Major League Baseball reversed its long-standing opposition to video replay and will allow umpires to review home run calls in games that start tomorrow.

The start date comes nearly 10 months after MLB club general managers voted 25-5 to use the technology, and following MLB agreements with the unions for umpires and for players.

"I believe that the extraordinary technology that we now have merits the use of instant replay on a very limited basis," MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said.

"The system we have in place will ensure that the proper call is made on home run balls and will not cause a significant delay to the game."

Three series are scheduled to start tomorrow, with Philadelphia at the Chicago Cubs, Minnesota at Oakland and Texas at the Los Angeles Angels. For other games, replays will be available to umpires starting on Saturday.

For now, video will be used only on so-called "boundary calls," such as determining whether fly balls went over the fence, whether potential home runs were fair or foul and whether there was fan interference on potential home runs.

Selig, who opposed replay in the past, said he won't allow its use to expand to additional types of calls.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily August 28, 2008)