Why so umpires make bad call

#5
#5
Because it’s a bunch of out of shape 50 and 60 something year olds trying to officiate a game between the greatest athletes in the world

Sports are wayyyy too fast now but because everyone has a union the leagues refuse to try and higher younger people that might be athletic to officiate a game.
 
#6
#6
Like if it's a ball but they say strike out that is what I'm talking about
Well, sometimes humans make mistakes. Also, can you imagine trying to see a 100 mph pitch with movement coming at you? And then trying to judge whether it was in the zone? Extremely difficult. I think they get balls and strikes right probably 90-95% of the time.
 
#7
#7
Because it’s a bunch of out of shape 50 and 60 something year olds trying to officiate a game between the greatest athletes in the world

Sports are wayyyy too fast now but because everyone has a union the leagues refuse to try and higher younger people that might be athletic to officiate a game.
Wow, didn’t peg u as an ageist
 
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#8
#8
Wow, didn’t peg u as an ageist

Freak called me that last week too lol.

I’m not trying to be an ageist, but’s it is the absolute truth. Sports are completely different with the technology and medicine and analytics the last twenty years that have made atheles other worldly. Meanwhile we still have guys over twice these guys age trying to make a block/call charge or call a 99 MPH fastball that might have gotten the corner or determine PI. It’s absolutely silly. The older you get, your eyes aren't as good, motor skills aren’t as good, it takes longer to process information. And then for baseball, over half these guys aren’t even in shape.
 
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#9
#9
pretty easy to see if someone is running down the lines to 1B. They just happened to see it in game 6 of the WS
 
#10
#10
Freak called me that last week too lol.

I’m not trying to be an ageist, but’s it is the absolute truth. Sports are completely different with the technology and medicine and analytics the last twenty years that have made atheles other worldly. Meanwhile we still have guys over twice these guys age trying to make a block/call charge or call a 99 MPH fastball that might have gotten the corner or determine PI. It’s absolutely silly. The older you get, your eyes aren't as good, motor skills aren’t as good, it takes longer to process information. And then for baseball, over half these guys aren’t even in shape.
If the shoe fits. :)
 
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#12
#12
Because it’s a bunch of out of shape 50 and 60 something year olds trying to officiate a game between the greatest athletes in the world

Sports are wayyyy too fast now but because everyone has a union the leagues refuse to try and higher younger people that might be athletic to officiate a game.
Hasn't it always been that way?

Much of the recent hate the officials receive is because of the immediacy with which it can be seen and commented on (social media). A lot of people will tell you it's because there are 100 HD cameras at every game, but I don't think that's the reason. The missed DPI in the NFCCG, Trea Turner down the 1st base line, the "unnecessary roughness" call on Darrell Taylor, and the missed facemask on Princeton Fant weren't because there are HD cameras everywhere and there didn't used to be. Those would have been identified as bad calls in 1750, much less 2019.

Social media is a cauldron you can immediately throw a lot of emotion into, and everybody who it interested can get in there and immediately see it. There's no waiting for the morning paper to read about it, waiting for the 11 PM SportsCenter to see it, or waiting to call in to talk radio to bitch about it. You can do it all immediately.
 
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#13
#13
They get the overwhelming majority of balls and strikes correct. That stupid little box is more misleading than the first down line in football. Quite often the ball slides across a corner of the plate and lands outside. That's still a strike, even though your little box (that is the ONLY way you have any clue) shows it as a ball.
 
#14
#14
They get the overwhelming majority of balls and strikes correct. That stupid little box is more misleading than the first down line in football. Quite often the ball slides across a corner of the plate and lands outside. That's still a strike, even though your little box (that is the ONLY way you have any clue) shows it as a ball.
I think it was almost better when there was no K zone shown on the screen and all the CF cameras were slightly to the right of the pitcher and you had to assume a little bit due to camera angle.
 
#15
#15
Because it’s a bunch of out of shape 50 and 60 something year olds trying to officiate a game between the greatest athletes in the world

Sports are wayyyy too fast now but because everyone has a union the leagues refuse to try and higher younger people that might be athletic to officiate a game.

Whoa there. 40 yrs, 750 plates, here. There is little need for athleticism. In a four man rotation, there really isn't anywhere that can't be covered with a little bit of experience and instruction.

It is true that the MLB umpires association (MLBUA) has had to deal with an "Old Boys" mentality including the nepotism that prevails(ed). But things could, again, radically change (remember the old strike zone?) with a new labor contract was subsequently ratified in January 2015 and will run until the end of 2020 (I think that is the extension).

The existing state of MLB officiating is in its best state of affairs, consistency and image (where did most of the fat-assed umps go?) than at anytime in its history.
 
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#16
#16
Well, sometimes humans make mistakes. Also, can you imagine trying to see a 100 mph pitch with movement coming at you? And then trying to judge whether it was in the zone? Extremely difficult. I think they get balls and strikes right probably 90-95% of the time.

There was a time that each umpire had his own interpretation of the strike zone. Didn't much care about what the rule book said. Although there are differences in the calling of strikes/balls, they have attempted to agree to use the rule book interpretation.

5419ddfa6bb3f7d06e8e964b.jpg


What An MLB Strike Zone Really Looks Like And Why Players Are Always So Mad About It
 
#17
#17
Whoa there. 40 yrs, 750 plates, here. There is little need for athleticism. In a four man rotation, there really isn't anywhere that can't be covered with a little bit of experience and instruction.

It is true that the MLB umpires association (MLBUA) has had to deal with an "Old Boys" mentality including the nepotism that prevails(ed). But things could, again, radically change (remember the old strike zone?) with a new labor contract was subsequently ratified in January 2015 and will run until the end of 2020 (I think that is the extension).

The existing state of MLB officiating is in its best state of affairs, consistency and image (where did most of the fat-assed umps go?) than at anytime in its history.
Angel Hernandez notwithstanding
 
#19
#19
I will say that MLB umpires collectively, particularly guys like Joe West and Angel Hernandez, do have massive egos and love confrontation more than officials from other sports. Not sure why that is - perhaps the culture of managers and players running out to argue calls and delay the game in doing so. But it's to a way greater extent with MLB umpires than with other officials.
 
#20
#20
I will say that MLB umpires collectively, particularly guys like Joe West and Angel Hernandez, do have massive egos and love confrontation more than officials from other sports. Not sure why that is - perhaps the culture of managers and players running out to argue calls and delay the game in doing so. But it's to a way greater extent with MLB umpires than with other officials.
I can think of several NBA officials who relish it as well
 
#24
#24
I will say that MLB umpires collectively, particularly guys like Joe West and Angel Hernandez, do have massive egos and love confrontation more than officials from other sports. Not sure why that is - perhaps the culture of managers and players running out to argue calls and delay the game in doing so. But it's to a way greater extent with MLB umpires than with other officials.

I know West, I had to deal with him when I sold sport officiating equipment. He's an ass on-off field and his chest protector is shite.

MLB knows the cameras are rolling and many of them also understand that a little 'gamesmanship' is crowd-attractive. So are the manager/player-umpire hollerfests. Some have a temperament that can take some abuse, and that is what is happening, abuse, and others not so much. I was a not so much.

What is missing is a consistent approach to ejections. 1) Balls/strikes are not arguable so if you have a manager/player who doesn't shut it off fairly quickly, you have to eject Too many eject too quickly, without warning. 2) Judgment calls on the bases or lines...argue all you like but replay ends those discussions quickly.

The last thing you want is to be earlined from both dugouts, then you got a mess that can get out of hand. You have to take action on B/S abusers or you are in for a sh!!show for hours.
 
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#25
#25
I know West, I had to deal with him when I sold sport officiating equipment. He's an ass on-off field and his chest protector is shite.

MLB knows the cameras are rolling and many of them also understand that a little 'gamesmanship' is crowd-attractive. So are the manager/player-umpire hollerfests. Some have a temperament that can take some abuse, and that is what is happening, abuse, and others not so much. I was a not so much.

What is missing is a consistent approach to ejections. 1) Balls/strikes are not arguable so if you have a manager/player who doesn't shut it off fairly quickly, you have to eject Too many eject too quickly, without warning. 2) Judgment calls on the bases or lines...argue all you like but replay ends those discussions quickly.

The last thing you want is to be earlined from both dugouts, then you got a mess that can get out of hand. You have to take action on B/S abusers or you are in for a sh!!show for hours.
Did you umpire as well?

The one thing that annoys me about many umps is that they have rabbit ears. How many players/managers have you seen ejected, without warning, from the dugout because someone in there yelled "Oh c'mon that was outside" or something like that? Or a pitcher shows visibly frustrated body language because he didn't get a strike call he wanted, and the ump comes out from behind home plate, takes the mask off, and throws him out? In those particular instances the complexion of a game, or maybe even string of games (if you end up having to run through your bullpen), is changed because a team's starting pitcher got thrown out in the 2nd inning for making a face after a not getting a pitch he wanted.

I get that you can't argue balls and strikes - warn them and if it continues then eject, but so many of these guys are just on a hair trigger and seemingly think people are there to see them. It's like they get their rocks off on throwing a player, especially a star player, out of the game in a key spot that potentially affects the outcome of the game.
 

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