MLB’s Umpire Problem Has Gotten Worse….

Major League Baseball has a huge issue with their umpires and EVERYONE knows it, however, they're getting even worse. The officials of baseball are making every single team lose games on terrible calls, ejections and even manager fights in MLB. These calls are brutal and they need to be stopped from ruining more games. Angel Hernandez is part of the issue with umpires in baseball
#mlb #baseball #springtraining #dodgers #ejection #ump

[@DontTreadOnUsBlog]

Baseball is a game of traditions, right? Well, in the early days of baseball, it was traditional for fans to come onto the field of play and beat the shit out of umpires for bad calls. Lets bring that tradition back.

[@peskytalk]

😭😭 1800s baseball must’ve been the most ridiculous thing on planet earth 😭😭

[@Lord_Bibulous]

​@@peskytalkNo this was in the 1900s too. Babe Ruth was suspended for attacking an umpire.

[@Lord_Bibulous]

Interestingly umpires getting beat up led to the creation of the Yankees.

[@patrickledonne5547]

Entirely factual and that part of baseball lives on to this day. Verbal abuse of umpires by team players and officials is far less tolerated in every other major sport, and is penalized more severely. The worst that happens in baseball is an individual is punished. In every other sport the team is assessed a punishment. Technical foul, 15 yards unsportsmanlike conduct, 2-5 minute penalty for unsportsmanlike. There is no real game penalty to the team if a coach or manager has an outburst at an umpire.

[@dougfowler1368]

​@peskytalk Yes, I remember reading of a sign in one ballpark in the 1880s, "Pplease do not kill the Empire. He is doing the best he can."

[@adamhustler3639]

"Fastball right down the middle for ball one" ... said without the slightest hint of shock, lmfao

[@nortoncancellation8817]

That line had me dying LOL

[@Rockhound6165]

Harry Kalas used to say that all the time. "Right over the plate for a ball."

[@adamhustler3639]

@@Rockhound6165 Is that who it is that's saying it in this video?

[@Rockhound6165]

@@adamhustler3639 no. Harry had passed away long before these plays.

[@philipearlmcg3964]

Classic

[@tetchypoo]

“Fastball is right down the middle for ball one” delivered with absolutely no inflection is my new favorite thing I’ve heard from an announcer.

[@jakobquick6875]

IMO gambling (long tradition in baseball) has a major part in these terrible calls.

[@thatmitsubishikid2498]

@@jakobquick6875considering umpires can almost control the game I wouldn’t doubt most umps having money on games

[@zubiproductions9440]

Umpires union shouldn’t be called a union. Should be called diplomatic immunity. Never seen anything so egregious where you literally can’t be fired for being terrible at your job and still rack in 6 figures. Most umpires are actually pretty good at what they do. But for the select few, they’re straight up ruining the game.

[@peskytalk]

They’re all good, that’s the tough part, it’s like a bad MLB player, he’s still GREAT at baseball, but it’s just, not good enough for the highest level 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@bobhillenbrand1112]

Little Leaguers can call better than many MLB umps. Actually.

[@NicEeEe843]

That’s how most unions work. It’s becomes very hard to fire people that need to be let go

[@slimslanginslinky]

@@peskytalkI understand this argument for any ump except Angel Hernandez. This would be like an MLB team signing a random men’s softball league player and refusing to cut him when he’s hitting .089 because he’s well… you know…

[@556guy]

Ever check out the teacher unions??

[@dillionedmonds5736]

Solution to the problem is teams outright refusing to play with certain umpires. Would force MLB to fire the entire union before long.

[@Redpoppy80]

Teams are too broad. Are you referring to owners or players? Each one has entirely different reasons for being silent to this.

[@dillionedmonds5736]

@@Redpoppy80 in cases like the Aaron Boone ejection the entire team should flat out refused to play under the Umpire as he has shown such a blatant bias against them that they are never going to get a fairly called game where that umpire is involved. If a few teams just start flat out refusing to take the field unless certain umpires are removed from a game (Which can happen as it has in the minor leagues) it wouldn't take long before the MLB Commissioner would be forced to replace the entire Umpire staff. No union can protect you if the entire union is fired, they might have to payout a fine, but they would lose much more revenue for entire games just not being played at all.

[@Redpoppy80]

@@dillionedmonds5736 Ok, if you are talking about the players themselves then I will point to the Players union discussion of 2022 where the Union had a number of complaints and demands to play games, and while they did get some minor concessions they allowed themselves to be screwed by the MLB owners in order to avoid a general strike when that was the ONLY way they were going to get their demands met. The reason they capitulated in their demands was because in their words, playing the game is their highest priority. That is, it. Now that is incomprehensible to me but that means that they will put up with the nonsense of current baseball including the umpire drama because not putting up with it means not playing baseball. Don't take my word for it, just look up the 2022 MLB Player VS Owners discussions. Logic is not the driving force behind the players union decisions here. Beyond that players of a team can't just decide among themselves to boycott a game because a bad umpire is calling, that is not how baseball works. The owners would have the players heads on pikes if they walked out without support from the Players Union.

[@mikekraner3966]

That's a violation of the collective bargaining agreement between everyone involved. So no.

[@BIGHEADjr51]

Ya totally lol

[@Itdoesntmatter48]

I'm 48 years old, so I've watched a LOT of baseball in my lifetime. I will never understand why teams won't refuse to take the field. If there's a consistently bad plate umpire about to call your game, don't go on the field. Both teams forfeit. Can you imagine how quickly both unions and mlb would jump to fix things? Talk about losing money hand over fist. Things would get fixed real quick.

[@bigbeezredsox]

Bc then mlb would just start fining teams and players or suspending them or both.. then the owners would have a breach claim with the players and coaches.. it just would never happen.

[@Itdoesntmatter48]

@@bigbeezredsox Probably. But MLB would also be in breach of contract... TV deals among them. Now what do you think they'd be more concerned with, fines of teams and players, or being sued from media outlets for not putting actual games on TV? All because the ump union won't do something about these umpires. The situation would get fixed with a very real quickness

[@wraithstrongopark]

@@Itdoesntmatter48 word. you gotta have balls(no pun intended)to affect change. . . umpires are the cops of baseball. generally unaccountable and fuck you.

[@kevinbushracing58]

I'm 63

[@paintballdude227]

You are a genius

[@AirbornChaos]

Angel Hernandez: I miss 4 calls a game Reality: He missed every 4th call a game.

[@odd-man-outSPORTS]

Not really. Sliders and curve balls are not correctly represented by the little circle shown on TV. That is where the catcher caught it, NOT where it crossed the plate.

[@pogotf]

@@odd-man-outSPORTS simply not true

[@nunzi83]

You know umpiring is getting worse and worse when the fans start knowing there names. Big problem also is some of these umpires are trying to make things about themselves. They must think ppl are showing up to games and watching them bc of them. Smh.

[@randomstuff508]

Not necessarily. Do you know who Pat Hoberg is? He's been consistently one of the best and most accurate umpires behind the plate as of late. We SHOULD know who the umpires are. We should know who the good ones are vs the bad ones.

[@teclishighloremasterofhoet7488]

@@randomstuff508exactly. This is the worst part of people who love to push this anti umpire narrative. Evetyone harps on the worst, most glaring examples. The average umpire is getting better and better. It’s the old guys like Angel who suck. I expect that as these younger guys get more in line with the tech, they will be just fine.

[@odd-man-outSPORTS]

MLB is tricking viewers into thinking these are bad calls. Use your brains. Do you know it is possible for a curve ball to hit the dirt, but still cross the plate high enough at the front end to be called a strike? Maybe none of you ever played baseball

[@mrjjman2010]

Happens In boxing and MMA with refs also

[@bIametheniIe]

No. You're failing victim to some cognitive biases like the availability heuristic bias and frequency illusion. You assert umps are getting worse based on seeing a bunch of videos showing bad calls when umps actually aren't getting worse. You also assert that because people know umps names because they're getting worse when in reality, some people know their names due to the thousands of videos and articles about umps. Others have known umps names by simply paying attention. In other words, your reasoning is massively flawed.

[@icaanul]

Announcer goes.... "Fastball is right down the middle for ball 1." I lmao'd

[@SSNESS]

You don’t make the rules

[@davidkirst1077]

“Fastball is right down the middle for ball one” 😂😂😂

[@SSNESS]

What’s your point

[@hanke2588]

Umpires should never be noticed in the game. It seems like they are showboating.

[@odd-man-outSPORTS]

Angel is calling the pitches correctly. It's the little circle shown on TV that is tricking viewers into thinking they are bad calls

[@rangerk9671]

@@odd-man-outSPORTSwhat about the fast balls down the middle and ones in the dirt before they even pass the player? I get sliders and curves but c'mon you can tell a fastball from any angel of its a strike or not

[@thomasmaple5250]

With one swing of the bat we'll never hear about an ump calling a bad game ever again

[@BIGHEADjr51]

Ya hit the ball stop whining

[@AdderTude]

@@BIGHEADjr51 Why try to hit a ball that's a foot outside the plate and still called a strike?

[@firemanking3271]

one of the best sound bites ever, "fastball right down the center for ball one"

[@77dlawson]

The fact managers can’t even officially protest anymore is ridiculous.

[@TrashPandaandCookieCat]

I have not watched in five years and I will not return until umpires are gone. I just cannot watch the incompetence.

[@SONICX1027]

We Red Sox fans remember Laz Diaz all too well, for all the wrong reasons

[@BenPlaysShorts]

True

[@BagelBrickz]

Omg yes

[@robertthetrucker6534]

All sports has become a joke. Baseball can’t call a strike&balls, NFL doesn’t know what a legal hit or catches are, NBA doesn’t know what a good scene is and MSL, doesn’t know what a fake fouls is. We the fans need to stop watching sports for a while and franchise’s owners will get the message.

[@ChipNov1998]

This system needs to change. I would not be surprised if it comes to physical blows

[@eugenerichards3977]

Until umps are held accountable people should stop attending games

[@aggeolukas]

This is the best comment so far

[@TheBetaChad.]

Boone just chilling looking at his nails chewing some gum and a random fan shouts at the ump getting Boone ejected is hilarious.

[@paulready8897]

The teams need to boycott the games

[@BIGHEADjr51]

Waaaah 😂

[@HydraDominus]

​@@BIGHEADjr51angel hernandez burner? Is that you?

[@frankdalton483]

We have had the technology to remove the ump for the plate for 15yrs the union just won’t give up the useless employees

[@mightya]

Prevent the worst ball/strike umps from working the plate. Send them to 2nd base with the appropriate cut in salary.

[@InnocentBloomingFlower-dxcksi6]

Finally someone’s covering this. Something has seemed very off this season... I’ve seen so many strikes counted as balls and vise versa. It’s getting ridiculous.

[@MikeRay1978]

Fastball right down the middle for ball one. lol

[@ImTooms]

Ball way off the plate, strike one lol.

[@entropysmith6965]

If fans would get together and boycott MLB, until they address the umpire issue,things would change real quick. People aren’t willing to give up the instant gratification of watching games though, In order to improve the product as a whole.

[@tylerguzda]

Who’s here after the Judge ejection 👇

[@peskytalk]

That was pretty awful

[@OrsilloFanClub]

He was disbarred from the game

[@billyskittles1036]

No one cares about ol’ “shifty eyes/throw my hand up and bat down a thrown ball” Judge.

[@bobsyoruncle4583]

Baseball has always used umpires behind the plate because they needed a way to arbitrate balls and strikes, and they had no other method of doing so. The idea has always been to have a clearly defined strike zone and identify balls and strikes as accurately as possible so that the outcome of games is determined in accordance with the rules. The introduction of the visual electronic strike zone decades ago has put on full display the extent to which umpires are incapable of accurately identifying a large percentage of both balls and strikes in virtually every game across the league. The 2d strikebox would immediately eliminate 95% of these errors, but they already have a 3d version which covers all portions of the plate for late-breaking off-speed pitches that might catch the back end. The automated strike zone rewards good pitching and plate discipline by hitters - umpires punish both. The "traditionalists" want incompetent umpiring to go on determining the outcome of games, but the full introduction of the electronic strike zone would be so seamless it would practically go unnoticed. There would still be an umpire behind the plate calling balls and strikes - the only difference is that he would be relaying the call instantaneously from the auto-strike system via an ear-piece. This talk about a "challenge" system is just a way to perpetuate the problem and cause lots of unnecessary delays - if the auto-strike zone is going to be the final determiner of challenges then just let it do the job the whole game.

[@BigD509631]

What's funny is the last few player ejections I've seen were for them arguing when the "robot" confirmed the umpire's call.

[@BIGHEADjr51]

Exactly

[@Dustin.Born.]

In 15~ years or so, the Major League Baseball Umpires Association, the Umpire Union. Will be gone.. in SOME capacity, whether a different collective agreement or, hopefully, the MLB finds something better, and baseball will be controlled completely by AI and sensors. Or by kids because umps these day are both little cry babies and can't see a ball traveling 90~ MPH in the right spot behind the catcher, probably because the kids can't see over the catcher. Whatever. Robot Baseball League. RBL. 2041 The MLB will never or can't dissolve their little union, but there needs to be better punishment for being a totally worthless umpire. More than 15% missed Ball/Strike call = 15-game unpaid suspension Starting or instigating a player to the point of ejection = 3 month suspension / fine Being Angel Hernandez = 162 game suspension for 35 years. Also, according to MLB: "As of March 2024, the average salary for a Major League Baseball (MLB) umpire is around $300,000, with a starting salary of $150,000 and long-term veterans earning up to $450,000. Umpires who work in the postseason can earn up to $500,000 per year" Umpires who disrespect the game should be fined enough to make them think of their choices. Say 20% of yearly salary fine. Just something. We all are tired of these idiots. I mean, besides salaries, what has changed for their union since 1970 when it was created? I mean the ONLY reason it was created was because of greed because NBA refs were getting paid like $100 more than MLB umps or because of postseason games. God. I'm sorry. I hate every single beady eyed, God-Complex, man child that we call umps.

[@VoidStaredBack]

Angel and Bob GOTTA go. I'm ready for the robots.

[@VoidStaredBack]

and Joe West. He can go retire.

[@peskytalk]

Joe west has already retired!

[@VoidStaredBack]

@@peskytalk just saying that he was a horrible ump as well, should have specified.

[@rweisele]

Well, when they install the electronic pitch/strike calling system it will knock out the sneaky catcher who is so adept at catching the ball and dragging his glove over the plate so the Umpire only sees that his glove indicates a strike when in fact it was a ball 3 inches outside of the box, but the quick handed catcher was able to make it look like it was a strike. That will bring a great deal of fairness back to the game for the pitchers that are the ones who get robbed the worst because of the statistics that are slanted instead of being factual. Then it will also help the batters who have a very inate sense of whether the ball is over the plate, edge of the plate of too high or too low, and it gets called a strike when it isn't.

[@ericwarren715]

I don’t see why major-league baseball can’t just go completely, and totally electronic and do away with all the umpires and the umpires union.

[@LemonStir]

Ok well if we're going that terrible logic, why don't your boss go totally electronic and get away with you?

[@ericwarren715]

@@LemonStir I work in a factory I build driveshafts for a living and trust me. My industry is well on its way to being mostly robotic.

[@ericwarren715]

@@LemonStir And if the umpires union is unwilling to do something about the three or four umpires that are destroying the integrity of the game then the hell with them do away with them all.

[@city6291]

Agreed, umpires should only be on the field to convey balls, strikes, and outs as the computer tells them as well as handling the people stuff. Balls, strikes should be electronic for sure like goal line technology for soccer.

[@randomstuff508]

I'd like to see a robot interpret the many rules that baseball has.

[@patrickledonne5547]

In a game where players are replaced if they're not good enough or if their performance falters, umpires should be held to the same criteria. When evaluating umpires extra emphasis should be put on balls and strikes and other non reviewable plays. Bad calls on bang bang plays at 1B are fixable with replay. A bad strike zone is not. If they dont make muster, demote them to AAA for development and give the top umpiring prospects a shot

[@peskytalk]

Agreed!

[@COOP416]

Actually a strike zone can be fixed with AI calling. So easy to fix this situation.

[@MegaDog2012]

So umpires are kinda like cops, way too much power and ego maniacs

[@piccol79]

Everyone agrees that the union is the problem, until its time to criticize unions.

[@gbonkers666]

or the union guys start chasing you all around the bases.

[@matthewkendall7791]

As someone who is in a union and very pro union, unions should exist to keep a balance of power with the ownership, not take power. Any time there is a power imbalance, you breed corruption on either side.

[@barbecueman6352]

Unions should exist to protect good workers from bad employers and conditions, not to protect bad performing workers from the consequences of utterly failing at their jobs

[@redick04clay]

It’s slippery slope to start getting rid of any unions

[@AdderTude]

@@barbecueman6352 Yep. This. The UFCW is particularly bad about this. Same with teachers unions.

[@MB-ed2qj]

Umpires are like Weather men. They can be 50% right and still keep they're job.

[@myghkl]

I'd like to know more about how and why the no-fault contract with the MLBUA got signed. I'm pretty sure complete immunity from termination doesn't exist in any other industry. I also would like to know who decides to send an umpire down to the minors and who's getting kickbacks from Hernandez, Bucknor and others.

[@rustyshackelford3371]

Those umps have dirt on their supervisors. That's how they get away with their incompetence.

[@rustyshackelford3371]

Ok, KZbin, why you immediately deleting my comments here?

[@AdderTude]

"Complete immunity from termination" exists with teachers unions. If a teacher isn't caught doing something illegal or NSFW, they practically can't be fired if they suck at their jobs.

[@bigjared8946]

"complete immunity from termination doesn't exist in any other industry" wait until you hear about the police...

[@williamchilcott2833]

It was announced yesterday Angel Hernandez is retiring effective immediately.

[@peskytalk]

Yes sir

[@tannerhowell3060]

This man is criminally underrated how do you only have 2k subscribers

[@peskytalk]

Thank you 🤝

[@adamflora3452]

They (the MLB) will only notice and change when these umps cost them money. How can that happen? We stop going to games and/or watching them.

[@onehitterquitter2130]

The fans need to boycot. It will never happen.

[@slyjokerg]

There is a shitload of bad umpires... most of them, actually... but it isn't just about missing calls. It is about HOW BAD the calls are. The at bat with Wyatt Langford is about as bad as anyone has ever fucked up calling strikes. Angel Hernandez makes countless HORRENDOUS calls every game he is behind the plate, and he is awful when manning one of the other bases as well. Some ump might miss more calls that are close, but that isn't the be all and end all of it. The obvious gaffes by Hernandez are so frequent and so consistently bad that he is on a planet by himself.

[@ronswinford4952]

The Umpires Union and MLB are to blame for this. Some of the egos these guys have is unbelievable, but when you have so many really bad umps that keep their job year after year, they think they are untouchable and act that way. Want to stop it, fire the bottom third of the umpires one day, call up guys from the minors to replace them. Offer the fired umps one chance to go down to A ball and re-learn how to call games, if they refuse, they are done.

[@lastbestplace8112]

Wouldn’t doubt if umps are being paid off to throw calls…

[@detroitpolak9904]

Hard to believe Hernandez WASN’T responsible for Armando Galarraga not pitching a perfect game.

[@blazingpedals]

Angle Hernandez would stop being a problem if the player's union declared that all of their players would boycott any game that he was working. The umpire association can keep him on salary, as long as he's not screwing up games.

[@zenglider2145]

good example of "absolute power corrupts absolutely".

[@TheChefMTF]

One of the biggest problems is catchers pitch framing and the ump falling for it

[@Hellmuth4]

The main reason I don't watch. We have cameras, we don't need umpires.

[@heatmoon]

The new guys are really good, just got to wait out the old guard. Baseball is about nostalgia, and losing the umpires is too much. How would hitters get calls, an AI voice punped into their ears?

[@liamburke1436]

Boston UNIVERSITY not Boston COLLEGE. Every damn time…

[@GulsCult]

It's not a question of who has the most impact on a game. It's a question of who do the fans pay hard earned cash to come see play? Nobody shells out a few hundred bucks to take their family to see the umpires. They come to see the PLAYERS. And when an ump ejects them for ego reasons, it's robbing the fans of that experience.

[@SknappCFA]

“You guys all want Angel Hernandez.” This statement is why he’s still around. Everyone, including MLB, wants him because he’s great for ratings.

[@heedrix]

Fans need to stop attending games that Angel is part of.

[@bryansimmons3723]

The ump issues drove me from watching mlb. It was getting bad 7 or 8 years ago, and just getting worse.

[@olslimy6428]

I honestly think they don't really need to just replace umpires with "robots" (AI/ML-based devices with sensors or whatever). Just set a level of ACCOUNTABILITY for EVERY umpire so they won't make stupid calls or eject people for the slightest BS. We've seen that younger umpires are also getting better, so I guess they need to also improve on their training and selection process to produce the best possible umpires. On that note, they also need to bring those younger better umpires up to the majors (get the old guards away from the field or at least the home plate, they're totally showing their age and pettiness).

[@tnolddawg]

If the union doesn't provide accountability, MLB may simply fail to renew their contract for performance detrimental to the game Then All MLB Umpires are out of work labeled "unreliable and obsolete "

[@HistorysRaven]

I know we like to talk about the umpire union, but I'm not entirely sure that's the ONLY thing we need to talk about. The other thing is the number of umpires. In 2018, there were 92 umpires in the MLB; 76 full time umpires and 16 from the AAA that are eligible to umpire MLB games. I can't find a total number for A-AAA, but it seems like only 30 people are offered MiLB umpire jobs after going through Minor League Umpire Development each year. My estimate for total umpires in the system is around 300, 400 at most. That sounds like a lot, but then we also have to look at how long most of the umpires have been calling games and how often MLB umpires retire.

[@sheldonfite4822]

MLB umpires today they are more concerned about salary than calling a consistent game behind the plate or in the field

[@icaanul]

The younger umpires better start confronting these horrible old timers or they will be out of their jobs(replaced by computer) and those old timers will still be getting their pension.

[@djsevens2576]

The fact that angel Hernandez still has a job is such a joke! The man couldn’t call a cab correctly!

[@GenX-Rising]

Hernandez is literally one stupid remark from getting "accidently" getting knocked the hell out by both teams

[@moral19D]

Qualified immunity for the umps? The horrible calls by umps are why I stopped going to live games. Hell, I rarely watch baseball on tv anymore.

[@brandonessert2352]

It’s not an umpire issue. It’s rigging baseball games for online sport betting. The best teams do the worst and worse teams float into World Series. But I do have an idea before every season that owners meet up and have a silent auction on what team will pay their way in.

[@WowOafus]

As someone who is very pro-union, the umpire union needs to go. Unions should only be protecting them from bullshit excuses for firing. Legit reasons shouldn’t have to be fought

[@Redpoppy80]

Completely agree. It is obvious that the Umpires Union has become the very Mafia state that Unions are supposed to fight. There is no accountability anywhere for their egregious screw ups and no punishments for Umpires when they turn Tyrant.

[@tombuchmann8248]

I can't watch a game anymore. Rule changes have changed the professional game to that what is now the equivalent of a t-ball league. Pretty soon you will see 4 foul balls is an out. I also feel the umpires have no idea what they are doing. I recall a certain Portland Longshoreman union going on strike and the largest terminal on the west coast had the carpet pulled out from under them when the whole operation closed and moved to Long Beach. These umps will soon see the game transition to the camera and video. Strike zone sensors with one bang for a strike and two bangs for a ball replicating sounds of a Houston garbage can.

[@phoebeflanders]

Unions don't necessarily prevent accountability. Management's inability to negotiate reasonably is more of an issue.

[@layzygaming945]

It's power. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[@tankwfw]

There may be umps with worst stats than Angel, but I have never seen an umpire make as egregious calls behind home plate as Angel has consistently

[@thatguyineverycommentssection]

just imagine how umpiring would have been back then if cars looked different

[@prote3253]

With modern technology in sports, I don't even understand why we need to have ref's or umpires. They allow such a large degree of human error that have definitely impacted outcomes of games. Also, if you're mad at these guys union, realize that's almost every union now days that prevent horrible people from being fired.

[@TheVagolfer]

It's not just having the union, it's the arrogance of having a union.

[@Ineverleft604]

Well then give those umpires augment reality glasses, with the strike zone in it. We all see ppl with it on looking weird lol

[@corymcewen5943]

With the invention of replays on the field, it's even worse. A umpire doesn't have to get it right, who cares they just make a call.

[@dogster486]

I'm tired of umpires affecting the game I love. I agree with some of the comments. The players should refuse to play if there is a bad umpire. Then baseball would have to discipline them like they should be. It's getting out of hand.

[@greathoonta3461]

The MLB should just tank the potential lawsuit and fire the 10 worst umpires in the league. They could do this by setting a minimum correct call percent at where they can reasonably expect umpires to call based on the average of multiple retired umpires expert opinions (preferably some of the best) Then when umpires are below that line they can combine that as well as any other things they do that disrupt the fairness, safety, flow, and fun of games with video footage recorded of the incidents as well as evidence they can fire them. At that point there is NOTHING the union can do. The league set a bar they expect their umpires to uphold, the umpires didn’t uphold it, and so they get fired. Go ahead and sue MLB, they have tons of money to easily fight it and win it. On top of that, umpires not being able to meet a bonafide work requirement (such as a correct call percent chosen by veterans of the job, or failing to make the game fair, fun, safe, and keeping the flow) is a legit reason to fire someone because they aren’t doing their job. Union or not, there isn’t anything beyond legal bullying you can do to a company for firing someone.

[@user-ck2ym4nh5i]

Wondering if these umps are all in cahoots to make wrong calls on purpose

[@peskytalk]

Probably not… but it would be crazy

[@Redpoppy80]

Clips from Umpires gathered over the years. Suggest that No. It is not on purpose. But Umpires also have no innate force demanding them to perform to an accepted or consistent standard. If an Umpire screws up, they all just go "Se La Vie", shrug their shoulders and move on to the next day. They are far more concerned about keeping order in a game and not having people curse at them. They are also extremely tight nit and anything that offends ONE Umpire offends them ALL. In their minds all of them are as good as their best umpire reality be damned.

[@HiThereFaceHere]

I have no doubt that since all this online sports betting started that umps are betting on games

[@xstugee]

Since the inception of Manfred as Commissioner of the game, it has changed drastically and not at all for the better.....bring on Bob Costas, a guy who is brilliant and truly loves this great game.

[@dman5527x]

If umpires want their jobs for the forseeable future, the umpires association needs to start either punishing umpires for mistakes OR preferably, they need to stop mandating that every ump on every crew call balls and strikes. If they want need I don't want an automated strike zone, but with modern teaching techniques umpires should be as accurate as ever, and i think the fact that 50 plus year olds are being forced to call balls and strikes in 80 degree or 30 degree weather all throughout the season is a big part of hurting that badly.

[@JohnnyWhite-qr4pe]

And this angel, is why parents and players of little league and high school have become the way they are ,hatred for umpires

[@johnviera3884]

0:05 guilty AF his instant 70ms reaction to the ejection is blatantly guilty.

[@machwiz]

Honestly I’ve always wanted to watch baseball but bro having a game decided by an ump is not appealing to me

[@NorthInium]

I love baseball as a european I always wanted to play it but its rather rare to find a club that actually plays Baseball. Seeing how the sport gets ruined in america is crazy to me. All MLB clubs should band together and quit the MLB and create a new league without MLB or the Umpire union being a thing. With that they could rekindle the sport but if they continue with the current trajectory the sport will die out.

[@chris49749]

Umps are the whole reason I quit watching baseball, they are literally ruining the game

[@travishancock2302]

The only reason they’re still umpires in MLB today is because of the gambling.

[@dallasbeck1778]

Any ump that calls strikes like a softball ump doesn’t belong in the league period

[@mattmeagher365]

Teams should refuse to play until the bottom 10% of umpires are removed.

[@MrTAPrimo]

Perhaps the MLB is complicit. Why would they not Crack down and raise standards?? Maybe they want certain teams to win and certain teams to lose..at the expense of a "crappy umpire "...

[@AdderTude]

No, because Manfred is utterly dickless and does whatever the union wants him to do.

[@queueeeee9000]

Check swing at 10:36 is a bad example. 1) the angle of the camera is not perpendicular to home plate. 2) Harper's swing is really close. His wrists seem to be past the plate, which is what matters. Doesnt matter about the angle of the bat, its if the bat in general crosses the plate. Thats kind of why a bunt is a strike even if the bat isn't angled past the plate.

[@williamcarson2478]

I rarely watch baseball anymore. Lousy umpiring is the reason.

[@JetScreamer24]

Just like a union, protect the worst workers and their job. In the real world they would've been fired a long time ago.

[@tbicks2822]

If umpires had any sense of humility, it would be less painful. I say, add the challenge system, and put it up on the big screen every time so that the umpires have to physically watch their godawful calls like the rest of us. Should take away their smugness quite effectively.

[@mikep1085]

MLB umpires and weathermen. The only professions where you can be wrong so many times, yet still keep your job!

[@cAmaN18rEaL]

Aaron boone is a savage and i love it

[@13randydandy]

Like the old adage asks, "What do you call the student that finishes last in med school"? DOCTOR

[@user-kl6bv8qi7f]

As someone who bets, it’s ridiculous. Home plate umps are missing on average 15 pitches a game. Changes the whole at bat

[@josephtitus5459]

Who has the worst union? Cops or umpires? Cops probably cops.

[@AdderTude]

I'd say umpires. Many police departments are not unionized and even some that are caught doing criminal activity are arrested, charged, and convicted. With umpires, they have practically carte blanche with baseball due to the CBA. Nobody can get fired.

[@andrewbloom7694]

6:36 Everything else aside though this is one of the funniest clips in baseball history. I refuse to change my mind on this lol

[@evankline-ew2rg]

i absolutely Love how a Boston college student pool did a research report on this stuff.. absolute gold.