I’m a semi-regular at the Metrodome for Minnesota Twins games. At a game earlier this week, I noticed that replays had been shown on the jumbotron for a number of very close plays in the field. I have heard anecdotally over a number of years that this practice is supposedly not allowed, owing to an agreement between MLB and the umpires. I do not know whether such an agreement actually exists, but it has been my experience over many years of going to baseball games at many different parks, that video replays of close plays are not shown on the stadium’s jumbotron.
So does this supposed agreement actually exist? If so, what are the possible ramifications for stadiums violating it? The replays I saw at the game earlier this week seemed to vindicate the umpires’ calls in each case. If they had not, might the umpiring crew have taken some kind of action during the game?