Poor performance from MLB umpires is mounting this season. And negative comments are starting to slip out from former and current players alike, creating a big problem for baseball.
As the old saying goes, if you didn’t notice the officiating, then the officials must have done a good job. Unfortunately, people are noticing the umpires fairly often these days.
Take for example, MLB’s most notorious umpire – Angel Hernandez.
During the Texas Rangers’ series opener against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park earlier this year, Hernandez downright blew three straight strike zone calls. It prompted Rangers play-by-play announcer Dave Raymond to deliver a blistering in-broadcast dressing down.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Raymond exclaimed. “What in the world?”
THREE IN A ROW ANGEL??? pic.twitter.com/B2ZVhellGR
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 13, 2024
What in the world indeed?
This past weekend, umpire C.B. Bucknor called a third strike on St. Louis’s Ivan Herrera with the bases loaded in extra innings following a three-hour rain delay. The Red Birds were down just one run.
Bucknor, it seemed, wanted to go home.
— VHS (@VanHicklestein) May 5, 2024
RELATED: The Most Controversial Calls Ever Made By MLB Umpire Angel Hernandez
MLB Umpires Becoming A Problem
MLB umpires and their strike zones have always been a hot topic. Some establish certain zones according to their own judgment and preference. And, so long as they stick to them for both teams, most players don’t have an issue.
The problem with today’s game, however, is that the broadcast has an automated strike zone that fans can see. In real-time, they know whether an umpire’s call was right or not – by the definition of the strike zone rules.
Personally established zones are no longer palatable to the average fan because they can see – clearly – what the call should have been.
In addition to this, umpires are human. And sometimes, human emotions cause problems as well.
The New York Yankees have fallen victim to this twice in recent days. This past weekend, team captain Aaron Judge, known for being relatively mild-mannered on the diamond, was ejected for the first time in his career.
Why? Because plate umpire Ryan Blakney didn’t like the criticism Judge apparently rendered as he walked away from the batter’s box.
Aaron Judge gets ejected for the first time in his career, a breakdown pic.twitter.com/5UEhJzlvBm
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) May 6, 2024
It was an honest take from Judge. And if swear words and criticism are going to sting so bad you have to sway the outcome of a game by removing a star player, then maybe you’re not fit for the umpiring business.
Not long before that, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone was tossed from a game for something a fan actually yelled about the umpire.
Aaron Boone was given a warning to not say anything by the umpire 5 pitches into the game, and a fan proceeded to yell at the umpire and got Aaron Boone ejected 😭😭😭pic.twitter.com/uZTGHPOEPD
— Baseball King (@BasebaIlKing) April 22, 2024
That was in the first inning. Can you imagine if this was a late-inning ejection during postseason play? All because the egos of the umpires in question were slightly bruised?
Thoroughly unacceptable.
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What Can Be Done?
So now the question becomes – What can MLB do with these umpires and the problems being caused right now?
The first solution is obvious. Fully automated strike zones are serviceable right now. Triple-A is already using them and has been for two seasons now.
There’s no reason for a delay. Are there kinks to work out? Maybe.
But even if there are, you could have one MLB official simply watch the broadcast screen and hit a button to declare a ball or strike. There’s no need to overcomplicate this.
Baseball purists will object to the human factor being removed from the game. But baseball purists have also bemoaned new rules the past few seasons designed to speed up the game. And the game is better and more watchable for it.
Automated Strike Zones And Ranking Systems
Next up – Umpire ranking systems. Legitimate ones overseen by independent auditors.
Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer has suggested ranking umpires based on the automated strike zones.
“We need to rank the umpires,” Scherzer says. “Let the electronic strike zone rank the umpires. We need to have a conversation about the bottom — let’s call it 10% — whatever you want to declare the bottom is, and talk about relegating those umpires to the minor leagues.”
The problem currently is that the MLB does rank their umpires, it’s just that they’re very lenient about it.
For The Win recently reported that a game in which Hernandez had a bad day in 2022 even by his standards – missing 19 calls at a rate of 85.3% correct – MLB’s own umpire ranking showed he scored 96.12% on the night.
The math ain’t matching, boys.
That game, by the way, led to one of the more epic meltdowns against an umpire ever seen. Congrats Kyle Schwarber on this performance. It was worth it based on that call.
RELATED: Trevor Bauer Pleads For A Second Chance To Pitch In MLB
Calls To Fix The Problem
Former Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher, perhaps stung by seeing his old team the victim of some poor umpiring performances, agreed with Scherzer’s plea for a ranking system.
He even likened it to players having to perform under the threat of being demoted to Triple-A.
“Listen, man, there’s some systems in place that we have as athletes,” Swisher told Fox News Digital. “If you don’t post [good stats], prepare and compete properly at the big league level, you get demoted to the minor leagues.”
“So, I think the same should be for umpires as well. Why should you not want to have a tier system, just like what Max Scherzer was saying? I thought there was a lot of validity to that.”
Hernandez, Bucknor, and the like, might try to improve their shoddy performances if they were concerned about having to call balls and strikes at a Savannah Bananas game rather than in Yankee Stadium.
Whatever answer might lie out there, it’s time MLB starts evaluating the umpiring in their sport. There needs to be accountability. Better training. Automation. And a means to eliminate the concept of tenure.
“You can’t just show up to work and just go through the motions,” Swisher said. “That’s not acceptable. Nowadays, you got guys’ careers on the line and there’s a lot of money in each game.”
“I like the old-fashioned umpire, but again, getting the No. 1 top umpires out there. Not just the guys who are there because they’ve had time in the big leagues.”
The old-fashioned umpire isn’t getting the job done anymore.
