Monday, August 1, 2011

Polls: He Gone

Last poll, we created an Umpire Ejection Fantasy League with UEFL'ers as the umpires. This week, we continue the UEFL: You Edition with another ejection question, but first let's review our last poll.

Previous Poll (Average Ejection Rate) Results: Our previous poll, Polls: Ejection Rate, asked what your own personal ejection rate is, on average. Combining your votes on the blog and on our Facebook page, we see that most umpires use the ejection sparingly and after many other means of reasoning and communication have proved fruitless. Here is your average ejection rate, along with some comparative MLB Active, Retired/DL, *AAA Fill-in/Replacement*, and Hall of Fame Umpire rates both past and present (Total Votes: 307):

  • Once Every 50+ Games - 28% - Some MLB Umpires who fall into the 50+ range: Emmett Ashford (1 ejection per 90 games worked), Tim Welke (1 per 90), Don Denkinger (1 per 88)Doug Harvey (1 per 85), Jim Wolf (1 per 80), Mike Reilly (1 per 75), CB Bucknor (1 per 74), Jeff Kellogg (1 per 70), Jim Joyce (1 per 65), Al Barlick (1 per 60), Jerry Crawford (1 per 51), Bruce Froemming (1 per 51).
  • Once Every 30-50 Games - 16% - Some MLB Umpires who fall into the 30-50 range: Tim Keefe (1 per 49)`, Cal Hubbard (1 per 44), Ted Barrett (1 per 42), Shag Crawford (1 per 41), Tim Tschida (1 per 41), Tom Connolly (1 per 38)Tom Hallion (1 per 35), Dan Iassogna (1 per 34), *Angel Campos (1 per 33)*, Jocko Conlan (1 per 32), Rob Drake (1 per 30), *D.J. Reyburn (1 per 30)*.
  • Once Every 25-29 Games - 10% - In 2010, the average umpire ejected a person approximately once every 30 games.* Some MLB Umpires who fall into the 25-30 range: Joe West (1 per 29), Tim Timmons (1 per 28), Hunter Wendelstedt (1 per 27), Angel Hernandez (1 per 27), Bill Hohn (1 per 26), Doug Eddings (1 per 26).
  • Once Every 20-24 Games - 8% - Some MLB Umpires who fall into the 20-24 range: Bob Davidson (1 per 23), Cy Rigler (1 per 22), Ray DiMuro (1 per 20)*.
  • Once Every 15-19 Games - 7% - Some Umpires who fall into the 15-19 range: Bill Klem (1 per 19)*Casey Moser (1 per 19)*^, *Andy Anderson (1 per 19)*^, Silk O'Loughlin (1 per 18), Ed Andrews (1 per 17), Augie Guglielmo (1 per 17), Bud Lally (1 per 15)^, Chief Zimmer (1 per 15).
  • Once Every 10-14 Games - 7% - Bob Davidson, who led the League with 10 ejections last season, averaged one ejection per 13 games in 2010. In 2010, MLB experienced an ejection an average of once every 12.1 games.* Some Umpires who fall into the 10-14 range: Charles Mitchell (1 per 11)^, Lord Byron (1 per 10), Garnet Bush (1 per 10).
  • I have never ejected a person - 6% - Some Umpires who fall into this category: Ron Barnes (0 per 352), Mike Walsh (0 per 304), *Darren Spagnardi (0 per 91)*, *Dave Aschwege (0 per 47)*
  • N/A - I don't umpire - 6% - Consistent with our previous polling (Polls: Umpiring Experience), a single digit percentage of UEFL'ers have never umpired (we salute you!)
  • Once Every 7-9 Games - 2% - Marty Foster, who led the League with 14 ejections in 2005, averaged one ejection per 9 games in 2005. He averaged one ejection per 35 games in 2010. Some Umpires who fall into the 7-9 range: Oyster Burns (1 per 9)^, *Don January (1 per 7)*^&%, *Hank Rountree (1 per 7)*^, *Darrel Mason (1 per 7)*^&%, *Frank Ballina (1 per 7)*^&%.
  • Once Every 2-6 Games - 2% - Some Umpires who fall into the 2-6 range: Clarence Eldridge (1 per 6)^%, *Mark Widlowski (1 per 5 [Ejection occurred in his 4th MLB game])*^&%, *Larry Walding (1 per 5 [Ejection occurred in his 4th MLB game])*^&%, Phil Baker (1 per 5 [Ejection occurred in his 5th and final game, 1889])^&, Jack Doyle (1 per 4)^.
  • Once a Game - 1% - Really? I wonder if some votes are from some of those who responded "Pro (at least one MLB Game)" in Polls: Umpiring Experience...
^Indicates a sample size less than 100 games.
`Tim Keefe was selected to the Hall of Fame as a player.
&These Umpires worked less than 10 games at the Big League Level and had only one ejection each.
%Ballina, January, Mason, Walding & Widlowski additionally all worked the final week of April through May 2, 1995 during an umpires' lock-out.
*Notice the apparent disparity in average rates of ejection between Umpire and Game. With the average umpire ejecting once per ≈ 30 games & the average ejection occurring once per ≈ 12 games, what accounts for this difference? Here's your clue: "AAA."

Interesting Facts:
Has an umpire ever worked only one AL/NL/MLB game and ejected someone in that game? Yes. In 1907, Boston Doves pitcher (and former postal carrier) Vive Lindaman, working as a field umpire, ejected Superbas shortstop Phil Lewis after "a long wrangle" in the top of the 13th of the Superbas-Doves game (the second of a double-header). The Superbas eventually beat the Doves 4-3 (and swept the series). Lindaman never umpired again.
Fastest 1st Ejection, "Big Name" Umpire: Rick Reed ejected Indians Manager Jeff Torborg in Reed's first ever MLB game.
Most All Time Ejections: Bill Klem called for an ejection 279 times over the course of his storied career.
Fewest All Time Ejections: During the 1890s and 1900s, many players and coaches took turns umpiring a few games each without producing ejections. Since then, many umpires have likewise never ejected a soul.
Most Games Worked with Fewest Ejections: Ron Barnes worked 352 games and recorded zero ejections.
Most Ejections in One Season: Bill Klem racked up 26 ejections - or 1 per 6 games - in his rookie season of 1905. He dropped down to 15 in 1906, but returned to 21 in 1907 (and again in 1911). After dropping to 8 ejections in 1908, Klem received his first World Series assignment. In 1903, rookie ump Augie Moran ejected 24 (losing steam, he would only eject 12 more over three more umpiring seasons). Years later, Frank Dascoli had 22 ejections of his own, claiming third place on the list.
Highest Rate: Joe Hornung, pitcher for Boston at the time, ejected 2 people over 9 games in 1896. At a rate of one ejection per 4.5 games Hornung holds the lead for highest rate of ejection. Former player-manager Jack Doyle ejected nine people over 42 games in 1911. At a rate of one ejection per 4.67 games, Doyle closely trails Hornung for the lead. 

Current Poll: Per our previous poll, around nine out of 10 UEFL'ers have ejected one or multiple persons throughout their careers. Our current poll asks who you tend to eject most often. Selecting only one option, what class of personnel do you eject more than any other? Your choices: player, coach, spectator: parent, spectator: other. And, yes, asking Game Management to remove a spectator counts as an ejection even if you do not dump 'em yourself.

When you eject, who do you most often eject?