Johnny Damon's Catch: Where Was the Replay?

Major League Baseball instituted a new rule allowing the umpires to watch instant replays of controversial home run calls last season. I’m wondering if that rule has carried over into 2009.

Last season, Alex Rodriguez hit a home run that looked like it was easily fair at the time, but the umpires took an extra five minutes to check it out.

Last night, Johnny Damon nearly caught a ball at the wall that ended up being a two-run home run, that put the Yankees out of reach. It was unclear if the ball was interfered with or not, but that didn’t matter to the umpires who decided to ignore Damon, as he pleaded with them to take a look at the replay.

“I thought I had it,” Damon said. “I don’t know what happened. I was definitely interfered with but the umpires ruled the ball was in the seats. It seems like that was a place for instant replay, no?”

Obviously, the umpires didn’t think so, and that’s a shame.

It seems to me that at this point, MLB needs to change the rules regarding instant replays. What’s the point in leaving the decision of whether or not to look at a replay up to the umpires if they are not going to review such a close play at a pivotal moment of the game?

Instead, MLB should take after the NFL. Managers should be able to decide when they want the umpires to look at plays. The MLB should also install some kind of minor penalty if the call is not overturned.

I’m not certain Damon was or wasn’t interfered with last night, but the umpires need to make sure. Otherwise, what’s the point of the replay?