Of the four major sports in this country, it is widely accepted baseball is the one officiated the best. That doesn't mean the sport won't experience times when the umpires' judgement has been brought into question. That was certainly what happened when several incorrect rulings on home run calls occurred during a five-day stretch two weeks ago.

It was an embarrassing week for the umpires, no doubt about it. As a result, public opinion on whether baseball should use instant replay has never been louder. The advocates for replay, however, have not thought this through thoroughly enough.

Baseball at the major league level has been played for more than 100 years and the game has not seen the need to implement any kind of replay system. In recent years, other professional leagues like the NFL have brought in replay to assist the officials.

Even though replay might be able to aid the umpires on a tough home run call, if baseball ever decides to go that route (the Arizona Fall League might start experimenting with it in November) it will be a huge mistake.

What we are hearing right now is replay would be used to determine home runs only. Here's the danger. Once you start using replay, even on a limited basis, there will be great temptation to expand its use at another point in the future. What about close plays at home plate? Did the outfielder make a diving catch or did he trap it? Or even worse, we better check that 3-2 pitch to see if it was a strike.

In Game 1 of the 1998 World Series, San Diego's Mark Langston faced Tino Martinez of the Yankees with two out and the bases loaded in crucial spot. The count was 2-2 and Langston threw a perfect strike, which froze Martinez. Only the umpire Rich Garcia, incredibly, failed to call Strike 3. Langston, undoubtedly rattled to some extent, delivered the next pitch and it was hit for a grand slam.

That kind of missed call, and it was egregious, was just as bad as an umpire incorrectly calling a home run a ground-rule double. But baseball, obviously, should in no way ever use replay for balls and strikes.

Yes, it disturbs fans when bad calls happen. With the technology available today the cry is even greater to bring replay into baseball. But at what cost? What you wind up doing is hurting the game more.

Sure, the umpires blew a bunch of home run calls recently. OK, get together and solve the problem. The most obvious solution is to add two umpires to use along the foul lines in the outfield (which it does in the postseason and All-Star Game). That is entirely workable.

Baseball is unique for having the human element in its officiating. It would be wise to keep it that way.

— Keith Kropp is a copy editor for The Star. E-mail address: kkropp@VenturaCountyStar.com.