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I didn't mean for this to become a pissing contest, so I'll back off a bit. If I was overly judgmental, I apologize.
I do take significant issue (obviously) with the one statement you made repeatedly - Give the benefit of the doubt to the defense. If you truly simply call what you see, then there's no benefit of the doubt to be given. My issue is with the phrase being thrown about like an umpiring axiom, when there is no true reason (other than a desire to go home early) to give the benefit of the doubt to the defense. But I'll leave it there.
Why did I "fire" that umpire? I worked with him once and noticed some "fishy" calls, and remarked on one or two in a polite way. A few games later I got a complaint from BOTH coaches after a game he worked alone (I was working alone elsewhere). While making allowances that it's a pain in the backside to work alone, we were stuck that night and had to make due. His version of making due, according to the coaches, was to call strikes from behind the mound, stay near the mound for all calls on the bases, and (again - according to both coaches) call every play possible an out, even ones that were safe by 2 steps. I wasn't there, so most of the judgement stuff I took with a grain of salt, but I did talk with him about calling from the mound and not moving.
I also decided to watch his next evening working. He had a partner, so worked one plate, one bases, and his mechanics were fine, but I saw several plays that bothered me. Some safe/out judgements, but some odd ones. Two plays for leaving early that weren't close - one of which where his back was to the runner. One for missing a base while he was not looking at that base. I discussed with him afterward, and his entire motivation was along the "I just want to get it over with" line. "Hey, I'm just out here to get outs." "If I don't call the close ones outs, I'll never get home." "I figured that if they were appealing, they saw something I didn't, so he must have done it" (referring to the leaving early and the missed base).
I told him it was not acceptable, and basically gave him the rant I gave you earlier. I put him on the field again, and had a buddy of mine watch specifically for these types of plays. I wasn't there so he didn't know he was being watched. Apparently the game went exactly the way the one above did.
I have no place on my fields for an umpire like that, when (normally) I have plenty of people asking for more games.
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