Mike Redmond mostly on board with replay challenges

MIAMI -- Miami Marlins manager Mike Redmond liked the idea of being able to challenge reviewable on-field calls, though MLB's new replay pitch did raise a few questions in his mind. "I definitely have some concerns, probably like anyone does about the challenges, but I'm sure those will all be answered in time," Redmond said before Friday night's homestand opener against the San Francisco Giants. "I think everyone's in favor of getting the calls right. I think the biggest question is always going to be the pace of play." Commissioner Bud Selig on Thursday said Major League Baseball planned to expand its video review process next season, giving managers the ability to challenge reviewable on-field decisions. MLB plans to give managers one challenge during the first six innings of a game, then two from the seventh inning on. Challenged calls will be reviewed and decided by a league crew in New York City. "These challenges are going to be big because it could be the outcome of a game," Redmond said. "What if you have more than one play in the first six innings go wrong? What if there's three? And you only have one challenge." Redmond said he had yet to receive anything official about MLB's "challenge" plans, but knew in spring training the league would use the 2013 season to study replay expansion. "There's a lot of times I sit here as a manager ... and I can't see the ball down the right-field line ... so if that ball's fair and (the umpire) calls it foul, then I'm going to have to rely on someone coming down and telling me, 'Hey, that ball's fair,' or 'That ball's foul,' " Redmond said. "In football, it's great because you have the headphones and (a guy in the booth) can watch 10 replays by the time the guy gets up there to snap the ball and say, 'Hey, man, you need to challenge that.' Well in baseball, it's a little different." Figuring out a system by which a manager can learn quickly whether a call should be challenged is one thing that needs to be worked out, according to Redmond. "We definitely have to figure out a way to find out -- but that's for everybody," he said. MLB owners need to vote on the proposal, with 75 percent needed for approval. The players' association and umpires also would need to agree to any changes to the current system. "I haven't heard anybody say they didn't want to get the calls right, including umpires," Redmond said. Charlie McCarthy can be reached at mac1763@bellsouth.net or on Twitter @mccarthy_chas.