An idea to speed replay up

I am a big fan of instant replay in baseball. It is worth it to take the extra steps to make sure that calls are correct.

One of the criticisms of instant replay is that it will slow the game down.

There's one part of instant replay that is undeniably and needlessly slow: The umps all leaving the field of play to go look at the play in the clubhouse.

Unless my calendar is completely wrong, isn't this year 2011?

Between the iPhone, Droid and Slingbox, aren't there enough hand held video devices for umps to take a look at them right then and there?

No need to have the entire crew amble into the dugout and waddle out.

Have a bat boy of some member of the umpire's union (more jobs! More union dues!) run out and hand each umpire a little screen.

There can even be a sponsorship. The iPhone Replay. (More sponsorships! More money!)

They are all looking at the screens. If they need to talk to an umpire in the video booth or someone at the MLB offices, guess what? They can be put on speaker. It's a freaking PHONE!

The idea behind replay is to use the technology we have to get the calls correct and make sure players are rewarded for what they actually do.

There is no need to go into the dugout and watch it on an 18 inch Zenith and dial up on a landline.

See? We can get the call right, save time, create jobs and make money all at the same time.