By now everyone knows what happened last night in Detroit so I'm not going to rehash the details.  I just hope that this is the final straw that wakes up MLB to the fact that it needs instant replay. Yes, it needs replay.

I'm not talking about unlimited replay.  Or challenges to balls and strikes.  Take what we have now with home runs and expand it to the bases and for diving plays in the outfield.  Use the NFL model where the coach gets one or two challenges per game.  It makes no sense to ignore the technilogical capacity that we currently have in the name of game speed or tradition.

Those concerned that the game is already long enough are wrong to think replay would significantly lengthen the game.  Give the ump 90 seconds to look at the replay.  Figure 60 seconds to walk back and forth.  Two challanges per game for each team.  That is ten minutes.  Ten minutes if each team uses both in a game.  Is it that big a deal if a three hour ten minute game becomes three hours and twenty minutes if it means everyone is happy with the calls?

Those concerned with tradition please come join us in the 21st century.  There is little at all in today's game that resembles any kind of MLB that Babe Ruth knew.  For instance, the teams fly around on chartered jets.  There are six divisions and three rounds of playoffs.  And I think most would agree that today's players are a bit more fit than those of the early 20th century.

So come on, MLB.  Join your major sport bretheren and lets get instant replay in baseball.  Not just because you can.  Because when the entire viewing audience and those in the clubhouse can see a replay then the umprires should too.  I would think they would welcome the chance not to end up in a situation like Jim Joyce found himself last night.  Lets just get it right.

On another note, it has to be mentioned that both Armando Galarragga and Jim Joyce handled that situation about as well as anyone could possibly hope.  It was actually quite amazing.  Kudos to both for showing that there is still a lot of class in pro sports, even though we sometimes seem to forget.  If everyone who screwed up or got screwed handled it that well then the world would me a much better place.

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