ALDS Umps

[mosox]

Picked this up from Dirt Dogs. A very interesting WSJ article on stats on umps. Even so, I can't bring myself to blame the umps for the sweep.

 

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB112925287632868400-ZDHwXHWx_1y56rUF9Pm2wlJ1dmo_20061014.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top

[schillingouttheks]

Stuff like that is rediculous. The Red Sox lost because the White Sox were better, and wanted it more. Period. Bottom line. Blaming the umps is a desperation maneuver. However, it did bring up some interesting stats, but that in NO way is an excuse. The White Sox simply played better, that's all that can be said.

[gosox613]

yea it wasnt meant to be this year...but the stats are definetely interesting

[gosox613]

it figures that a wall street journal writer (CONSERVATIVE PAPER) would complain about a liberal umpire

[mosox]

I bet Bill James starts keeping stats on umps from now on. With controversy in both the ALCS and NLCS it will be interesting to see the crew for the WS.

[Ray10]

The Red Sox lost because the White Sox were better it had nothing to do with the Umps. Mind you the umps in the ALCS and even Cuzzi yesterday in the NLCS are just horrible. The incident with Pierzensky was clearly a catch and the whole thing with Cuzzi calling balls and strikes the pitch that he called for a strike on Edmonds that was up and in was called a ball earlier on the Astros batter. You have to be consistent on your strike zone and Cuzzi clearly wasn't. There were also a couple of other borderline pitches the Cuzzi called. I think the MLB really needs to review what the umps are doing and either fix them or get some better ones in there.

[Soxfan1]

It's meant to be. There are always going to be bad calls but that's luck.

[See Red]

The article brings up great points. But the umpiring didn't stop the White Sox from scoring runs in game 1.

 

The only time I had a real problem with the umpires was in game 3, when Graffanino saw 5 or 6 balls with with the bases loaded and struck out.

[thewarriorscode12]

Picked this up from Dirt Dogs. A very interesting WSJ article on stats on umps. Even so, I can't bring myself to blame the umps for the sweep.

 

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB112925287632868400-ZDHwXHWx_1y56rUF9Pm2wlJ1dmo_20061014.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top

Sounds like excuses to me.

[mosox]

Anyone who blames the umps is looking for an excuse. But these are things that good pitchers have known all along. Certain umps have more favorable strike zones and hitters should take note and adjust.

[mosox]

It's now official. Teams have to be tracking umps by next season. This is from Chris Snow in the Globe:

 

A search of BaseballProspectus.com found that of the 61 umpires to work the plate for 30 or more games this season, Cuzzi called a higher percent of pitches strikes than all but four umpires.

 

Cuzzi deemed 63.9 percent of the pitches he saw strikes. Tops on the list? Believe it or not, it was Eddings, and by a significant margin. Eddings called 66 percent of pitches strikes, followed by Mike Everitt (64.3 percent), Gary Darling (64.1 percent), Hunter Wendelstedt (64 percent), and Cuzzi.

[thewarriorscode12]

It's now official. Teams have to be tracking umps by next season. This is from Chris Snow in the Globe:

 

A search of BaseballProspectus.com found that of the 61 umpires to work the plate for 30 or more games this season, Cuzzi called a higher percent of pitches strikes than all but four umpires.

 

Cuzzi deemed 63.9 percent of the pitches he saw strikes. Tops on the list? Believe it or not, it was Eddings, and by a significant margin. Eddings called 66 percent of pitches strikes, followed by Mike Everitt (64.3 percent), Gary Darling (64.1 percent), Hunter Wendelstedt (64 percent), and Cuzzi.

I think it's kind of sad that Umps are going to scrutinized so closely. Human error is part of what makes baseball a great game. Strike zones are are up to the individual umpires to to decide.

[ARod2212]

No, strike zones are defined by the rulebook.

[thewarriorscode12]

No, strike zones are defined by the rulebook.

True, but each Ump has his own strike zone. Technically, all strike zones are the same, but in reality each is taylored around an individual Ump. It's usually not a very big deal, sometimes it is, but most of the time blaming an Ump for a loss is a cop out. The Red Sox didn't get defeated by poor umpiring, they got beat by a team that was hot at the right time, a team that was just plain better at the time.

[liveordie1011]

dont booo the umpires...boo the team that plaine old sucked

[MC Hammer]

I think it's kind of sad that Umps are going to scrutinized so closely. Human error is part of what makes baseball a great game. Strike zones are are up to the individual umpires to to decide.

The problem is that most of the time it's not human error. It's the umpires wanting to be part of the game. I'm so tired of umps making calls based on emotion, or the town they're in, or the situation. JUST MAKE THE RIGHT CALL. I think Selig needs to sit down with every ump in the league and let them know that they are there to make fair calls ... not do a dance routine when calling a player out ... not to make terrible calls just to get reactions from the fans .... not to throw players out just because ... YOU'RE NOT PART OF THE GAME ... JUST MAKE THE RIGHT CALLS!

 

I am starting to get behind the Pitch Quest system(I think thats what it's called). I think every field should have one and any umpire who is off by a certain decided percentage on balls and strikes in fired.

 

Oh and I dont see whats wrong with analyzing what umps do. Everyone that has a job knows that there is someone watching over you making sure your making the right calls, and don't screw up. It's how a job works. Infact I think umpires need to be scrutinized more by their employeer. I think they are being given way to much slack by the league.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Sometimes the umps do make the right calls....last season they didn't make the calls based on emotion or the town....they made the right calls. I'm refering to game 6 2004 ALCS in Yankee stadium when the umps got together and made the right call twice.

 

I would have liked to see more of that where the umps get together and discuss what just happened. They all have different views and typically when you have that many umps...majority will make the right call.

[thewarriorscode12]

The problem is that most of the time it's not human error. It's the umpires wanting to be part of the game. I'm so tired of umps making calls based on emotion, or the town they're in, or the situation. JUST MAKE THE RIGHT CALL. I think Selig needs to sit down with every ump in the league and let them know that they are there to make fair calls ... not do a dance routine when calling a player out ... not to make terrible calls just to get reactions from the fans .... not to throw players out just because ... YOU'RE NOT PART OF THE GAME ... JUST MAKE THE RIGHT CALLS!

 

I am starting to get behind the Pitch Quest system(I think thats what it's called). I think every field should have one and any umpire who is off by a certain decided percentage on balls and strikes in fired.

 

Oh and I dont see whats wrong with analyzing what umps do. Everyone that has a job knows that there is someone watching over you making sure your making the right calls, and don't screw up. It's how a job works. Infact I think umpires need to be scrutinized more by their employeer. I think they are being given way to much slack by the league.

Well, it is true that some Umps make called based on emotion. And maybe the league should sit down and look at the Umps. What I meant is more that it's sad that more and more teams are going to look at an Ump and say, " we lost that game because that Ump's strikezone isn't what our club likes to hit." That's a sad day in baseball when that happens.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Well, it is true that some Umps make called based on emotion. And maybe the league should sit down and look at the Umps. What I meant is more that it's sad that more and more teams are going to look at an Ump and say, " we lost that game because that Ump's strikezone isn't what our club likes to hit." That's a sad day in baseball when that happens.

I think the pertinent point is consistency. If the strike zone was a constant, then teams could adjust.

[thewarriorscode12]

I think the pertinent point is consistency. If the strike zone was a constant, then teams could adjust.

But with humans making the calls, you'll never get consistency. Some Umps think a certain pitch looks like a ball, while another Ump would look at the same pitch and call a strike. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, it's just part of the human nature of the game. If you want consistency, then have computers call balls and strikes. I personally don't want to see that.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

But with humans making the calls, you'll never get consistency. Some Umps think a certain pitch looks like a ball, while another Ump would look at the same pitch and call a strike. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, it's just part of the human nature of the game. If you want consistency, then have computers call balls and strikes. I personally don't want to see that.

I agree. I don't want to see a glorified viedo game.