Instant replay procedures being tested in Arizona Fall League

This could be interesting, if only to see how it might work next season. Here’s the announcement from Major League Baseball.

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New review procedures for expanded instant replay will be game-tested during play at the Arizona Fall League (AFL) in five games that will be televised live on MLB Network from Tuesday, November 5th through Saturday, November 9th, Major League Baseball announced today.

AFL Umpires will be assigned to the games, which will be observed by select MLB officials and Major League Umpires. Plays in AFL games will be called and challenged under the protocols of the newly designed instant replay plan that is now under consideration.

Major League Baseball is currently studying the expansion of instant replay for 2014, with the efforts led by Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz, MLB Executive Vice President Joe Torre and Special Assistant to the Commissioner Tony La Russa. Once a recommendation on the new system for instant replay has been finalized, it will be subject to the approval of the Major League Clubs and the agreement of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and the World Umpires Association (WUA).

“The opportunity to test our ideas under game conditions with future Major Leaguers will be an important next step,” Schuerholz said. “We look forward to examining new perspectives generated by play on the field and learning what modifications might prove beneficial before our committee issues our formal recommendation later this off-season.”

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