MLB replay begins slow stroll toward postseason

John Gibbons has a pretty standard rule for deciding when to discuss a bang-bang call with an umpire.

“We try to go out there anytime it’s close,” the Toronto manager says.

Same way across the majors: There have been more than 1,000 reviews so far in this new era of expanded replay – nearly half resulting in a reversal.

Now get ready for an even longer postseason parade of that slow dance, where the skipper strolls onto the field, twirls around the ump and waits for the go-or-no sign from the dugout.

Makes sense, too. Good idea to check most every tag and trap, especially when a single missed call could mean the difference between winning the World Series and an early exit.

“I think there are times that you have to challenge regardless of whether you think it will get overturned or not, depending at the importance at the time, where you are in the game,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said.

And perhaps there might be something else to consider come October.

The rule on those pesky plays at home, generating plenty of disputes over whether the catcher did or didn’t block the plate, could get tweaked again.

“They might do something before the playoffs. I think the catching thing at home plate,” Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said.

That would be fine with Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon.

“It’s a fluid situation, there is nothing locked in. Having said that, I think whatever is locked in at the time should be abided by. Then if anything is to be amended, then do that,” he said.

“I think in a perverse way, it would be a good thing before the playoffs begin. It will probably benefit baseball,” the noted freethinker said.

For the record, commissioner Bud Selig said there aren’t any replay adjustments planned prior to the postseason.

“No, we will do that in offseason,” he said. “Yeah, there are some tweaks and some things we need to do, but I am very happy.”

All along, Major League Baseball said it would take a few years to get the system just right. At this point, everyone is still learning, now that most everything except balls and strikes can be reviewed.

With concern about slow games being dragged out, reviews averaged 1 minute, 49 seconds.