Torre: Forget about expanded replay in MLB

Controversial play in Game 3 of World Series doesn't make officials budge

Tim Sharp / Reuters

Matt Holliday was called safe on this play in Game 3 on Saturday, despite the tag of Mike Napoli.

OPINION

By Tony DeMarco

NBCSports.com contributor

updated 6:55 p.m. ET Oct. 23, 2011

Tony DeMarco

ARLINGTON, Texas -

Joe Torre heard the flood of criticism regarding the blown call at first base on Matt Holliday in the fourth inning of Game 3. And he has a message for those clamoring for more instant replay:

"I'd say drop it,'' said Torre, who oversees the umpires in his new role as special assistant to commissioner Bud Selig.

Torre then softened his stance, but only slightly ? and nowhere near enough to think any major change is coming in the near future.

"But I don't want people to think that we're stubborn about this,'' Torre said. "It doesn't mean we're not going to listen, not going to watch and make adjustments as we feel fit.

"Our game doesn't stop. For replays to show, you have to stop the game. You have a pitcher standing on the mound; you have a hitter. And to me, wholesale replay, I think is going to disrupt the flow of the game.

"That's just my opinion. Am I old-school? Yeah, I am old-school, but I'm not ignoring the new technology that's available to us.''

Torre also said there has been improvement as far umpires conferring more often on questionable calls. And when a questioner made the point that replays often can solve an issue in the time it takes the manager to come out and argue, Torre called it "certainly legitimate."

"But they're not all clear-cut,'' he said. "Again, it's still not going to keep the manager from arguing, or the player from arguing before you go to replay.''

One thing Torre was very quick to dismiss was a question asked by a pool reporter sent to the umpire's after Game 3 about Kulpa being a St. Louis citizen.

"That question hinted of questioning somebody's integrity,'' Torre said. "That was so far over the line.''

"If you go 48 hours earlier, he made a tough call at second base and got it right on calling Ian Kinsler safe (on a ninth-inning stolen-base attempt).''

? 2011 NBC Sports.com? Reprints

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45008926/ns/sports-baseball/

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