Baseball's umpiring problems

[Akileese]

So, this year there have been a slew of blown calls, but now we're seeing horribly blown calls by the home plate umpire. Perfect example is tonight between the Sox and Yanks, Wang gets a 3-1 fastball that's easily 6-8 inches outside and gets the strike call. Now, this is the kind of call you expect a legitimate veteran pincher to get if A) His catcher frames it well, B) Veteran pitchers get those calls every now and then.

Biggest problem is, it wasn't framed, and Wang is NOT a veteran pitcher. I saw this a number of times this weekend. This is not just umpires giving calls to pitchers, their strike zones are becoming horribly inconsistent. This causes a number of issues because now at least for the next 1-1.5 innings, the hitters are swinging at awful pitches because they feel the strike zone is too wide. Meanwhile, the opposing pitcher only needs one pitch to not go his way and next thing you know, the flood gates opened (happened to Wakefield tonight but only for two innings, veteran pitchers tend to get less flustered by this, but for a younger guy, it could be horribly damaging to him).

Well, I watch a ton of baseball. It's my favorite sport and has been since I was a kid. This is a problem that's been emerging in every league, but I honestly feel that baseball umpire's control a game more than in any other sport. With one or two calls, they can send a team into a frenzy of poor pitches and swings. The big thing about the call tonight is, Boston was down 2-0 and it would of made it 2-1 with Ortiz coming up with the bases loaded. Instead Youkie struck out.

I don't know how this problem can be fixed, but baseball needs to do something about it. The NBA and NFL constantly reviews their officials and even fines them for poor play, maybe it's time baseball does the same.

[cdyhybrid]

MLB and the NBA need instant replay implemented. The NBA only has it for the end of the quarter, but they really should have it available at any time. It would make up for a lot of the suckitude of professional referees. And maybe the Yankees getting that call was karma for them losing a game because of the blown call at 2nd during the Mariners series.

[Akileese]

Originally Posted by cdyhybrid

MLB and the NBA need instant replay implemented. The NBA only has it for the end of the quarter, but they really should have it available at any time. It would make up for a lot of the suckitude of professional referees. And maybe the Yankees getting that call was karma for them losing a game because of the blown call at 2nd during the Mariners series.

Nah, Romero got a ball a foot outside in the 7th. It's just shitty umpiring. I mean, atleast he's being halfway consistent, but calling balls that are a foot outside of the strike zone shouldn't count as being consistent. I don't know about replay. I really think some type of booth umpire would work better as players like Jeter (who consistently duck, shrink themselves and lean in to draw balls) make it even harder for an umpire to be consistent. At the same time, I think replay would slow the game down too much. The NBA has a much bigger problems, but the players can adjust their defense to soft fouls. You can't adjust to an umpire calling random balls and strikes and that's where baseball's problem lies. That's why I think a booth official (kind of like what Hockey and Soccer have for goals) would work best. I've been thinking about this for the last hour and it's really the only way things could work.

[Duppin]

Instant replay in baseball would be a horrible, horrible idea.

Unfortunately, QuestTec (the system they've put into some parks to try to help with umpire evaluation) has no binding power over the umpires in their evaluations, and MLB failed when they tried to break the umpire's union a while back.

Inconsistent umpiring is just part of baseball and it won't be going away any time soon.

[Aegdaien]

As a Sox fan I'd agree with you on the shitty calls made my the home plate ump tonight, but to be fair Posada was safe by about a foot when he grounded to 2nd earlier in the game. Ended up being a double play instead of 1 out and 1 man on.

I believe that for the most part that bad calls will correct themselves, but it is unfortunate when a bad call influences the outcome of a game (read: not tonight's game) Also, instant replay in baseball = worst idea ever.

[Akileese]

Originally Posted by Aegdaien

As a Sox fan I'd agree with you on the shitty calls made my the home plate ump tonight, but to be fair Posada was safe by about a foot when he grounded to 2nd earlier in the game. Ended up being a double play instead of 1 out and 1 man on.

I believe that for the most part that bad calls will correct themselves, but it is unfortunate when a bad call influences the outcome of a game (read: not tonight's game) Also, instant replay in baseball = worst idea ever.

Yeah, I was just talking about in general. They also gave Romero the foot outside fastball. He was easily safe by a foot when slowed down. I'll openly admit when I saw it live on tv, I thought he was out by atleast 2 steps. Then I saw it slowed down, he was safe by probably 2 steps. I'd approve instant replays for home runs. The only irony is that they're getting most of the home runs right currently.

I'm just really glad I have the MLB package so I can watch the D-Backs play. They've got a ridiculous amount of young talent and I'm enjoying it while I can. The only problem is, they lack the necessary young pitching and they're overloaded with position players. If they can manage to pawn off some of their over-stocked position guys for a young "team controlled" (by that I mean non-arbitration or free agent eligible for at least 2-3 years) pitcher. One reason to love baseball is that the lack of a salary cap makes contracts and salary really straight forward as opposed to the NBA/NFL.

[EmpireF4i]

Originally Posted by cdyhybrid

MLB and the NBA need instant replay implemented. The NBA only has it for the end of the quarter, but they really should have it available at any time. It would make up for a lot of the suckitude of professional referees. And maybe the Yankees getting that call was karma for them losing a game because of the blown call at 2nd during the Mariners series.

Wow, a 9 inning game would last like 6 hours if they did instant replay with every pitch that was called a strike or ball and someone didnt like it. If they did that, they would have to have a pitch timer like a shot clock for every pitch thrown too and thats not going to happen.

Even when I was into baseball years ago when I was younger, bad umpiring (is that a word?) was part of the game. Every ump in the league had a different strike zone and theres not much you could do about it.

[cdyhybrid]

Originally Posted by EmpireF4i

Wow, a 9 inning game would last like 6 hours if they did instant replay with every pitch that was called a strike or ball and someone didnt like it. If they did that, they would have to have a pitch timer like a shot clock for every pitch thrown too and thats not going to happen.

Even when I was into baseball years ago when I was younger, bad umpiring (is that a word?) was part of the game. Every ump in the league had a different strike zone and theres not much you could do about it.

Not for pitching, but if they just had someone in a booth checking for obvious errors for called out/safe at the bases, like the one in the Yanks-Mariners game, it could work. I agree that the strike zone issue can't really be helped.

[Sabolin]

Pitching could easily be computerized, with no need for a human to call strikes/balls. TV stations already can show the exact location of the pitch in relation to an estimated strike zone, why not toss some regulations in and have it take over that job.

In regards to instant replay, something where each team could have 3 instant replay checks per game or something could work without prolonging the game much more and it would provide for a way to correct the obvious bad calls. If the outcome can't reliably be determined from instant replay than the call on the field stands. It could work.

[Akileese]

Originally Posted by Sabolin

Pitching could easily be computerized, with no need for a human to call strikes/balls. TV stations already can show the exact location of the pitch in relation to an estimated strike zone, why not toss some regulations in and have it take over that job.

In regards to instant replay, something where each team could have 3 instant replay checks per game or something could work without prolonging the game much more and it would provide for a way to correct the obvious bad calls. If the outcome can't reliably be determined from instant replay than the call on the field stands. It could work.

Don't even need that. Have it be like Hockey where on questionable home run/base calls, i's a booth replay. All you have to do is look at it once and you can tell whether someone is safe or out. He makes the call down to the to the field and you then find out whether he's safe or out. It's easy.

[Pharazon]

[quote=Sabolin;738993]Pitching could easily be computerized, with no need for a human to call strikes/balls. TV stations already can show the exact location of the pitch in relation to an estimated strike zone, why not toss some regulations in and have it take over that job.[quote]

They could, but umpires have always been such a big part of the game that there would be an outcry from the purists. It would be boring anyways, taking away the fun of being able to bitch about the balls and strikes! Thats part of being a fan.

Like others have said, at least most umpires try to keep their own zones consistant, so that both teams get whatever benefits the zone has.

[Frax]

They need to implement a computerized system that tracks every pitch in 3D, and then grades the calls AFTER the game. I don't think computers should be used to ref games, but they certianly should be used to make sure the people being paid to ref the game are doing their job. Consistently bad umpires should get sacked.

[Jait]

Originally Posted by Duppin

Instant replay in baseball would be a horrible, horrible idea.

More than that. It would kill Baseball. There's no need for instant replay.


The #1 problem in Baseball is that they do not have the controls over their umps the same way the NFL does with it's refs.

Each and every season/game the refs are evaluated, and they can be fired. The Umpires in MLB have a union and a contract, because of which they can do whatever they fuck they want.

[Duppin]

Originally Posted by Frax

They need to implement a computerized system that tracks every pitch in 3D, and then grades the calls AFTER the game. I don't think computers should be used to ref games, but they certianly should be used to make sure the people being paid to ref the game are doing their job. Consistently bad umpires should get sacked.

That's what they wanted QuesTec to be, it's what it's designed for.

But the umpires union is pretty powerful and they have been able to make it almost entirely ineffective as an evaluation tool.

[Banal]

Originally Posted by Duppin

But the umpires union is pretty powerful and they have been able to make it almost entirely ineffective as an evaluation tool.

Bingo. The technology is in place to automate balls and strikes calls altogether, but organizational inertia will keep things stagnant and inefficient.