53 replies to this topic

[Pumpsie]

I wouldn't even require them to obey it, at first. Just give them the data and see what they do with it. Make it mandatory later if it comes to that.

Yes, that would be a good first step. The union may even go for it with a little carrot and stick.

[PrometheusWakefield]

I have a question. I think it's clearly true that umpires are more likely to fuck up calls on breaking pitches than they are on fastballs, and they are especially likely to fuck up calls on breaking pitches with great movement or with late movement. I would imagine it would be pretty easy to demonstrate this with PitchFX data. Has anyone done this?

This is particularly significant, I think, because assuming this is true, it's a bias that actually impacts which skill sets are effective at the major league level. If the bad calls were randomly distributed, it would have less serious consequences for the way the game is played.

Edited by PrometheusWakefield, 13 June 2012 - 01:52 PM.

[Savin Hillbilly]

This is particularly significant, I think, because assuming this is true, it's a bias that actually impacts which skill sets are effective at the major league level.

You won't get any argument from Mark Clear.

[Dick Pole Upside]

Watching Nats vs. Yankees on MLB Network, and Swisher doesn't agree with a strike call (it was a terrible call). He steps out and asks with a smile on his face, "Is that as low and outside as we're going to go today?"

Nats' color guy, F.P. Santangelo, comments that Swisher doesn't agree with the call but let's the ump know in an appropriate way by asking where the boundaries will be for the zone.

Then out of no where Santangelo says, "I imagine these umps have worked a Red Sox game. Whatever comes out of those [Nats and MFY] dugouts PALES in comparison to working a Red Sox game."

Embarrassing when you're being called out by chump color guys from other teams.