How Bad Are the Umps?

[Slasher9]

What the hell are you talking about? I'm not a mod. I can't ban anyone. I have said many times on here that I am merely stating how things work around here, and even the mod himself has explained his POV.

 

my apologies UN? you portend like you have ban/mod/admin powers. my mistake.

[User Name]

Why not just give the ump a system with a more accurate depiction of the strike zone and pitch location? Retain the human element, upgrade pitch/strike call accuracy.

[User Name]

my apologies UN? you portend like you have ban/mod/admin powers. my mistake.

 

I've been here for a long time (second username, first one is from 2008). I wouldn't do a mod job if they paid me to, but I like keeping the site flowing. YOTN's got his plate extremely full, so guys with a long time here like MVP, Dojji and I try to help him out by posting the outline of how things are done here

[CliffKlowers]

If you need a definition of what is an Internet troll

All you have to do is to Google " internet troll"

Read it, comprehend it, remember it, recognize it.

[sk7326]

How about this?

 

Set up a machine behind home plate that determins ball vs strike. The machine is carefully tuned to be at leat 99.5% accurate on all strike and ball calls which would mean it would usually make about 1 or 2 mistakes over the course of the game.

 

On every pitch, either dugout can appeal a ball-strike call to the machine.

 

If the machine agrees with the umpire, the dugout gets a strike. If the machine disagrees, the ump gets a strike on him. Dugouts with 3 strikes can't appeak ball strike calls. If the umpire gets three strikes, the machine takes over the ball and strike calls for the remainder of the game. The umpire still calls fair and foul, safe and out, but balls and strikes are taken out of his hands for the remainder of the game, unless he's as good at them as the machine is.

 

Would take too long ... and the umps would never go for a system like tennis where you could challenge a human ball-strike call.

 

Here is my argument - umps calling balls and strikes is an impossible ask. It is why pitch framing catchers can fool them so frequently, and why they often give up on off speed pitches which end up in the strike zone. They also frequently miss balls which miss the catcher's target but are still strikes. The strike zone is defined by rule.

 

This doesn't mean a home plate ump is unnecessary. There are still swing related calls which really are judgment calls. And of course, there are plays at the plate.

[mvp 78]

I don't understand the "it's an impossible job to do, but they do their best so congrats" reasoning, when you could just replace the ball/strike calls with a robot. You could even keep an umpire at home to call plays at the plate, check swings, etc.

[S5Dewey]

If you need a definition of what is an Internet troll

All you have to do is to Google " internet troll"

Read it, comprehend it, remember it, recognize it.

 

This from Wikipeida. Thanks

 

In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[2] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion,[3] often for their own amusement.

[Bellhorn04]

Strange how issues of umpiring/balls & strikes and moderating/trolls have become intertwined in this thread.

[Spudboy]

Strange how issues of umpiring/balls & strikes and moderating/trolls have become intertwined in this thread.

 

Strange and unnecessary.

[a700hitter]

Best way you can get rid of Babe right now is just give him rope. If he's as advertised he'll practically ban himself.

 

In the words of Pedro, "Dig up the Babe. I'll drill him in the ass."

[Bellhorn04]

I don't understand the "it's an impossible job to do, but they do their best so congrats" reasoning, when you could just replace the ball/strike calls with a robot. You could even keep an umpire at home to call plays at the plate, check swings, etc.

 

You'll also need a technician on hand in case the robot malfunctions.

[Slasher9]

You'll also need a technician on hand in case the robot malfunctions.

 

Vegas will figure out how to hack the bots......

[TheBabeStrikesBack]

In the words of Pedro, "Dig up the Babe. I'll drill him in the ass."

 

The Babe would have taken him over the fence.

 

After all, he did admit to the Yanks being his "daddy"!!!

 

☺

[Dojji]

Vegas will figure out how to hack the bots......

 

You don't need an external I/O port to call balls and strikes.

[a700hitter]

The Babe would have taken him over the fence.

 

After all, he did admit to the Yanks being his "daddy"!!!

 

☺

That was 2003 Pedro who was already a shadow of himself. 1998-99 Pedro has the Babe screwing himself into the ground and making a big breeze fanning. 2003 Pedro drills him in the ass. He doesn't let him beat him. Pedro got beat because a roided up Giambi got him twice in 2003. Post PED Giambi who lost 25 lbs of muscle in the 2003 off season has no chance against Pedro.

[sk7326]

You'll also need a technician on hand in case the robot malfunctions.

 

Indeed - but we are dealing with mature technology. I mean Pitch F/X can do a reasonable version of it right now.

[SinceYaz]

In the words of Pedro, "Dig up the Babe. I'll drill him in the ass."

 

LOL!

 

I usually would go with SWT (smiling while typing) but you really made me, encouraged me to laugh out loud.

[mvp 78]

You'll also need a technician on hand in case the robot malfunctions.

 

We just created additional American jobs!!! We did it! Thanks Obama.

[mvp 78]

Vegas will figure out how to hack the bots......

 

As opposed to them directly paying umps and players...

[SinceYaz]

That's all I'm asking for. Just one robot behind the plate. Maybe even keep a challenge system as a fail safe for the robot.

 

To me, just worrying about how the ump is calling balls and strikes really takes me out of the game. Just get it right the first time please.

 

THAT is all I was talking about in reality. We had an honor system, for the lack of a better phrase, as kids when we played sandlot. It was about the PLAYING, not the calling. Only real d***heads called bad pitches good and vice versa. If those guys wouldn't be fair, we had a way to deal with it .... they wouldn't get to play.

 

The umpire SHOULD NOT be calling "his own" strike zone. Many umps are known for their preference, how about just calling the zone we know is in the rule book?

 

Anyway, you put your finger on it. Let the game proceed as the way it is supposed to.

[Spudboy]

You may not be comfortable with it but you can type and post dickhead and other colorful words here. As long as you are not labeling another member as such.

 

No biggie one way or another.

[SinceYaz]

Point that may have been missed. I don't get to watch all the games. I do follow the Gameday live update (link:http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=bos )and so the strike zone is often all I get. When a pitch well inside the

strike zone is called a ball, it clearly shows up.

 

When I DO get to watch, I still have my tablet on the update. The two games I referenced were connected to a NESN stream and the conversation in the booth was very comfortable with the complaints I espoused. Sometimes the streaming comes with the Jays commentators, who I find quite favorable. I don't know if they would have had the same perspective as O'Brien and RemDog. The NESN coverage clearly showed Willis upset as was Kelly in the first game. The calls the next day were just more gas on the flame.

[SinceYaz]

You may not be comfortable with it but you can type and post dickhead and other colorful words here. As long as you are not labeling another member as such.

 

No biggie one way or another.

 

Your guidance is appreciated.

 

I often monitor my own language. A habit of necessity.

[Spudboy]

Point that may have been missed. I don't get to watch all the games. I do follow the Gameday live update (link:http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=bos )and so the strike zone is often all I get. When a pitch well inside the

strike zone is called a ball, it clearly shows up.

 

When I DO get to watch, I still have my tablet on the update. The two games I referenced were connected to a NESN stream and the conversation in the booth was very comfortable with the complaints I espoused. Sometimes the streaming comes with the Jays commentators, who I find quite favorable. I don't know if they would have had the same perspective as O'Brien and RemDog. The NESN coverage clearly showed Willis upset as was Kelly in the first game. The calls the next day were just more gas on the flame.

 

I may be getting confused here, but as I recall from watching the NESN feed that bad calls in question were simply very bad. I'm not talking about a borderline pitch on the very edge of the zone. At least one of the bad calls was on a meatball right down the pike.

[SinceYaz]

I may be getting confused here, but as I recall from watching the NESN feed that bad calls in question were simply very bad. I'm not talking about a borderline pitch on the very edge of the zone. At least one of the bad calls was on a meatball right down the pike.

 

You're not being confused. There was one right down the pike, maybe one baseball higher than true center. In both games there were several that were obviously incorrect as well ... the hard part was that more than a few would have been 3rd strikes. Instead the pitch was a ball and the batter got another chance. Donaldson, et. al., don't need more chances, they are too good on their own.

[sk7326]

THAT is all I was talking about in reality. We had an honor system, for the lack of a better phrase, as kids when we played sandlot. It was about the PLAYING, not the calling. Only real d***heads called bad pitches good and vice versa. If those guys wouldn't be fair, we had a way to deal with it .... they wouldn't get to play.

 

The umpire SHOULD NOT be calling "his own" strike zone. Many umps are known for their preference, how about just calling the zone we know is in the rule book?

 

Anyway, you put your finger on it. Let the game proceed as the way it is supposed to.

 

I am amazed how normalized the idea of an umps interpretation of the strike zone being a legit thing ...

[sk7326]

You're not being confused. There was one right down the pike, maybe one baseball higher than true center. In both games there were several that were obviously incorrect as well ... the hard part was that more than a few would have been 3rd strikes. Instead the pitch was a ball and the batter got another chance. Donaldson, et. al., don't need more chances, they are too good on their own.

 

The umpires rely on the catcher much too much for what is a strike and what is not. A catcher positioning himself 3 inches off the outside corner does not suddenly make that pitch a strike. Similarly, missing that spot right down the middle does not make the pitch a ball.

[TheBabeStrikesBack]

That was 2003 Pedro who was already a shadow of himself. 1998-99 Pedro has the Babe screwing himself into the ground and making a big breeze fanning. 2003 Pedro drills him in the ass. He doesn't let him beat him. Pedro got beat because a roided up Giambi got him twice in 2003. Post PED Giambi who lost 25 lbs of muscle in the 2003 off season has no chance against Pedro.

 

Well, roided or not Giambi was no Babe.

 

But it would have been fun to watch Babe vs Pedro in either 98-99 or 2003.

[Spudboy]

Well, roided or not Giambi was no Babe.

 

But it would have been fun to watch Babe vs Pedro in either 98-99 or 2003.

 

It sure would have been.

 

Objectively, one has to give the nod to Pedro. Ruth was a prodigious hitter. But my guess is that he never faced anyone close to having Pedro's stuff.

[southpaw777]

Well, roided or not Giambi was no Babe.

 

But it would have been fun to watch Babe vs Pedro in either 98-99 or 2003.

 

Id love to see how a group of pitcher the last 20-30 years fair against some of the greatest hitters of an earlier era.

Williams, Ruth, Dimaggio, etc. vs Pedro, R Johnson, Maddox, etc. in their hey day...