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Paul Hagen: Mets' latest replay home run anything but conclusive
THE VIEW from this shaded patio, iced lemonade firmly in hand, has consistently been in favor of using instant replay to arbitrate disputed home-run calls. The most important thing is to get it right, etc.
Out in the real world, matters tend to be a little more complex. The latest reminder came Wednesday night at Citi Field in New York.
With the score tied in the bottom of the sixth, Mets first baseman Daniel Murphy hit a long drive to right that appeared to hit the warning track and then bounced against the wall. Adam Dunn retrieved the ball and threw the runner, Gary Sheffield, out at the plate.
Except that at the Mets' new park, there's an 8-foot overhang in right fronted by a yellow advertising sign. The umpires spent 5 minutes reviewing various replays and concluded that the ball had hit the sign on the way down, and awarded Murphy a two-run homer.
Crew chief Larry Vanover conceded that the ball had "disappeared" into the light background, but added that the umpires could nevertheless see that it changed direction. "That's how we made the call," he said.
Nationals manager Manny Acta made two valid points.
The first is that it seems unlikely that the ball would hit the sign coming down and then bounce back toward the fence after it hit the warning track. It's the baseball version of the Magic Bullet Theory.
The other is that the original call is supposed to be overturned only if there is conclusive evidence that a mistake has been made. If the video evidence is unclear, the original call is supposed to stand.
"Something has to be done because this was supposed to help make the right call, help the umpires," he said. "It's supposed to be a clear-cut home run. If it is so inconclusive ... then the call shouldn't be changed."
Acta was especially aggrieved because, 2 nights earlier, Sheffield was awarded a homer on a ball hit to left even though some replays suggested that a fan had reached below the yellow line and touched it.
For what it's worth, 12 home runs have been reviewed this year. Five of the calls have involved the Mets, four in the last week. And all were resolved in New York's favor.
Those who were worried that replay would take the human element out of the game can relax. It hasn't.
The hot corner
* The Houston Chronicle reported that during a team meeting, one veteran Astro begged his teammates to stop criticizing manager Cecil Cooper to the media.
* Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak hints that he's beginning to wonder if third baseman Troy Glaus will play at all this year. If not, he probably will consider options including Cleveland's Mark DeRosa and Colorado's Garrett Atkins.
Around the bases
* Twins catcher Joe Mauer has 11 homers and 32 RBI in May. Previously, Mauer had never homered more than five times in a month and his season high is 13, in 2006.
* Carl Pavano, ridiculed as the American Idle during his injury-marred time with the Yankees, is 5-1 with a 3.58 ERA in his last six starts for the Indians.
