Video Review Expands To Placing Runners On Fan Interference

RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Major League Baseball is making a slight expansion of instant replay this year, allowing video reviews to assist umpires in placing baserunners when balls go out of play.

Joe Torre, MLB's chief baseball officer, called the changes "a couple of little tweaks."

Under the new regulations, video review can be used on overthrows into the seats and on fan interference.

"We're going to make that reviewable for the purpose of placing runners," he said Thursday after the owners' meeting.

Torre said there will not be any change to video review to account for more runners being called out on slides when they pop up off a base as fielders keep tags on them.

"If a picture shows you that he's got his glove on him and he is off the base, you can't ignore that," he said.

Management and the players' association are still discussing a possible rules change that would better protect infielders at second base from onrushing baserunners. Debate was sparked when the Dodgers' Chase Utley broke a leg of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada during the NL playoffs last October.

"They have the same things in mind that we do, so it's just a matter of trying to figure it out," Torre said. "That fact that we're talking, I think you're hopeful."