Replay on all close calls not likely
Texas Rangers' Mike Napoli reacts after umpire Ron Kulpa called St. Louis Cardinals' Matt Holliday safe at first during the fourth inning of Game 3. (Oct. 22, 2011) Credit: AP
ARLINGTON, Texas -- It has become as much of a baseball tradition as the World Series itself: discussing the merits of instant replay.
The latest spark was a flat-out wrong call by first-base umpire Ron Kulpa during Saturday night's Game 3, a ruling that proved very significant as the Cardinals proceeded to pound the Rangers, 16-7, at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Kulpa ruled Matt Holliday safe on a fourth-inning tag play at first; replays showed that Texas first baseman Mike Napoli made the tag in time. It gave St. Louis a runner on first and one out instead of two outs and no one on, and the Cardinals proceeded to score four runs.
"You know, we brought in instant replay for the home run," Texas manager Ron Washington said Sunday before Game 4. "I think, in the World Series, for plays like [the one on Saturday], maybe we can find a way to get the play right."
Don't count on that happening anytime soon. Baseball's powers remain steadfast that replay will not be expanded dramatically.
"I haven't heard from anyone in baseball on the call, and I won't," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Sunday. "We'll continue to review it. That'll certainly be a topic of rather intense discussion."
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