MLB Is Adding Manager Challenges To Its Replay System

Major League Baseball has announced that the players' and umpires' unions have approved a substantial expansion of the league's current replay system. In short, baseball is getting an NFL-style challenge system, because it's deeply important to always get the call right unless the manager has already disputed a play that was right, in which case it's okay for the call to be wrong.

Here's the full breakdown, from an MLB press release:

Managers will have at least one challenge to use. If any portion of a challenged play is overturned, then the manager who challenged the play will retain the ability to challenge one more play during the game. No manager may challenge more than two plays in a game. Once the manager has exhausted his ability to challenge plays during the game and after the beginning of the seventh inning, the Crew Chief may choose to invoke instant replay on any reviewable call. Home run and other boundary calls will remain reviewable under the procedures in place last season.A designated communication location near home plate will be established at all 30 MLB ballparks. There, the Crew Chief and at least one other Major League Umpire will have access to a hard-wired headset connected to the Replay Command Center, which will remain at MLB Advanced Media headquarters in New York. Major League Umpires will be staffed as Replay Officials at the Replay Command Center. After viewing video feeds, the Replay Official will make the ultimate determination of whether to overturn the call, based on the continuing standard of whether there is clear and convincing evidence

Oh man, please let there be challenge flags. I really want the chance to laugh at an MLB manager as he stands on the top step of the dugout, a challenge flag dangling from his hand and a painfully confused look growing on his face.