Instant replay used for first time IN YANKEES - RAYS GAME!

09/03/2008 10:34 PM ET
Instant replay used for first time
Umpires take second look at A-Rod's homer in ninth inning
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com

ST. PETERSBURG -- History was made at Tropicana Field on Wednesday night, when instant replay was used for the first time in Major League history. The play in question was a home run hit by Alex Rodriguez in the ninth inning of the Rays-Yankees contest.

Rodriguez hit a 2-2 pitch from Rays closer Troy Percival toward the foul pole in left field for what appeared to be a two-run homer. Rays manager Joe Maddon thought otherwise, and he went onto the field to meet with the umpires. After some discussion, the umpires left the field to review the monitor in the third-base dugout.

Approximately two minutes and 15 seconds later, a ruling was made by the umpiring crew headed by Charlie Reliford that the call would stand and Rodriguez had his 549th career home run.

All televised MLB games are monitored and staffed by an expert technician and either an umpire supervisor or a former umpire at Major League Baseball Advanced Media headquarters in New York. A television monitor and a secure telephone link to MLBAM, placed next to the monitor, have been installed at all 30 ballparks.

If the crew chief determines that instant replay review is necessary on a particular disputed home run, he calls the MLB Advanced Media technician, who then transmits the most appropriate video footage to the crew chief and the umpire crew on site. The umpire supervisor or former umpire does not have direct communication with any of the umpires on site, and the decision to reverse a call is at the sole discretion of the crew chief. The standard used by the crew chief when reviewing a play is whether there is clear and convincing evidence that the umpire's decision on the field was incorrect and should be reversed. The use of replay is limited only to home runs: in or out, fair or foul and fan interference.

Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Too bad they still got the call wrong

Instant Replay sucks!

You are right cat, i was watching the non zoomed repaly and I saw that it was foul.