Cameras Ruining Baseball

The Atlantic argues the game is more boring than ever since introducing cameras to umpire the umpires.

To all these technological advances in monitoring games -- I say they all suck. Instant replay, cameras counting balls and strikes, the line measuring in tennis, the computer monitoring goal scoring in soccer. Screw them all.

We forget fundamentals: these are GAMES. They are supposed to be FUN! Not precise. They aren't legal arguments. I'd read Supreme Court opinions if I wanted precision and do calculus problems if I wanted everything to fit together elegantly. I want the messy, the stupid, the bad calls, the Billy Martins kicking dirt, the John McEnroes freaking out on the line judges, the Jeremy Giambi not sliding. For crissakes, these nerds are ruining the world one step at a time. One day, we'll just have computer simulations instead of sports leagues all together if the nerds get their wishes. Think I'm wrong? Try getting a copy of the original Star Wars. It doesn't exist. Why? Because George Lucas couldn't help but tinker with what was awesome and nerdify it up. Try reading a Bill Barnwell column on Grantland without falling asleep. This stuff isn't writing -- writing is David Halberstam giving insight into the personalities of players, coaches, trainers, the guys behind the scenes. This impulse for "perfection" is wrong and should be fought every step of the way.