YONG KIM / Staff Photographer
In the eighth, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins (left) react after Utley was called out at first base on a bang-bang double play.
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- Phils' bullpen outing a relief, if not enough
- Back in left field, Ibanez has big night
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Umpiring sparks renewed calls for instant replay
NEW YORK - Before Game 2 at Yankee Stadium, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig steadfastly defended the current use of instant replay, its limitations and why baseball should be prudent before even thinking about expanding it.
By the end of the seventh, fans at Yankee Stadium were chanting, "We want replay!"
Uh, oh. Another blown call.
Once again, the umpires were thrown into the spotlight during these tumultuous playoffs. Two controversial calls late in Game 2 marred a 3-1 victory by the Yankees.
And although Selig said MLB will review its replay policies in the off-season, there could be an even greater push for its expansion now.
"Times change, but I'm still in favor of keeping the human element as a part of it, and I'm also very concerned about pace," Selig told reporters before the game. "I think there are other ways we can make corrections. During the off-season we'll review everything.
"I've made my position clear - and, by the way, I think it's the position of most people in baseball. You have to be very careful when you tamper with a sport."
With that said, the streak of blown calls throughout the playoffs continued into the Fall Classic last night in two consecutive innings.
In the seventh, when the Yankees had runners on first and second while threatening to break the game open for good, Johnny Damon hit a sinking liner toward Ryan Howard at first. Howard stopped the ball and immediately threw wide of second, taking Jimmy Rollins off the bag.
But first base umpire Brian Gorman said Howard caught the ball on the fly. Rollins tagged Jorge Posada out and ran off the field. "I thought he caught it in the air," Phillies second baseman Chase Utley said. "The umpire thought the same."
In the next half inning, with the Phillies mounting a rally against Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, Utley hit into what looked like a 4-6-3 double play to end the eighth.
But television replays later showed that Utley may have beaten Jeter's throw to first. The ball was just outside of first baseman Mark Teixeira's glove as Utley stepped on first. But that call, even on instant replay, was not totally conclusive. And in a live, bang-bang situation, it was defendable. But not by Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. "You know what?" Manuel said. "Utley was safe."
"There's always close calls," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. "I think now there's just more camera angles. I don't think it's any different than any other year."
Gorman, the umpire who made both calls, is experienced. He is the son of a former umpire and has worked 13 postseason series. This is his second World Series. Gorman is scheduled to work home plate in tomorrow's Game 3.
On the missed call in the seventh, Gorman was standing in foul territory behind Howard when he made the call that the first baseman had made the catch on the fly. Yankees manager Joe Girardi immediately sprinted out of the dugout to argue and Posada, who thought he was safe on second, was incredulous.
In between innings, the umpires met behind the mound to discuss the call. The Yankees did not come onto the field for about a minute until Gerry Davis, the crew chief, affirmed the call of a double play and the home fans continued booing. "You have to be alert enough to always watch the umpire's call," Rollins said, "because he's going to dictate what happens next."
Contact staff writer Matt Gelb at 215-534-9030 or mgelb@phillynews.com.
