HHP: I think the ball-strike umpring this year is the worst I've ever seen

[Frobby]

I've now seen most of about 9 games this season, and I have to say, I'm ready for QuesTech. Strike zones are too wide, they are horribly inconsistent, and I don't see any rhyme or reason as to why.

Here is Matusz's strike zone plot from last night. Note the five green squares in the lower quadrant, denoting pitches called balls that were in the strike zone. Three of them weren't close to being balls, the other two were borderline, but on most nights, every single one is a strike. And the rub is, that's where you want your pitcher to throw it. Great pitches, no reward. All in all, I count 6 called balls that were strikes, one called strike that was a ball.



Now let's look at Williams' plot. He only got two pitches called balls that were strikes, and a whopping five that were well wide of the plate but called strikes. The two red squares way left of the strike zone are the 1st and 5th pitches of Markakis' 2nd at bat. Those calls forced Markakis to swing at a near-identical pitch with 2 strikes, and he grounded out to 3B, not surprisingly.




I am not putting these up to make some general complaint that the calls go against the Orioles. More just a statement of the poor state of umpiring. Looking at the 8th inning, Scott Downs had two pitches comfortably in the lower quadrant that were called balls, for example. Just way too many pitches that are not that close getting called the wrong way these days, and you don't even see consistency during the game any more.

[Can_of_corn]

I for one welcome our ball/strike calling computer overlords.

[SoBo]

I for one welcome our ball/strike calling computer overlords.

Thanks for the laugh this morning. But yes the umpiring on balls and strikes is horrendous. I'm on board with taking the "human element" out of the game.

[Frobby]

Thanks for the laugh this morning. But yes the umpiring on balls and strikes is horrendous. I'm on board with taking the "human element" out of the game.

Let me just say, I've always been against instant replay etc., but the deterioration in ball-strike umpiring has driven me to agree with you.

[hoosiers]

I could get on board with the computer umps.

I made an offhand comment to a work friend I eat lunch with nearly every day that the umpiring this year is the worst I've seen.

It would be interesting to see if how these calls impacted the game.

[weams]

I for one welcome our ball/strike calling computer overlords.

I rebel against all overlords. Especially the Nationals. That Teddy really rubs me the wrong way.

[Can_of_corn]

I could get on board with the computer umps.

I made an offhand comment to a work friend I eat lunch with nearly every day that the umpiring this year is the worst I've seen.

It would be interesting to see if how these calls impacted the game.

I still want umps, they can still screw up safe/out calls, check swings, stuff like that. I just want them wearing an ear piece that tells them ball or strike after every pitch.

[SoBo]

Let me just say, I've always been against instant replay etc., but the deterioration in ball-strike umpiring has driven me to agree with you.

I'm with you completely. I have no desire to get into a NFL style replay era. But when Nick is consistently getting screwed with strikes called three inches off the plate. And Matusz gets no calls in the area he has to live to be successful something needs to change. If something as provincial as tennis can adopt something like this why can't baseball?

[weams]

Seriously, I am not so much about bringing further technology into the game as to standardize strike zones. I think the new placement of the umpires has something to do with this problem, but I think it is as much the Umpires trying to insert themselves as entertainers into the product. Maybe if home plate umpires got assesed "excess ive theatics" penalities, such as loss of Union seniority, it might settle back down.

[Satyr3206]

I wonder how long it would take for someone to hack into a computerized ump system?

[Can_of_corn]

Seriously, I am not so much about bringing further technology into the game as to standardize strike zones. I think the new placement of the umpires has something to do with this problem, but I think it is as much the Umpires trying to insert themselves as entertainers into the product. Maybe if home plate umpires got assesed "excess ive theatics" penalities, such as loss of Union seniority, it might settle back down.

You know there is no way anything of the sort will fly with the Umps' union.

Baseball missed a good opportunity to neuter it once and for all after the mass resignation blunder back in '99.

[scottbbfm]

It has to be the new positioning. The horrible calls are generally away pitches. The umpires need to adjust-and it should've been practiced in the offseason/spring training.

[The Rick]

I wonder how long it would take for someone to hack into a computerized ump system?

I dunno, but Hank just hired the best hacker money could buy.

[btownoriole]

Great post Frobby. I'm curious if any tennis fans on the board could comment on their computerized system on in-out calls (just used for challenges). I very rarely watch tennis but I think their system looks amazing. It just frustrates me following games on the At Bat app and seeing how many pitches are missed. The technology is there; it seems silly not to at least experiment with it during Spring Training or something.

[Flosman]

I know that it seems Nick has been screwed all year. If I was a conspiracy nut I would think he had pissed the umps off.