MLB released its official Replay Review Regulations for instant replay in its expanded form for 2014.
In crafting the regulations, Major League Baseball stopped short of calling "Replay Review" an actual rule, deferring to a more formal model than the 2008 directive and bulletin issued by Commissioner Bud Selig in regards to that season's introduction of limited instant replay for home run-related boundary calls.
What follows is a summary of the Major League Baseball Replay Review Regulations, parsed and organized for UEFL'ers and fans of the game (Or if you are legally inclined and/or
UmpAtty,
read the raw text here):
I. Overview
MLB defines video instant replay review in the Overview, declaring its mission "to provide timely review of certain disputed calls in all Championship Season, All-Star and PostSeason games played in the 30 Major League ballparks (and, beginning in 2015, in any ballpark at which a Major League Championship Season game is played"—Sydney Cricket Ground, MLB's looking at you). The overview states such replay review may be used to reverse or confirm an umpire's on-field call. Elastic Clause power for the Replay Review Regulations is defined and rests with the Commissioner's Office.
II. Challenging and Reviewing Calls Pursuant to Replay Review (
MLB error - no section # given)
The Manager shall be responsible for invoking challenges where applicable while the umpiring Crew Chief is responsible for determining whether a Manager Challenge has been properly and timely made. The Crew Chief is also empowered to initiate his own review, where appropriate and allowed.
B. Manager Challenges (MLB error - Regulations omit subsection "A")
Each team receives one Manager Challenge to start each game. Using this challenge, the Manager may:
> Challenge as many reviewable calls within a single play as he desires using the one challenge;
> If the Replay Official does not overturn any calls challenged, the team loses its challenge ability;
> If the Replay Official overturns any of the calls challenged, the team receives one additional challenge;
> After this second challenge is exhausted, the team/Manager no longer has the ability to challenge.
The Manager is the only person on the team authorized to initiate Replay Review via challenge or inquiry, unless he cannot due to: injury, illness, ejection or any other "legitimate reason."
To invoke a Manager Challenge, the Manager shall approach the Umpire who made the call(s) up for review or the Crew Chief
if the call was made after crew conference. Requests are made verbally.
If the Umpire prompts the Manager (e.g., "would you like to challenge?"), the Manager must respond immediately that he intends to challenge. If he fails to do so, he loses the right to challenge that play.
C. Crew Chief Reviews
Crew Chiefs shall be empowered, in his sole discretion, to initiate Replay Reviews at any time for:
> Potential home run calls (as in the 2008-2013 grandfathered limited replay clause);
> Questions of collisions at home plate rule violations, as in OBR Experimental Rule 7.13.
Crew Chiefs may conduct Replay Reviews in the 7th inning or later (
since changed to the 8th inning) upon his own initiative if a team is out of challenges or upon the request of a Manager, but only if this Manager has no remaining Manager Challenges. The Crew Chief may also refuse to honor the Manager's request. The Crew Chief is not permitted to initiate Replay Review if the requesting Manager has a Manager Challenge remaining (team must be out of challenges).
D. Timing of Manager Challenges and Crew Chief Reviews
