It’s getting increasingly hard to tell what to make of Major League Baseball’s replay system.
At this point, the outcome feels like a coin toss. The original call on the field will stand unless there is clear and indisputable evidence to overturn it.
Like it or not, that’s what the replay system has become.
The Philadelphia Phillies were the latest team to receive the short end of the replay stick. In the top of the third inning of Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers, manager Rob Thomson challenged a call when Trea Turner was caught stealing second base.
Upon further review, there seemed to be no justification for that call on the field to stand. Phillies play-by-play voice Tom McCarthy of NBC Sports Philadelphia said as much.
“There is nothing in these replays that we’ve shown you that would give you any indication that he tagged (Turner), except for the fact that the umpire called him out,” he said.
“It’s a perfect slide to the outside side of the bag,” said Ben Davis.
After the umpires took what McCarthy lamented as a “long time,” the crew chief relayed that the replay booth in New York determined that the call on the field stood. Notably, it wasn’t confirmed, meaning they didn’t feel they had enough evidence in either direction to confirm the call or overturn it, and in turn, just stuck with the call on the field.
McCarthy and Davis were displeased, as you can hear an audible “WHAT?!?!?” from both the play-by-play announcer and analyst.
WHAT?!?!?!?!?! 🤯
Trea Turner is called out after being “tagged” trying to steal second base. pic.twitter.com/0t69iYeags
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 18, 2024
“That is unbelievable,” Davis chimed in. “What on Earth did they see that we didn’t see? How’s that even possible?”
“I can’t remember the last time something this bad — and blatant — took place on replay,” added McCarthy. “What on Earth? Holy cow.”
As the replay system continues to falter in delivering the clarity it promised, moments like these only add to the growing frustration of players, managers, fans, and announcers alike.
Isn’t the replay system designed to correct mistakes, not perpetuate them?
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.