Unconfirmed: MLB won't expand instant replay in 2012

According to a source, MLB will not expand instant replay in 2012. It is unknown whether the umpires' union or playing rules committee (or some other MLB entity) rejected the proposal, but if this rumor is confirmed as accurate, it will be the first update regarding the expanded replay proposal since late 2011, when the players and owners ratified their newest labor contract with expanded replay on the docket. At the time, the deal was still pending umpire approval.

Baseball's Instant Replay "Box"

As I wrote in December (MLB News: Proposed Labor Deal Includes Expanded Instant Replay), the new CBA indicated a desire to expand instant replay to include Fair/Foul, Catch/No Catch (Catch/Trap) and Stadium-wide Spectator Interference calls (the present model only allows for instant replay when the spectator interference occurs in fair territory where it might interfere with a home run).

According to the UEFL's August 2011 poll, 36 percent of UEFL'ers were in support of Fair/Foul replay, 30 percent supported Catch/No Catch and 68 percent supported spectator interference.

At the time of this post's publishing, no other sources have confirmed nor denied this anonymous account; as such, this is being posted under the heading of Unconfirmed Rumor. This is the first we at the UEFL have heard regarding possible instant replay expansion since 2011 and it is the first we have heard regarding MLB potentially not expanding replay after all.