NEW YORK – Baseball owners and players were close to finalizing an agreement on instant replay, and an announcement on the start of the innovation likely will be announced next week.

Management and the umpires' union signed an agreement Wednesday, leaving a deal with players as the next step. That process was just about wrapped up, two people familiar with the talks said Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.

In addition, equipment must be installed in about five more ballparks before baseball can start using replays, a third person said Friday, also on condition of anonymity.

Umpires will be allowed to check video to determine boundary calls on home runs – whether balls cleared fences or went by the foul pole in fair territory.

Players and managers have been almost uniform in their support of replay, saying everything should be done to ensure that correct calls are made. Commissioner Bud Selig, a replay opponent in the past, has softened his stance this year.

Video from all ballparks will be fed to the office of Major League Baseball Advanced Media in New York, and supervisors will work with technicians to provide feeds for umpires at ballpark. The crew chief will determine whether replays should be checked, and all but one umpire at each game will be allowed to leave the field to watch the video. The crew chief will decide calls.