Major League Baseball can take its replay and dump it in a landfill as far as Red Sox manager John Farrell is concerned. He’s already lost faith in the system.
Farrell became the first manager ejected for arguing a replay decision after a Francisco Cervelli out-call was reversed at first base in the bottom of the fourth Sunday night, allowing Brian McCann to score what turned out to be the winning run in the Yankees’ 3-2 victory over the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
“We felt that it was clear that the replay was inconclusive and [the double play should have been upheld],’’ Farrell said. “The frustrating part is when this was rolled out and explained to us, particularly on the throw received by the first baseman, we were instructed that when the ball enters the glove, not that it has to hit the back of the glove, is where the out is deemed complete.
“At the same time, any angle that we looked at, you couldn’t tell if the foot was on the bag behind Mike Napoli’s leg, so how this became conclusive is a hard pill to swallow and on the heels of [Saturday] it’s hard to have any faith in the system.’’
On Saturday in a 7-4 Boston loss, the Yankees’ Dean Anna was called safe at second, even though he lost contact with the bag and was tagged out. Somehow, MLB did not have that conclusive evidence and later admitted the call was blown.
As for Sunday night’s call, Farrell was screaming with first base umpire Bob Davidson before getting ejected.
“I argued the point that it was inconclusive,’’ Farrell said. “I know arguing a challenge play is not allowed, evident by spending most of the game inside [the clubhouse]. But … it’s extremely difficult to have any faith in the system, the process that’s being used.’’
What tweaks would Farrell recommend to the replay system?
The manager offered up a disgusted laugh and said, “I don’t know but as much as they are trying to help the human element inside this system, it seems like it has added the human element at a different level.’’
More human element, more issues. Pandora’s Box has been opened.
“When you are talking about something as substantial as replay being brought into the game, there is going to be a learning curve and everyone becoming familiar with it,’’ Farrell said. “You would think the video replay would be conclusive or there’s plays where there is not conclusive, which is tonight, and unfortunately, we’re on the wrong side of it both times.
“At the time you don’t think that additional run is going to be the difference. It turns out that it is, unfortunately we come up on the wrong side of it.’’