Baseball to study expanded replay

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) — Expanded instant replay is on the agenda for today’s first meeting of Major League Baseball’s newly formed committee of managers and longtime executives.

The 14-man committee also will discuss expanding the first-round of the playoffs to best of seven and ways to eliminate lengthy breaks during the postseason.

As owners and general managers met at a mountainside resort on Wednesday, commissioner Bud Selig said he will raise the replay issue.

“I’ll probably bring that up,” Selig said.

Following a series of blown calls by umpires during the playoffs, many said baseball should expand video review, which began in 2008 and is limited to whether potential home runs are fair and whether balls go over the fence.

Selig wouldn’t predict where the replay discussion might lead.

“What I want tomorrow, I want them to discuss everything,” Selig said. “I really want to hear from them. I’ve encouraged this group to be very blunt, talk about anything they want.”

The “special committee for on-field matters” includes managers Tony La Russa, Jim Leyland, Joe Torre and Mike Scioscia.

Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, who is black, is the only minority on the panel.

The committee includes Baltimore president for baseball operations Andy MacPhail, Cleveland general manager Mark Shapiro, Atlanta president John Schuerholz and former Minnesota GM Terry Ryan.

There are four owner representatives: Toronto president Paul Beeston, Philadelphia president Dave Montgomery, Seattle president Chuck Armstrong and St. Louis chairman Bill DeWitt. Political columnist George Will also is on the panel.

Scioscia was livid with the number of off days during the last postseason, and Selig has promised to re-examine the format, which added four extra off-days starting in 2007 at the behest of the sport’s broadcast networks.

New union head Michael Weiner said last month players may propose during the next round of bargaining in 2011 to expand the first round of the playoffs from best-of-five.

“The problem is, everybody wants to talk about going into November, but then they want to add on to the schedule,” Selig said. “You always have to think about postponements and travel.

“Look, I didn’t say we couldn’t do better,” Selig said. “I do have some ideas. Yes, there are days we can eliminate, and should.”

Selig spent 2 hours meeting with general managers on Wednesday. Selig declined to divulge the topics of discussion but said it was a constructive session, and he wants to have more frequent meetings with GMs.