2013 UEFL Awards: Worst Umpire of Year: Marty Foster

The Umpire Ejection Fantasy League announces its postseason awards schedule, beginning with the Worst Umpire of the Year, below, and continuing with Most Improved Umpire, Fill-In, Crew Chief, Honorable, Noteworthy, Ejection(s) of the Year and concluding with Umpire of the Year. 168 total ballots were cast during this year's nominations process, representing a 93% increase over 2012's nomination process (87).

Pursuant to UEFL Rule 4-4, the postseason Awards distribution now begins with Worst Umpire of the Year.

2013 UEFL Awards: Worst Umpire of the Year: Marty Foster (60) [2012 Winner: Marty Foster]
Voting Results (min. 10%): Foster (20%), Angel Hernandez (13%), CB Bucknor (11%), Bill Welke (10%).

Marty Foster is the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League's 2013 Worst Umpire of the Year. In his 15th Major League Baseball umpiring season, Foster finished 2013 with five ejections, matching five other umpires in that category; Foster ejected five times in 2012 and six times in 2011. UEFL'ers described Foster as "consistently awful" and "an embarrassment to professional baseball" after Ejection 041 (May 25); it should be noted that renowned White Sox homer broadcaster Ken "Hawk" Harrelson made similar statements of Umpire Joe West, stating, "he's becoming a joke to the umpiring profession...he needs a rest" (May 26, 2010). After Foster's 041 (May 25), one UEFL'er similarly stated, "he needs a break." In response to Foster's Ejections 028 and 029 (May 7), Roy bluntly quipped, "Foster....Australian for beer, American for poor umpire." Foster began the season on a difficult note, ending the April 8 Rays-Rangers game with a called third strike located 5.5 inches off the outside corner. After Ejections 045 and 046 (May 26), both detractors and supports of Foster stipulated, "Marty has had a ROUGH year."

Marty Foster now has 1 point in the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (4 Previous + -3 Award = 1).
The next postseason award, Most Improved Umpire of the Year, will be released later today.