Former umpire Don Denkinger supports it:

Denkinger is living a quiet, peaceful retirement these days, playing golf in the Arizona sun. But just like any former major league umpire, he still follows the game. And as one, in particular, whose career was defined by a bad call - the one that changed the 1985 World Series - Denkinger has an unwavering opinion about instant replay: Its time has come.

"I'm in favor of getting all the calls correct, whatever it takes," he said by telephone Wednesday. "I don't see how [commissioner Bud Selig] can get away with not [introducing instant replay]. It makes no sense not to. There's nothing better than getting every call right."

What is it going to take to get wider use of instant replay? The technology is there. My motto on the subject is 'the Right Call is paramount.' Here's the system I propose:

An umpire sits up in the press box or umpire's room. When there's a close play (out/safe, fair/foul) that the crew chief feels deserves a review, he calls to the 'press box ump.' And if that ump can't definitively tell if the call was wrong (viewing video replays) within 60 seconds, the call on the field stands.

This is better than giving reviews to managers like in football because they could use them to manipulate the game, e.g. a pitcher is cruising and the opposing manager wants to get him off his rhythm so he decides to challenge a play just to disrupt him.

Poll

Should MLB widen the use of video review?

73%

Yes

235 votes

21%

No

70 votes

4%

Don't know

14 votes

319 votes | Poll has closed

A quick reminder about the comments, gang.

I know everyone is upset about last night's loss, and mystified by Joe Girardi's bullpen management. Me, too.

But, please, if your sole purpose for commenting is to drop an 'F bomb' or go off on an obscenity-filled tirade, don't bother. I have deleted a bunch of those already this morning, and will continue to do so.

If you are going to comment, add something of value to the discussion. You guys should know what the Community Guidelines are. That kind of garbage doesn't cut it.

Now we all know Mo is better than Paps, but you'd sometimes hear Boston fans praise Papelbon's spotless postseason ERA. After blowing up in yesterday's season-ending loss to Anaheim, his ERA jumped to 1.00, which is now higher than Rivera's miniscule .74 ERA.

Papelbon is still an excellent closer, but have we seen the last of him in a Boston uniform? He always says the wrong thing, will reach free agency in two years, has declined the past couple seasons, and a guy who seems at least as good (Daniel Bard) is waiting in the wings.

I didn't want to take away from the series-clinching win last night, so today seems apropos to rub it into those (formerly) trash-talking Red Sox fans (I'm thinking mainly of my cousin).

What a lovely WPA graph:

That's how the Boston media (or at least the Boston Herald) still think of their cute, cuddly, underdog Red Sox. Take a look at some of the phrases they use to describe the big, bad Yankees in a recent article:

"...baseball's answer to the Roman Empire."

"Cashman... lashed out with a fury financed by the game's deepest vault. He signed Sabathia and Burnett for the gross national product of a Third World country, and then lobbied Hal Steinbrenner to spend another $180 million to keep Teixeira out of Fenway Park."

"Cashman... applied a human touch to his lifeless machine." [italics my own]

Those scrappy, overachieving Red Sox can only hope to compete, what with their measly $122 million payroll (fourth highest). And how much emotion they show compared to the corporate Yankees, who never show emotion, right Nick Swisher?

Continue reading this post »

I have to digress this afternoon to tell you about something very cool. The gurus here have launched a brand-new SBNation.com Web site, and you have to check it out.

The folks who run this place did an amazing job building a site that very well could be your first stop every morning (other than PA, of course) when you are looking for up-to-the-minute sports news from all over the Inter-Google. ESPN? Forget'em!

So, tear yourself away from PA for a few minutes and check it out. My guess is you'll love it. Just remember to come back here when you're done.

Feel free to discuss anything you wish with no game tonight.

There's the Sox-Sox matchup, the Mets finding new and nearly unprecedented ways to lose, will Boston fans be rooting for the Yanks in the next series(?), and there's always the Joba Rules...

PS: First-round centerfielder Slade Heathcott made his pro debut with a 1-3. J.R. Muprhy continues to rake in the early going (2-4 today), bringing his four-game line to .400/.471/.467.

From Ty Kepner -

The pitcher with the highest strikeout rate in the American League is 5 feet 11 inches and goes by the nickname Forrest Gump in the Yankees' bullpen, where he is not the hardest thrower.

Among pitchers with 30 innings in the majors this season, Robertson led all American Leaguers with 13.11 strikeouts per nine innings entering Tuesday's games.

"He hides the ball well, No. 1, and No. 2, he's got late movement," Manager Joe Girardi said before Robertson struck out two more batters in his inning of work during the Yankees' 7-2 win against Oakland on Tuesday night. "It's got a little late cut to it. You talk about those pitchers where the ball seems to get on the hitters quickly, and that's what Robby has."

If Robertson can cut his walk rate (which currently stands at 5/9 ip), he'll be a dominant reliever.

Thanks to CYC.