Video Game
This truly has been All-Star week in professional baseball, not just because of the big major league show at Yankee Stadium but also because of the various minor league versions outlined here on the blog.
Yet it's next week's independent American Association All-Star Game that may be the most crucial of the summer — yes, even trumping Tuesday's big bopper in New York in terms of significance. The St. Paul Saints are hosting the event at Midway Stadium and, earlier this year, Twin Cities-based Best Buy approached the team about implementing a system that allows umpires to dial up video replay close calls with the touch of a button.
The setup will allow the crew chief to carry a mobile phone in his pocket equipped with streaming video and TiVo. It will allow him to pause, fast forward and rewind the play on the phone's video screen. Best Buy is also slated to put technical advisers on hand to troubleshoot malfunctions.
Remember, Major League Baseball has held firm discussions about using instant replay on home run calls real soon in the relative future. It's unreasonable to think MLB officials won't be keeping an eye on the American Association's clever hitch to next week's All-Star Game, which will be played Tuesday.