Demoting MLB umpires

[MikeStrybel]

A number of threads focus on ridding MLB of crew members for bad calls. A good question was asked (but never answered) regarding the practice of punishing MLB umpires for bad calls. I offer this and know others can add to it with stories of those who deserve it, earned fines or simply walked away from the scrutiny.

Joe Torre is the MLB Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. Among his tasks is Umpire Management/Discipline. At his disposal are seven umpire supervisors: six with major-league umpiring experience, and another who is a longtime minor-league umpire in charge of developmental efforts at the Triple-A level. He also has on staff a special assistant and a director of umpire administration who manage a network of 11 field observers. They observe within a very specific set of parameters and do not have contact with the umpires. Each MLB umpire is evaluated for 55% of his games or so, with most being base assignments.

Virtually everything related to umpiring is scrutinized. From pitch-evaluation system, missed calls, ejections, demeanor, hustle, form, concentration and other situations they are all judged on a pass/fail system. Each of the 10-11 categories are graded in terms of exceeded / met / did not meet. They do not use a numerical grading scale for MLB crews. Playoff assignments are made after the supervisors meet for about three days in late September or early October. Their recommendations are given to Torre and then approved by Bud Selig’s office.

Joe Torre is the guy who handles umpire fines and suspensions - the former rarely making the news. MLB umpires are not demoted because of bad calls. Developmental discipline is not something they do. There is an understanding that umpires are human and mistakes happen. That is why Instant Replay is being considered as a tool for assisting them and why umpire conferences exist.

Crew members typically work a decade or so in MiLB before serving as a vacation/injury replacement. Some of those guys work years as a fill-in before getting the call. That’s a whole lot of experience, so demoting them for having a bad game/season is a huge penalty. Even with all of those games behind them, they are going to kick calls. The WUA and MLB protect them. Most of those guys are more critical of their performance than any review could ever be. Consider your most controversial game and you can appreciate the job they do every day.