If there ever was a perfect example of why they need instant replay in baseball, it was Carlos Delgado's home run against the Yankees Sunday night.
Delgado dropped a ball off of the top of the left field wall that caromed off the foul pole for what was clearly a three-run home run. Clearly, that is, on ESPN's instant replay.
But it was ultimately ruled foul.
Had the home run counted, it would have given the slumping Mets a 6-0 lead over the Yankees. Instead, the fourth-inning ended 4-0. Not to mention what the homer would have done for Delgado's confidence.
And, of course, the next inning, Hideki Matsui hits a two-run homer to make it 4-2 against the consistently inconsistent Oliver Perez. It should have been 6-2.
Now, you can't even blame the left-field umpire. He ruled it fair. But he was overruled by the three other umps (all with a worse angle I might add).
But, if Chien-Ming Wang is throwing a 90 mile-per-hour pitch, how fast is Delgado sending the ball back out? How is a human umpire supposed to judge if the ball hit three-quarters of an inch on either side of the foul line?
And, if he does make the correct call, like that umpire did, how is he supposed to stay sure of himself when the rest of the crew is against him?
We have the technology of instant replay. Let's use it.
I propose you add one umpire, in the press box or somewhere when he can have instant access to instant replay. Only plays that would lead to immediate runs could be reviewed, like fair or foul homers and RBI hits, or bang-bang plays at the plate.
And, no coach challenges. Reviews can only take place when the ump in the box calls for a review or an ump on the field asks for it. Last night, those four umps looked like four guys standing outside a movie theater trying to decide what to see. They definitely would have asked for it.
What could be the harm?
The argument against it, that it would slow the game down, holds no water with me, because when you settle in to watch a baseball game, you're settling in for a while. What's the difference between a four hour game and a four hour, 12 minute game?
Wouldn't you rather the umps get it right?
Then there's Joe Morgan's reasoning during the broadcast last night: "I don't think instant replay would work, because I don't think you should use it at this point in the game."
Well, I guess I never looked at it that way.