Williams meets with MLB to discuss instant replay

VIERA, Fla. -- Nationals manager Matt Williams, general manager Mike Rizzo and members of the staff traveled to Kissimmee, Fla., on Friday to gain a better understanding of the new instant-replay rules.

Teams including the Tigers, Astros and Braves were also at the meeting with MLB executive vice president Joe Torre and special consultant Tony La Russa. The meeting lasted 2 1/2 hours. Williams said he was pleased by what was said, but will not have a full grasp on extended instant replay until the changes are in place in the next week or so.

The new rules go into effect when the spring season starts. If a manager has a problem with a call, he is encouraged to go to the crew chief.

"Depending on the situation, timing is going to be important -- when you can or can't challenge, what that timing is," Williams said. "We learned what plays are challengeable, what aren't. They are still defining that as we speak. But they gave us an indication what would be, what wouldn't be and how to go about doing it, because nobody has ever done it."