saw with the White Sox-Angels and the "dropped" third strike, bad calls can swing a game and a series. although the Sox won the next three, if the Angels win game 2, the series is still only 3-2 White Sox and the Angels are still in it.
Based on these two calls I'm changing my position on instant replay. I say it needs to be used in the playoffs, and perhaps the regular season. The stakes are too big and it damages the credibility of the game to have a series affected by a blown call. I know that bad calls are a part of the game's lore and they make some games and series more memorable than they otherwise would be and I appreciate that. The '85 Denkinger call is the best example. To me it damages the game when I watch the world series and know that the Astros needed a little help to get to the World Series and to beat a team that was better than they were all year. They supposedly pick the best umps to work in the playoffs. why not pick the best ump there is, the camera.
