PHILADELPHIA — After having two apparent home runs taken from them already this season, the Mets applauded baseball???s decision to institute limited instant replay starting this week. ???I won???t be kicked out anymore,??? said a laughing Jerry Manuel, who was ejected as the Mets??? bench coach in May for arguing that Carlos Delgado was robbed of a homer at Yankee Stadium.
Replay limited strictly to home-run calls will begin Thursday with three series, then expand to all teams the next day. The Mets??? first taste of it will come Friday, when they open a three-game series in Florida with the Marlins.
???I???m definitely in favor it,??? Manuel said. ???The [new] ballparks have made it such that it???s difficult to identify what???s a home run or not. A home run is a big swing in a game, and if you can identify that and get that right, I think that???s only fair.???
David Wright agreed, saying replay is long overdue.
???I???m excited about it,??? he said. ???Talk to anybody and they???ll tell you the bottom line is getting the call right. The umpires have a tough job, and this can only help them with that job.???