On August 28, 2008, Major League Baseball instituted an instant replay system in games to help decide some home runs calls. There are only three situations in which the replay can be used: (1) Was the potential homer fair or foul? (2) Did a fan interfere with a potential homer? (3) Did a potential homer go over the fence?
It is up to the crew chief to decide whether or not to use the replay system. A team cannot request or demand that it be used. Once the replay has been viewed and the umpires make their decision, no appeals are allowed and teams are not allowed to argue the call.
This system was put in place because of a series of calls in a 10-day period earlier that season which drew a lot of attention.
Here are the plays that have been changed due to instant replay.
2008
9/19 Twins @ Rays
In the bottom of the fourth, Carlos Pena hit a ball to right center that a fan tried to catch, but did not and the ball was ruled in play.
After a review by crew chief Gerry Davis, the call was changed to a home run.
It was just the third use of replay in history.
This play did not involve the catwalks suspended above the field, which are covered by ground rules and not
subject to reviews by replay.
9/26 Dodgers @ Giants
In the bottom of the sixth, Bengie Molina's fly ball hit a few feet to the left of the 'Splash Hits' sign in right field at AT&T Park. Molina held at first while Pablo Sandoval ran from first to third. Giants manager Bruce Bochy had told Emmanuel Burriss to run for Molina if he got on base, so Burriss immediately popped out of the dugout and replaced Molina. Then Omar Vizquel said he thought the ball hit the green metal awning along the right field wall, which is a home run. Bochy saw a baseball with green paint on it and went out to the field to show it to the umpires. He asked them to discuss the play. Crew chief Tim Welke decided to use the replay system and reversed the call from ball in play to home run. However, he would not allow the Giants to put Molina back in to run out his homer, saying that once the player is in the game the substitution cannot be reversed. Bochy protested the game, which became moot because the Giants won the contest. Molina was given credit for a home run and two RBI but no run scored, while Burriss ran out the homer and was given credit for the run scored. When Burriss returned to the dugout, Molina greeted him by saying 'Good Swing!' The total delay was 12 minutes.
2009
5/13 Cardinals @ Pirates
In the bottom of the first, Adam LaRoche hit a ball to right that hit either a railing or a screen above the 21-foot wall. Both objects are in play but first base umpire Lance Barksdale ruled it a home run. LaRoche had stopped at second but continued on to score. After crew chief Randy Marsh and two other members of the crew watched the replay, Marsh reversed the call from homer to “in play” and awarded LaRoche a double. This was the first homer that was reviewed and reversed.
5/13 Marlins @ Brewers
About two and a half hours after the LeRoche review, Ross Gload of the Marlins hit a ball in the top of the sixth in Milwaukee into the right field corner. The ball cleared the 8-foot wall and was ruled a homer by first base umpire Bruce Dreckman. The Brewers complained about the call. Crew chief Gary Darling took about two minutes to watch the replay and reversed the call from homer to foul.
05/23 Mets @ Red Sox
Mets catcher Omir Santos hit the ball to the top of the LF wall at Fenway Park and it was called in play by 3B umpire Paul Nauert. The umpires watch the replay and crew chief Joe West reversed the call to a home run. The hit came off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon and turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 victory for the Mets.
5/27 Nationals @ Mets
For the second time in the series and fourth time in five days for the Mets, a replay was used. With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Daniel Murphy of the Mets hit a fly ball that struck a yellow advertising sign on the façade of the second deck. Nationals’ RF Adam Dunn picked up the ball on the warning track and started a relay that threw out Gary Sheffield at the plate. However, acting crew chief Larry Vanover (in the absence of chief Charlie Reliford) watched a replay and reversed the call to a home run. There was a four-minute delay for the replay.
6/6 Rangers @ Red Sox
Mike Lowell hit a fly ball down the LF line in the bottom of second inning that hit just over the wall off the facing of the first row of Monster Seats. The ball was ruled in play by 3B umpire (and acting crew chief) Jeff Kellogg. After, a discussion with 3B coach DeMarlo Hale and manager Terry Francona, Kellogg watched the replay and reversed the call to a home run.
6/9 Mariners @ Orioles
Endy Chavez jumped in an attempt to catch Melvin Mora's fly at the wall in LF in the bottom of the first inning. A fan touched the ball and the play was ruled a home run. The Mariners objected to the call, so crew chief Gary Cederstrom watched the replay. The call was reversed from a home run to an out because the fan interfered with Chavez's chance to catch the ball.
6/19 Brewers @ Tigers
In the bottom of the third inning, Miguel Cabrera's hit went over the top of the fence, hit the roof of the bullpen dugout and came back on the field. It was ruled in play but the Tigers argued the call so crew chief Dale Scott looked at the replay and overturned the call to a home run.
6/19 Brewers @ Tigers
For the first time, two calls were reviewed in the same game. Dusty Ryan's line drive down the LF line in the bottom of the fourth was ruled a home run. Brewers manager Ken Macha objected to the call, so crew chief Dale Scott watched the replay and reversed the call to in play, awarding Ryan a double.
Replay instances without the call being changed
2008
2009
Use of Replay in the Wrong Situation
On June 25, 2009, the Phillies were playing in St. Petersburg against the Rays. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Pat Burrell came to the plate with a runner on first and two outs. He hit a fly ball which bounced into the left-centerfield seats. Crew chief Gary Cederstrom watched a replay to determine if there was fan interference as the ball was leaving the field. After a 1:36 delay, he said that the ball went into the seats cleanly and sent Carl Crawford, who had scored on the play, back to third. MLB Vice President Mike Port told Cederstrom the next day that he was not allowed to use replay in that circumstance.