WASHINGTON (AP) - Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox wouldn't mind seeing instant replay used in baseball - but only on tough-to-call home runs, such as the one that was taken away from Brian Jordan in a loss to the Washington Nationals.
"I think they should get it right. I really do," Cox said before Tuesday's game at Washington.
On Monday, with Atlanta trailing 2-1 in the seventh, Jordan hit a ball toward the left-field corner. Nationals outfielder Marlon Byrd leaped from foul into fair territory in pursuit of the ball, which dropped over the wall, just beyond his glove.
Third-base umpire Jerry Layne ruled it a home run. Nationals manager Frank Robinson came out to argue, and crew chief Ed Montague, who was umpiring at second base, said he thought the ball was foul and changed the call. Washington wound up winning 3-2.
"I don't want replays in baseball, but on home runs like that, I think there should be, because they're constantly screwed up. It's a tough call for umpires," Cox said.
He added that he wouldn't want to see replay used for "plays on the bases or catches or anything like that."
Replays of Jordan's shot showed the ball hit the black base of the foul pole - something Robinson acknowledged that he saw on TV at home after the game Monday night.
"So what do you want me to do? Go back and tell them to take it back? No," Robinson said. "It happens in sports."
He agreed with Cox that umpires could use TV replays to determine whether a potential homer was actually fair or foul.
"I wouldn't like to see it all the time in games," Robinson said. "That would be one of the few things. I wouldn't have any problem with it."
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig repeatedly has said he doesn't want to add instant replay. In November, major league general managers split 15-15 in a straw poll on whether to keep exploring a replay system, effectively scuttling the idea.
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"I think they should get it right. I really do," Cox said before Tuesday's game at Washington.
On Monday, with Atlanta trailing 2-1 in the seventh, Jordan hit a ball toward the left-field corner. Nationals outfielder Marlon Byrd leaped from foul into fair territory in pursuit of the ball, which dropped over the wall, just beyond his glove.
Third-base umpire Jerry Layne ruled it a home run. Nationals manager Frank Robinson came out to argue, and crew chief Ed Montague, who was umpiring at second base, said he thought the ball was foul and changed the call. Washington wound up winning 3-2.
"I don't want replays in baseball, but on home runs like that, I think there should be, because they're constantly screwed up. It's a tough call for umpires," Cox said.
He added that he wouldn't want to see replay used for "plays on the bases or catches or anything like that."
Replays of Jordan's shot showed the ball hit the black base of the foul pole - something Robinson acknowledged that he saw on TV at home after the game Monday night.
"So what do you want me to do? Go back and tell them to take it back? No," Robinson said. "It happens in sports."
He agreed with Cox that umpires could use TV replays to determine whether a potential homer was actually fair or foul.
"I wouldn't like to see it all the time in games," Robinson said. "That would be one of the few things. I wouldn't have any problem with it."
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig repeatedly has said he doesn't want to add instant replay. In November, major league general managers split 15-15 in a straw poll on whether to keep exploring a replay system, effectively scuttling the idea.
Fox Sports
