Policing terrible umpires

[padrefanforever]

This topic has been in a number of forums including this one and discussions everywhere, and after talking about it on another forum I think I have an idea for MLB. This is a different idea, and would likely never happen, but it would allow MLB to police consistantly poor umpiring on the spot, when it happens, and I think this is the only way we're going to see any change from umpires aside from an all out house cleaning.

I posed this on another forum, but I've interested in what the members here think about it....keep in mind it's just an idea.

We all know and agree that human errors happen and thats part of the game, but when an umpire is consistantly bad, it's nolonger an error, it's become a quality control issue. That can be fixed with another umpire taking over.

Why couldn't the two managers of each team involved in a poorly called game, get together and decide they want a shift in umpires ? For instance, both SF and SD were getting squeezed horribly, so why not allow them to call for a change mid game? Yes it's a different thought, and would disrupt the flow inbetween innings, but far less than the alternative has and does.

If this were allowed it would be such a slap in the face reprimand to any umpire getting replaced, that instead of carrying a chip around on their shoulders, they would all likely take more pride in calling a good fair game so that it never happened to them. Something like that could be a simple and easy way for MLB to police these situations which would have a huge effect, and likely better the game.

MLB can't fine, suspend or demote umpires, which is wrong to begin with, but maybe they could work out something like this...

[love_that_reefer]

Because it's fair to both teams if they are equally bad. It doesn't change anything. Umpires get reviews just like in all walks of life.

[JayDawg27]

I like your idea in concept but think the umpires would strike at an idea like that.

How do you think they would accept the idea of being made to look really bad on national TV and the 25K+ fans at a game.

Plus the managers would get together and make a change everytime they dont like the calls cause they are not going in their favor even if they are good calls.

Plus it was cause a bigger us against them mentality and potentially break down any good relations between the teams and the umps.

Finally they could potentially black list a certain Ump or a few of them so they never get to call a game, I mean if an ump gets a certain rep, he will undoubtadely always be rotated out after an inning or two.

It just would never fly.

[HollywoodLeo]

Because it's fair to both teams if they are equally bad. It doesn't change anything. Umpires get reviews just like in all walks of life.

So it's ok for the Umps to suck if they suck against both teams?

Terrible logic, LTR.

And this has nothing to do with the screwjob put on Clay Hensley.

I find it laughable that you find it ok for people to not be reprimanded for not doing their job correctly.

[love_that_reefer]

I just said they get reviewed didn't I? If they do a bad job, they hear about it!!!! It's a really dumb idea to have managers ask to have umpires shift! They shift every other night. Where are you getting lost and of course this has to do with the game the other night or else this wouldn't have been brought up. If the umpires sucks, he hears about it from the top dogs as they all get reviewed. It's apart of the game and has been ever since the beginning. If they suck, it is to no advantage to anyone!!!

[padrefanforever]

I like your idea in concept but think the umpires would strike at an idea like that.

So what, let them.....there are plenty of umpires out there and this might just force them to do their job better.

How do you think they would accept the idea of being made to look really bad on national TV and the 25K+ fans at a game.

My guess is that the threat of this happening would force them to make better, and more consistant calls so they aren't showed up in from of 25000 fans

Plus the managers would get together and make a change everytime they dont like the calls cause they are not going in their favor even if they are good calls.

If the calls are going for us, and not the opposing team this would make sense, but we're talking about both managers of each team having to agree that the umpire is doing a terrible job. This isn't something that would happen if the calls were only going one way.

Plus it was cause a bigger us against them mentality and potentially break down any good relations between the teams and the umps.

The umpires are causing this already, and IMO it's time to knock them all the way back to where they belong. In fact, I believe they should be subject to fines/suspensions and demotions by MLB to begin with.

Finally they could potentially black list a certain Ump or a few of them so they never get to call a game, I mean if an ump gets a certain rep, he will undoubtadely always be rotated out after an inning or two.

No, that's going a bit far. This is where MLB polices the teams to make sure they aren't taking advantage of anything as they already do.

Anyway it's just an idea. If anyone else has a plausible solution, please share it with the rest of us.

[padrefanforever]

I just said they get reviewed didn't I? If they do a bad job, they hear about it!!!! It's a really dumb idea to have managers ask to have umpires shift! They shift every other night. Where are you getting lost and of course this has to do with the game the other night or else this wouldn't have been brought up. If the umpires sucks, he hears about it from the top dogs as they all get reviewed. It's apart of the game and has been ever since the beginning. If they suck, it is to no advantage to anyone!!!

The only "dumb idea" is the idea that everything is ok and nothing should be done at all.

As far as their reviews, it's a total joke and you know it. When was the last time an umpire lost his job because of poor performance ? When was the last time we heard of an umpire being demoted for poor performance ?

Oh yah.....NEVER

[HollywoodLeo]

I just said they get reviewed didn't I? If they do a bad job, they hear about it!!!! It's a really dumb idea to have managers ask to have umpires shift! They shift every other night. Where are you getting lost and of course this has to do with the game the other night or else this wouldn't have been brought up. If the umpires sucks, he hears about it from the top dogs as they all get reviewed. It's apart of the game and has been ever since the beginning. If they suck, it is to no advantage to anyone!!!

To be fair, I have yet to fully read through pff's post and I will do so now to see what I think of his proposal.

I just wasn't shocked to see you as the first response in here automatically scoffing at any idea to put a bit more accountability on umpires under the defense of "Yeah, they suck, but their sucking effects both teams!"

And, on a side note, please chill with the exclamation points. This isn't a matter of national security. If I don't agree with you on something it's not like i'm going to cost 1,000 civilians their lives.

[HollywoodLeo]

Having read the initial post, I like the idea, but not the proposal.

It should be someone else's call, and not the managers'

That would lead to a biased manager calling for a switch if he doesn't agree with fair calls.

[HollywoodLeo]

I like your idea in concept but think the umpires would strike at an idea like that.

That's pretty much a given. I treat a debate like this the same way I treat a debate on whether or not baseball needs a salary cap.

A nice idea that you can argue for, despite the fact that you know it'll never come into place because those that would be effected would strike.

[padrefanforever]

Having read the initial post, I like the idea, but not the proposal.

It should be someone else's call, and not the managers'

That would lead to a biased manager calling for a switch if he doesn't agree with fair calls.

HWood......this is why I think both managers would have to agree.....this would stop any one manager from whining. If both agree, both make the call, not just one or the other. But finding a neutral person in stadium to make the call would work just the same.......The whole idea is to get an umpire doing a bad job out from behind the plate.

[padrefanforever]

And, on a side note, please chill with the exclamation points. This isn't a matter of national security. If I don't agree with you on something it's not like i'm going to cost 1,000 civilians their lives.

[HollywoodLeo]

The problem is, if Bochy sees that the umpire is holding a grudge on Clay Hensley and getting all his players on base do you think he's going to agree with Bud Black when Bud complains?

[JayDawg27]

It would never fly dude no matter how much you argue it. It's like if you did a bad job on a project or something at work and they came in, told you to grab your shit for the day and marched you through the office in front of everyone letting them know you did a bad job and are being sent home for the day because of it to motivate you to do a better job next time. No way in hell that happens on a national stage such as MLB.

[HollywoodLeo]

It would never fly dude no matter how much you argue it. It's like if you did a bad job on a project or something at work and they came in, told you to grab your shit for the day and marched you through the office in front of everyone letting them know you did a bad job and are being sent home for the day because of it to motivate you to do a better job next time. No way in hell that happens on a national stage such as MLB.

Dude, you just gave me flashbacks to my days in the Navy.