Still, D May wants to know: "Do you have a ranking or tracking of best umpires or most screwed managers/players?"
How objectively subjective.
How objectively subjective.
In our 2011 Poll: All-Star Umpires, the UEFL membership voted more often for Jim Joyce (45%; 2009 Umpire of the Year, 2010 Honorable Umpire of the Year) than for any other umpire. Following Joyce were Jim Wolf (42%; 2010-11 Noteworthy Umpire of the Year), Tim McClelland (35%), Ted Barrett (26%), Tim Tschida (25%), Dale Scott (25%), Jeff Nelson (25%; 2011 Umpire of the Year), Alfonso Marquez (21%; 2011 Honorable Umpire of the Year), Gerry Davis (20%; 2011 Crew Chief of the Year), Dan Iassogna (19%), Mark Wegner (18%) and Tom Hallion (18%).
As for the "most screwed" players and managers, Dodgers skipper Don Mattingly has made the "Ejection QOC = Incorrect" list three times in 2012, though he has also been ejected more than any other player or coach (four times, though 3/4 is a pretty high "Incorrect" rate). Following Mattingly is Mike Matheny (two Incorrect QOCs). In 2011, Joe Maddon and Brad Mills tied with two INC QOCs apiece for "most screwed."
Nonetheless, 2012 is a new season with new options. As the second half of MLB's season continues, what do you think? Who is the best of the best?
Nonetheless, 2012 is a new season with new options. As the second half of MLB's season continues, what do you think? Who is the best of the best?
32 comments :
this is a joke of a poll...again, how could we possibly evaluate this
Um, I may be incorrect, but I think this is more just for the fun of it, and is probably not intended to be a scientific analysis or anything of that sort.
MattAB's right. "Best" and "Worst" are quite the departure from our usual fare of objectivity.
I apologize for asking this question. I am new to this site. I discovered your site due to the call from the Braves v Mets // Prado-Freeman play. Being a former umpire I disagreed with the call. I believe Prado should have called out by the tag by 1B. I googled the incident and your site came up. The point of my question was purely stat driven due to amount of data your site held. Still the question is valid; if an ejection occurred who was right? Your site provides/collects the data. Objectivity aside, it was a fair question.
Hey Anon/space cadet 5:26pm,
Quote: "Still, D May wants to know: "Do you have a ranking or tracking of best umpires or most screwed managers/players?"
How objectively subjective".
You do understand sarcasm? You are the 1st to post, so you wait by your computer for the thread to start, and that's your comment we all need to read?
At this point, I now must call you out as a paid troll. Only a person who gets paid would waste his time to be the 1st to post that B.S.
(I swear, if I have to repost, You do understand sarcasm? I'm going to f-ing scream)
Dmay,
If this is the play your talking about, this link should answer all your questions.
http://www.closecallsports.com/2012/07/ejection-087-dale-scott.html
For all the people who complain about CB Bucknor and his strikezone please look at his plot from Yesterday. This really doesn't look that bad at all. Some missed pitches on the left side, but not nearly as much as Gorman had on Tuesday. It's all about perception with these guys unfortunately.
http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/cache/zoneplot.php-pitchSel=all&game=gid_2012_07_19_clemlb_tbamlb_1&sp_type=1&s_type=7.gif
One thing about Bucknor before wrapping up last week's discussion for good -- it's not just his work every fourth day at the plate. For instance, he made an awful call at first base in Atlanta last Saturday. But I agree, last weekend's discussion did become overkill.
So, anyone care to share who they picked for best/worst? It was hard to choose one guy for best, but I went with Jeff Nelson. He isn't perfect in every call, but his situation handling is usually really solid, and he seems to generally be excellent with balls and strikes. Maybe I'm putting too much stock in his near perfectly called game last year in the ALCS, but that is still an incredible performance to only miss two pitches all game long. He also seems to always walk the fine line of never getting pushed around by players, coaches, and managers, but also not coming off as confrontational or combative. He never seems to start problems, but if they do arise he holds his ground nicely. OK, enough with my accolades for Jeff Nelson. Picking the worst umpire, for me, seemed like a much easier task. I went with Paul Schreiber, mostly because his situation handling seems to always leave something to be desired. He had the push of Magglio Ordonez a few years ago, he had the video with Russel Martin last year where he looks like he baited him, even if the video was deceptively edited, perception is everything when it comes to umpires, and he had the incident with Humberto Quintero this year where he, again, at least appeared to unnecessarily escalate the situation. Again, with umpiring, perception is often reality, and I don't feel like Paul Schreiber often gives off a good perception whenever he gets into a confrontation. As far as calls go, I'm sure he misses about the same amount as everyone else in MLB, but, for me, his situation handling is what puts him at the bottom.
I picked Fieldin Culbreth as the best. He consistently makes the playoffs (he has worked either the WS or an LCS every year since 2008), has a good strike zone and never seems to get into any confrontations. He hasn't ejected anybody since June 2010. he also just seems so cool with everything he does.
My worst is Marty Foster. I don't like to bash Umpires but I cannot stand him. The first thing that annoys me is the fact that he is always chewing tobacco on the field and doesn't hide it. I know it is not illegal and players do it all the time but it makes him look bad. Alfonzo Marquez and Mike Everitt always chew tobacco also but you would never know unless you look really closely because they hide it well. Just comes across as really unprofessional. I think he has often shown no feel for the game,4 ejections in Boston last year and his henderson Alvarez ejection this year. He is not a good ball-strike Umpire. Watch his ejections whenever there is a play on the bases, he always accuses the Manager of spitting on him. I wouldn't want to be spit on either, but these Managers are not trying to intentionally spit on him and he just looks like a crybaby. A lot of Umpires get spit on accidently and won't complain but this guy acts like a complete drama queen.
-Rant Over-
I chose Tim McClelland as the best as he always seems to be calm and cool in handling situations plus he is good at calling balls and strikes even if does sometimes take a very long time.
My worst is Bill Miller because of the Brett Lawrie incident but that could just be because I am a Jays fan
i chose gerry davis as the best- a model of consistency, calm, cool, collected, and respected.
worst - marty foster, bad attitude, bad game management (and the reasons listed above by Russ)...his explanation about the call at 3B against the yanks a few years ago (something about the ball beating him to the base) didn;t help either.
B: Ron Kulpa
W: Rob Drake
MS: Detroit
ML: Boston
I think the best is Jeff Kellog. You hardly ever hear anything from him, and with his tackle in Baltimore, the players and managers respect him.
Most improved would have to be Angel Hernandez. With him being separated from Joe West, he has had no ejections.
Worst umpire would be, in my opinion, Dale Scott. I just base that upon the number or ejections he and his crew have had this season.
Fielden Culbreth has a great strike three call too. I love his leg kick. I would definately agree with all of the assesments thus far. I really like Gary Cederstrom too, but I know he has rubbed some people the wrong way. Anyone have any thoughts on him? Mark Carlson is another solid guy who never seems to cause any controversy. There are so many great umps in MLB though, for all of the whiners and nay-sayers there are some extremely talented men in blue (or black, at times). Also, I noticed that, thus far, this thread isn't attracting the trolls (knock on wood that this continues).
we need more ejections, last year at this time it seemed like we had 1 or 2 a night.
Best Umpire: Wally Bell
Admirably filled the role of CC well in the past for Hirschbeck, rarely hear from him on the field and he's consistent behind the plate.
Worst Umpire: Jerry Meals
Consistently getting worse year after year, with blunder after blunder.
Best Umpire: Jim Joyce
Worst Umpire: CB Bucknor
Good to see there are other folks who are fans of Cubby....he does great work in that unnoticed way we all strive for. Jim Wolf is an excellent umpire, and bears consideration, along with JJ and O'Nora.
Not sure why Cubby's ejection last year(2011) of Eric Wedge isn't on retrosheet. Wedge came out to argue a no step balk. He was ejected shortly after a brief argument.
Here's a thought...best and worst when it comes to judgment or attitudes/egos? Do you find that the best judgment usually goes hand in hand with the attitudes and egos when dealing with irate managers? Is it any coincidence that the oldest and/or most out of shape umpires are the ones looking like the biggest asses when confronted?
I like Cubby too, but I put Wolf for "best." It just seems he's so in tune with the game and understands what players/coaches go through, gives a nice leash while keeping in control, respect. MLB just has way too many good umpires to choose a best! As for worst, Wendelstedt and Davidson have and are still my bottom two. Cowboy Joe does know the game and umpiring, so Mr. West is certainly not on the low end of the totem pole like some think. CB Bucknor is enthusiastic, hustles and just is a horsepoop umpire in play calling. However, his attitude isn't the level of a Davidson, so he's not the worst. Meals might be the next one in line to become Davidson, Jr., though.
As for teams, the Dodgers have gotten hosed many times, but so too have the Twins in the AL. And I agree that the Yankees and Red Sox are the beneficiaries of close calls a lot of the time, mostly New York thogh.
Someone tell me why Tim Mccellend is in for jerry meals? Darling, Mccellend, Emmel, and rookie Barrett
according to the mlb box score
This is obviously speculation, but maybe this crew will work the red sox yankee series 27th of july. With meals back. It's funny how another rookie can't take meals spot . I could be wrong, cuz Timmy supposed to work home plate tonight in Tampa
According to the rotation in tampa
Just want to let everyone know that meals did indeed get piece of wood of a broken bat in his eye i saw during the game last night but he stayed in the game.
I've got Nelson best overall, but Jim Joyce and Feildin Culbreth are up there too. Not a fan of McClelland anymore. He has no enthusiasm and his skills are beginning to decline.
Worst for me is good old Hunter Wendelstadt. Bad judgment, holds a grudge and doesn't handle situations well at all.
Most screwed is the Twins. See above about Hunter. He's tossed Gardy 4 times in the last 6 years. Mostly for incorrect calls.
Dodgers seem to be there too though.
I would say the Yankees get the benefit of the doubt more often cause of who they are and the way they play.
Best ump: Jim Joyce
Worst ump: Angel Hernandez
Most loved team: Boston Red Sox (significant home field crowd influence)
Most not-loved team: Detroit Tigers (solely because I'm a Tigers fan!)
I also had the Twins as the most screwed team, but that is largely because I'm a Twins fan, and everyone thinks their beloved team is the one being screwed, right? I guess the two calls that stick with me, as of recently, are Phil Cuzzi's blown foul call on what should have been a Joe Mauer ground rule double in the 2009 ALDS, and Hunter Wendlestedt's missed strike three to Lance Berkman in the 2010 ALDS. I know neither of these calls were what cost the Twins those series, as they were simply overmatched by the Yankees. These two calls are also why I always think of the Yankees as the most loved team, as they always seem to catch the breaks. This is also probably aided by the fact that the Yankees are usually good enough that when they get a break they capitalize on it. I can also see a strong argument for Detroit being the most screwed, if for no other reason than poor Armando Galarraga. It is still a shame that his name isn't in the record books.
As the self-proclaimed President of the UEFL Alan Porter Fan Club, I am very disappointed that I cannot cast my vote for Alan Porter as best umpire.
That being said, I cast my ballot for Greg Gibson. Decent behind the plate, but received my vote because it's adamant that the guy LOVES baseball. And shows it in his mechanics.
Worst? Hunter Wendelstedt. That brand of arrogance boasted with an inconsistent strike zone as the game goes along... not swell for the Boozmeister. Always screwing the Twins. Red Sox get a lot of calls.
I like Gibson's mechanics too. Especially at home plate on steals of home. He whacked that poor runner out so hard he almost dislocated his shoulder. Unfortunately the ball was at the backstop.
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