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Time to Ditch Umps? (Or at Least Some of Them)

Machines might be able to do this job better

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 13, 2009 12:35 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Joe Mauer smashed a ball to left field in the 11th inning Friday, and it landed fair, a foot inside the line. But it won’t show up on any box score, because umpire Phil Cuzzi, standing just 10 feet away, ruled it foul. It’s just one of several blown calls in this postseason, and as the errors pile up, some are wondering: Do we really need umpires—or could a machine do the job better?

Umpires are good at calling balls and strikes, for example, getting about 95% of calls correct, by the MLB’s reckoning. But the Pitch-f/x zone digital camera-based system is close to 100% accurate, Jonah Keri notes in the Wall Street Journal. “If you could do everything right by technology, it would be the right thing to do,” opines Earl Weaver. Maybe not everything—Bud Selig, among others, believes the human element is important—but surely the need for four umpires in every game is obsolete, Keri argues, especially given they make up to $350,000 a year.

Kevin Youkilis tags Howie Kendrick after taking the wide throw at first during the fourth inning in Game 1 of the ALDS Thursday. Umpire CB Bucknor called Kendrick safe.
Kevin Youkilis tags Howie Kendrick after taking the wide throw at first during the fourth inning in Game 1 of the ALDS Thursday. Umpire CB Bucknor called Kendrick safe.   (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Umpire Phil Cuzzi watches a ball land fair; moments later, he inexplicably ruled it foul.
Umpire Phil Cuzzi watches a ball land fair; moments later, he inexplicably ruled it foul.   (Getty Images)
Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, right, argues with home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi after he was tossed out of the game for arguing balls and strikes, July 31, 2007.
Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, right, argues with home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi after he was tossed out of the game for arguing balls and strikes, July 31, 2007.   (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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We're not used to playing that far down the line. The instant the ball is hit, we usually start running. I think I may
have been looking too closely at it. - Phil Cuzzi on why he missed the call in Friday's Yankees-Twins playoff game

Do we want the tradition of 18 people on the field doing their best, officiated by four trained gentlemen also doing their best? Or do we want to translate over to some sort of video endeavor? - Mike Port, vice president of
umpiring for MLB

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 9 comments
janet1003mn
Oct 14, 2009 7:58 AM CDT
This came from an Wall Street Journal article. I live here and haven't heard anyone complain about the call beyond when it actually occurred. So...maybe the real question you need to be asking yourself is why are YOU still "wah wah-ing" about Twins fans? Isn't it enough for you that your team won? No one else has the right to make observations? That's pretty pathetic of you. WAH WAH WAH right back at you.
Unaffiliated
Oct 14, 2009 1:11 AM CDT
The visual will definitely be missed. I have a hard time envisioning baseball without a home plate umpire. When the pitcher is warming up and there's no batter and umpire crowding around the catcher, it just looks surreal.
Derni
Oct 13, 2009 9:37 AM CDT
Baseball -we have the technology to replace umps calling balls and strikes-there isn;t a strike zone-it depends ony=the ump calling strikes-now is that objective? We also have replay for important calls-you know-kike the one that cost a team a game in the playoffs this year-so why is baseball so slow to change-we all know from studies thathuman perception is not as good as technology-so why do we continue to support this outdated way of determing the rules? Replay could be used-like footbal for calls that are critical-or when two or more umps see the play differently (and that happens often dependiing on where the ump is standing)-so lets get with it and join the rest of humanity -its going to be 2012? okay?

 
MLB • New York Yankees • Minnesota Twins • umpire • instant replay • pitch f/x • baseball • umpires • Joe Mauer

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