How are MLB Umpires graded

[PeteBooth]

Hi all:

I think most of us know about the incident in the Chargers / Broncos game this past Sunday where referee Ed Hochuli admitted he made a mistake but there was nothing in the rules that would allow him to give the ball to the Chargers.

For those that didn't see or hear about the game the play involved QB Cuttler from Denver attempting a forward pass late in the game. Referre Ed Hochuli blew the whistle and signalled Incomplete pass,

Since the play happened in the last 2 minutes of the game, the review comes from the booth. IR CLEARLY showed that the ball was indeed a fumble but because Hochuli blew the whistle there was nothing he could do except give the ball back to Denver at the point of the fumble which was the 10 yard line.

Here is what happened to Mr. Hochuli

Officials are held accountable for their calls. They are graded on every play of every game,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Monday. “Ed has been an outstanding official for many years, but he will be marked down for this call.”

I mention this on the baseball Forum because I cannot remember a time when an ML umpire was "called out on the carpet" by either his superior or a major league baseball spokesman. If any of you know please site

We had the Mike Winters incident but that had nothing to do with a call that he made but in regards to comments he made about Milton Bradley.

It seems as though Football referees are held more accountable for their actions that ML baseball umpires. In addition I cannot remember a time when a ML baseball umpire was "taken to task" by one of hos superiors or a spokesman even the infamous Don Denkinger

There were some terrible calls in the BOSOX Blue Jays game this weekend that could have an impact on the playoffs yet nothing was said.

Look at Eric Gregg's terrible strike zone in the world series etc. It seems as though major league baseball umpires get a "free ride' compared to football officials



Pete Booth

[BaBa Booey]

Football refs work 16 games a year...MLB umpires work 135 or so....it's to be expected that more mistakes will be made in the course of a baseball season than a football season...in determining the top NFL officials, each game must be looked at more closely and each call scrutinized to a higher degree. MLB umpires travel every 3 to 4 days, as opposed to once a week. I have no idea which is more difficult, an NFL or MLB game, but it would seem that the life of an MLB umpire is more difficult and so perhaps they are given more leeway.

That being said, if you want to see if guys are held accountable for their actions just look at playoff assignments. If guys don't do their job to the liking of their supervisors, they don't get the playoffs. Just because MLB doesn't trash their umpires in the media doesn't mean they get a free ride.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BaBa Booey

Football refs work 16 games a year...MLB umpires work 135 or so....it's to be expected that more mistakes will be made in the course of a baseball season than a football season...in determining the top NFL officials, each game must be looked at more closely and each call scrutinized to a higher degree. MLB umpires travel every 3 to 4 days, as opposed to once a week. I have no idea which is more difficult, an NFL or MLB game, but it would seem that the life of an MLB umpire is more difficult and so perhaps they are given more leeway.

That being said, if you want to see if guys are held accountable for their actions just look at playoff assignments. If guys don't do their job to the liking of their supervisors, they don't get the playoffs. Just because MLB doesn't trash their umpires in the media doesn't mean they get a free ride.

I don't understand what you want, Pete. Do you want baseball ripping their umpires in public? Umpires are the representatives of the league on the field. Why would a company rip its employees in public? I don't understand why the NFL feels it's in its best interests to throw Ed under the bus since he THREW HIMSELF there on the field over the microphone.

[PeteBooth]

Rich what I am looking for is more ways for guys in the minor leagues who are busting their buts and making peanuts to have a LEGITIMATE chance to move up.

It's similar to us amateurs. If we have a bad game in a HS Sectional game or say a D1 College game, chances are that will most likely be our LAST BIG game at least for a while. Others now will have a chance to get a BIG game.

Major League baseball officials are there for practically a life-time. I realize there are many more games in baseball but IMO, they should be taken to task when they blow a call equivalent to Ed Hochuli and they are not.

Pete Booth

[socalumps]

MLB Umps are unionized !!

[griff901c]

Originally Posted by socalumps

MLB Umps are unionized !!

You make that sound like a bad thing. Being a ML umpire is a full time job. Being a NFL referee is not.

griff

[Rich]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

Rich what I am looking for is more ways for guys in the minor leagues who are busting their buts and making peanuts to have a LEGITIMATE chance to move up.

It's similar to us amateurs. If we have a bad game in a HS Sectional game or say a D1 College game, chances are that will most likely be our LAST BIG game at least for a while. Others now will have a chance to get a BIG game.

Major League baseball officials are there for practically a life-time. I realize there are many more games in baseball but IMO, they should be taken to task when they blow a call equivalent to Ed Hochuli and they are not.

Pete Booth

I think it's ridiculous to think that a bad game should result in an umpire losing his career. Of course, I think the whole model for getting to the Major Leagues is broken, anyway.

The whole system is set up like a huge Ponzi scheme with only one or two guys every five years given a shot at the top. They know it going in, but it still doesn't make it the best system.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I don't understand what you want, Pete. Do you want baseball ripping their umpires in public? Umpires are the representatives of the league on the field. Why would a company rip its employees in public? I don't understand why the NFL feels it's in its best interests to throw Ed under the bus since he THREW HIMSELF there on the field over the microphone.

I will tell you why. A single game means a lot more than a single game in a baseball season. There is more at stake and more people paying attention. So the accountability factor is much bigger. MLB can have things happen and almost no one other than those watching the game will realize it. And to be fair, the NFL supports their officials much more than MLB does. The league seems to not every comment on anything their umpires do good or bad. The NFL has a better business model because they are public with their opinions about players, coaches and officials.

Peace

[Rich]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I will tell you why. A single game means a lot more than a single game in a baseball season. There is more at stake and more people paying attention. So the accountability factor is much bigger. MLB can have things happen and almost no one other than those watching the game will realize it. And to be fair, the NFL supports their officials much more than MLB does. The league seems to not every comment on anything their umpires do good or bad. The NFL has a better business model because they are public with their opinions about players, coaches and officials.

Peace

One day people will realize that, at the end of the day, it's a game. Hell, my team lost last night and the sun is still high in the sky.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

One day people will realize that, at the end of the day, it's a game. Hell, my team lost last night and the sun is still high in the sky.

It is a game, but it is also a business whether you like it or not. And a business that has a lot of people watching even if it is about betting or fantasy leagues, the success of the NFL is unmatched. And when more people pay attention to your league, you tend to be more public. Also the NFL has a successful network and football dwarfs the ratings and concern that MLB has had in a very long time. It might just be a game to you, but if people do not like the product, they go somewhere else and spend their money.

Peace

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

One day people will realize that, at the end of the day, it's a game. Hell, my team lost last night and the sun is still high in the sky.

This is an apples to oranges comparison. The Eagles got beaten by the Cowboys fair and square. The Chargers got beaten by the officiating. Not fair. Not square. Am I bitter? Uh, yeah, shouldn't I be?

Ask Norv Turner if he's still pis$ed off about it. I haven't heard him say it's just a game yet. If the Donks had actually scored a touchdown without Hochuli's help there at the end, then I would have just said, "oh well, the losers lost again, big deal" and gone on about my day. But to have the obvious horrific call take the ball out of the Chargers' hands like that was way more than a fan should have to endure, and it absolutely ruined my Sunday.