By Brendan Gleason

Mark, you unfair, Lance Armstrong loving, Derek Jeter “homerun” grabbing, Tuck Rule agreeing cheater. Some instant replay isn’t good enough. There needs to be more. There needs to be most. Whatever it takes to get the call correct.

AJ Pierzynski’s trot to first base after striking out against the Angels in the 2005 ALCS should’ve been all for not if replay had determined that the catcher never dropped the ball. Derek Jeter getting hit on the hand last year in a game at Tropicana Field should’ve been called a foul ball after they took a look at the replay and determined Jeter to be showing off his thespian side. When umpire Tim McClelland forgot the rules in the Angels-Yankees 2009 ALCS and said Cano was safe at third and Posada was out, even though they were both clearly out, he said, “[The replay] showed that Cano was off the bag when he was tagged. I did not see that for whatever reason… I’m just out there trying to do my job and do it the best I can.”

Not trying to take away from the umpires doing their job, just trying to make their jobs less accident prone. Some companies have signs up at their workplaces that say, “23 days without an accident” (23 was an arbitrary number, obviously…fill in the blank any way you wish). If Major League Baseball had this sign, it would never get past 1 day (the day after the all-star game when there are no games scheduled usually has no accidents).

When companies find ways to improve productivity and improve the finish product, they jump on the chance. Why is Selig’s Bunch so slow to use this tool put in place to help them. Selig would’ve been the guy who voted against the backboard and opening the bottom of the net when basketball was looking to change the rules. He would’ve voted against cars getting GPS put in them. He would’ve voted against companies using websites to promote their business.

Imagine all the things that help businesses run smoothly. Now I want you to imagine all of those things being taken away because of one person. Now I want you to imagine that little girl is white. (every time people imagine things, I think they should end it with a McCounaghey-ism)

I get it, the game is slow. It takes a long time. I don’t think each ball and strike should be replayed, but certainly the check swings. We have a camera that runs perpendicular to the batter, and yet we still call on the umpire 90 feet away to determine whether the hitter broke his wrist. Use the technology you have baseball. The balls are better. You use them. The bats are better. You use them. The gloves, the spikes, the helmets…all better and all used. The cameras are better…use them.

The season is slow and takes a long time. But at the end of the season, only 8 teams get to make the playoffs. Shouldn’t the calls be right so that you get the actual best teams making it to October(now November)? Without making things right, Ben Johnson would still have a gold medal. Without making things right, Bernie Mac’s character would’ve ended his career with 2998 hits and Mr. 3000 would’ve ceased to exist. Without making things right, every episode of an 80s sitcom would’ve ended with no morals or lessons and our generation would’ve grown up thinking we could throw a party when parents were away or book 2 dates for the same night or do drugs at a party, all without consequence. Make things right, Major League Baseball. If for no other reason, than to teach this generation that making things right is the best way to be.