Great audio from Greg Gibson (Warning: Ejection Video)
 

If you don't like ejection videos, don't click the link. This one is good because you can hear almost the entire exchange. Notice the rat announcers defending Greinke and claiming that if the umpires just let the players walk all over them, none of the fans know anything is going on.

I love Gibson's "You know what, get outta here!", followed by the "You're not going to say anything to me like that".

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | BOS@KC: Greinke is ejected from the bench - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

Hillman gets dumped the next inning for throwing a fit when Gibson warns both benches for throwing at batters. As expected, the announcers were still rats in the fourth inning.

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | BOS@KC: Hillman is ejected for arguing with the ump - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

IMO, there was no need for the PU to go ape when making his warnings. When umpires get accused of trying to part of the game, this is the type of stuff that gets referenced. That was awful game management skills that, in the end, proved counterproductive.

I find it funny that Hillman wanted or tried to go toe to toe with big Tim McClelland. Whether the PU was right or wrong is beside the point, you don't sit in the dugout and sniper at an umpire. I think both ejections were justified.

The first one with Greinke was absolutely correct. He was being an idiot.

Hillman definitely deserved to go in the second one. If Gibson doesn't give a warning, then if someone gets hit and he tosses a pitcher, the rats all squeal because he didn't warn anyone. They can't have it both ways.

Hillman knows his time in K.C. is limited, so I bet he knows he has nothing to lose.

I love the "nobody in the ballpark would have even known what was happening until the big mean umpire threw one of our guys out" line. :rolleyes:

Couple of idiots in the dugout, and two more in the booth.

#53 rules!
 

Hey, that's my number! Nicely done, and well-warranted, IMO.

Exactly. So in other words, a Rat can say about anything he wants as long as no one in the stands can hear it or see him yelling it.

Reminds me of the story Evans tells of the batter who calmy and quietly called him a cocks^cker. Evans dumped him. The manager argues "are you going to toss him for just saying that?"

Jim relpies, "Got to, or the catcher might believe it's true."

I heard Grinke say, "hey Greg" couldnt make out the rest. Anyone make it out?

That's the way they warn in the major league. Point at the pitcher, point at both dugouts.

Hillman was getting run no matter what. Doesn't matter, next season Gibson will be a major league umpire and Hillman will be another obscure former manager. I also think Gibson is one of the best umpires in the big leagues, for the little that's worth.

Greinke--Hey Greg--Whats's going on with the strike zone.???????from here.(this is the part that is hard to hear).
Gibson---What
Greinke---What are you calling a strike??
Gibson--You know what--get outta here. You're not going to say anything to me like that.

I've always liked Gibson too. Tichenor is becoming one of my favorites as well.

It was the crazed emotion that went along with the warnings that was flat out bizarre. Jeez, you'd think they were aiming for his head, and not the batters. No reason to get pissed off and make a show about it. Step forward, and make your point.

And then to have some sort of foam-at-the-mouth argument in the middle of the field is uncalled for. They looked like nine year olds on the playground. Look, if you, as an umpire, get red in the face from shouting at anyone, you've lost control. And I realize that it's show business, and it's for the entertainment of the masses. But that just looked like pro wrestling, as opposed to the civilized game of baseball. There's no need for that. None.

There appears to have been 2 pitches thrown at the batters head, or maybe 1 on a previous batter and one on the batter in the video. The argument is that it was a curve-ball in which the warning was given and not a fastball. Any off-speed pitch, even if it was intentional and at the head, will always draw an argument. Gibson is arguing with the curve-ball point because he still believes it was intentional, at the head, and because of a previous pitch thrown at a batter's head, and is saying to the manager, wouldn't you want me to defend your team.

Of course, once the warning is given, the opposing team losses its chance at a free shot on the other team, and has to decide whether to retaliate and take the ejection, or wait until the next series, or Spring Training, as has happened in the past when the two do not play each other the rest of the season.

RMSN--As everyone knows, the top 36 MLBU are selected for assignments each season. While every umpires goal is to be the best, (i.e.-#1 rated umpire), obviously everyone cannot be #1. There has to be a #1 and a #68 each year. So, an umpire that rates between #37-40 his entire career will never see (at least theoretically) a playoff assignment. If they go to a true merit system where only the top 24 are picked, an umpire could rate 25-30 every year and theoretically never receive an assignment during his whole career.
While never making the playoffs probably would bother one to no end, I would gladly (while striving my whole career to be #1) be rated in the top 40-60% of umpires my entire career (no I would not enjoy being rated last) and still be a MLBU. Since 2001, Mr. Gibson has received a play-off assignment, every year but 2002 & 2008. As of yesterday, all umpires working a Division assignment have been notified. It should be out on Tuesday from MLB if things are like last year. Glad to hear you like Mr. Gibson.

Looks like Gibson has made the ALDS with Joe West.

WS umpires will come from this group (Tschida ineligible).


2009 Division Series Umpire Assignments

American League Division Series between the A.L. Central Champions and the New York Yankees:

Game One Umpire Previous Career Postseason Assignments

HP Tim Tschida* 8 DS (1996-98, 01-02, 06-08); 3 LCS (1993, 99-00);
3 WS (1998, 02, 08)
1B Chuck Meriwether 7 DS (1998-02, 04, 07); 2 LCS (2003, 06);
2 WS (2004, 07)
2B Mark Wegner 4 DS (2003-05, 08); 1 LCS (2007)
3B Paul Emmel 4 DS (2002-03, 06, 08); 1 LCS (2007)
LF Jim Joyce 7 DS (1995, 98-99, 01-03, 08); 4 LCS (1997,04,6-07);
2 WS (1999, 01)
RF Phil Cuzzi 2 DS (2003-04); 1 LCS (2005)


National League Division Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers:
Game One Umpire Previous Career Postseason Assignments

HP Dana DeMuth* 5 DS (1996-97, 99, 01, 08); 5 LCS (1991,95,00,02,07);
3 WS (1993, 98, 01)
1B Brian O’Nora 2 DS (2004, 06); 1 LCS (2008)
2B Mike Everitt 5 DS (2001, 04-07); 3 LCS (2002-03, 08); 1 WS (07)
3B Jeff Nelson 4 DS (2000-01, 05, 08); 2 LCS (2002, 04); 1 WS (2005)
LF Ed Rapuano 6 DS (1997-98, 01, 03, 06, 08);5 LCS(1999-00,02,04,07)
2 WS(2001, 03)
RF Tony Randazzo 2 DS (2004, 06)


ALDS between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:
Game One Umpire Previous Career Postseason Assignments

HP Joe West* 4 DS (1995, 02, 05, 08); 7 LCS (1981, 86, 88, 93, 96,03,04)
3 WS (1992, 97, 05)
1B CB Bucknor 2 DS (2007-08)
2B Eric Cooper 4 DS (2003, 05-06, 08); 1 LCS (2004)
3B Greg Gibson 5 DS (2001, 03-04, 06-07); 1 LCS (2005)
LF Brian Gorman 7 DS (1997, 99-01, 03-04, 06); 3 LCS (2002, 07-08); 1
WS (2004)
RF Dan Iassogna 2 DS (2005, 07)


NLDS between the Colorado Rockies and the Philadelphia Phillies:
Game One Umpire Previous Career Postseason Assignments

HP Gerry Davis* 8 DS (1996, 99, 02-04, 06-08); 7 LCS (1990, 92, 95, 98,
00-01, 05); 3 WS (1996, 99, 04)
1B Bob Davidson 2 DS (1995, 98); 3 LCS (1988, 91, 96); 1 WS (1992)
2B Jerry Meals 3 DS (1999, 04-05); 1 LCS (2008)
3B Ron Kulpa 5 DS (2001-02, 2006-08); 1 LCS (2005)
LF Angel Hernandez 4 DS (1997-98, 02, 05); 6 LCS (2000-01, 03-04,
07-08); 2 WS (2002, 05)
RF Tim Timmons 1 DS (2005)

* - Indicates Crew Chief

The Detroit/Minn game will be

HP-Marsh, 1B-Scott, 2B-Layne, 3B-Cederstrom, LF-Culbreth, RF-Dreckman
# # #

You're still making this sound like an achievement. They rotate through post-season assignments now.

That's not true. Look at the post-season records of Hohn, Carlson, B. Welke, or Schrieber. There's still some merit involved, though the push has been for "rotation."

Could you explain this rotation in "detail" (bore me with the details). How do they go about making all the assignments each year? Since it is rotated, tell us who will be rotated into the playoffs for each round next year, so we do not have to wait for the press release. I have always wondered how the entire process works from behind closed doors until the press release. Which umpires are actually achieving in today's system, since achievement is so hard to come by and what is their numerical rating from 1 to 68?

When were the playoffs not rotated (not even one little bit for any reason), and only the achieving umpires for that season received the assignment. How was that rating determined, and what went on behind closed doors when the system was not rotated, and the assignments were an "achievement".

I have been waiting for someone who knows the whole system for playoff assignments to explain it. Thanks for your help.

Admittedly, the fastball is the easiest pitch with which to make a high quality statement with. You really can't call a curve a high quality 'purpose' pitch, I mean, at 70 MPH??? Of course, I don't work 'high quality' amatuer ball.

Hmmm...I would feel a bit less in danger if I knew the only thing being thrown at me was 70 MPH curves, which are much harder to aim at my exposed face then 85 MPH heaters. If your point was that a curve could be directed at a batter's noggin, I would agree.

Any ball I happen to work is fun, challenging and educational. If it wasn't, I wouldn't be working the games.

Everyone has a choice to work games or not. When the enjoyment is gone, maybe it's time to hang them up??

I am not incorrect. My experience is not the same as your's, but that does not make my observations incorrect or invalid. I have not done a survey, but I would venture to guess that nearly 80% of the officials I work with do so because they enjoy the game. Of the 100 or so that I work with, I only know of a few who work games JUST for the money. Your mileage may vary and you may indeed make a living out of officiating high quality amatuer ball. I don't.

I enjoy getting paid for the games I work. And I wouldn't do it for free. But you couldn't pay me enough to work games if I didn't absolutely love umpiring with every fiber of my old, tired being.

Agreed, Steve. I too enjoy the pay, but when it gets too much like work, I'm done. I'm there because I want to be, not because I have to be.

As I once heard a basketball official say (to a parent), "I officiate for free, but they have to pay me to listen to the parents b!tch."

That's okay. Bob and Steve will still be here at the end of the day. You, OTOH, I'm not quite so sure about. Bye now, troll.

Between Patrino, Steve and me, we cover California, which is usually a good sampling of anything baseball.

I also know very few if any umpires who do it because they need the money, rather than for the love of umpiring. Anyone who contends otherwise is usually indicating a total lack of umpiring experience of any ... quality.

My Edsel runs good, thank you.

Edsel
 

Why did they stop putting tail fins on automobiles?