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Call from the Bullpen by David Maull

The Bullpen | Major Leagues | Sports Front Page

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Big Egos Driving Umpires
From the August 27, 1998 TV Times

The first requisite is to get decisions correct. If in doubt, don't hesitate to consult your associate. Umpire dignity is important but never as important as "being right."

- General instructions to umpires from the Official Baseball Rules

There once was a time when major league baseball umpires were never wrong.

Those crying foul immediately after a close play on the bases were ultimately silenced when replays revealed the umpire had made the right call. This happened almost on a daily basis and gave fans a begrudging respect for the skill of the men in blue.

As recently as 10 or 15 years ago, few would have disputed that these umpires were the best in the world.

But for the past decade, umpires have relied too heavily on that reputation, apparently believing it should shield them from criticism and controversy.

Examine this quote from umpire Ken Kaiser after Marty Foster, a member of his crew, blatantly blew a call that might have cost the Baltimore Orioles a game against the New York Yankees on July 4.

"We're the best in the world and we do our best to get them all right,"Kaiser was quoted in the Baltimore Sun. "It was (Foster's) call and he made it. No one is going to change his call."

And a struggling team with a chance to beat the mighty Yankees was penalized by a swollen ego.

The Orioles trailed 4-3 in the ninth inning against superb Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera. Surprisingly, the first two Orioles' batters reached base before Chris Hoiles attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt. His bunt rolled too far, however, and Rivera fielded the ball and fired a throw to third base. The ball beat baserunner Jeff Reboulet to the bag but was dropped by third baseman Scott Brosius, a mistake every player on the field and every fan in the stands saw.

But Foster, from his position behind the play, called Reboulet out. The next batter grounded into a double play and the Orioles lost.

What was most upsetting about the incident was not that Foster blew the call - from his vantage point behind Brosius, it may have looked like the third baseman held it long enough to record an out - but the complete unwillingness of any other umpire to overrule a clearly incorrect decision.

Afterward, Kaiser, the crew chief, refused to watch a replay of the call and exhibited a blase attitude that showed a complete lack of caring over whether the call was right or wrong. Before Orioles manager Ray Miller was ejected for arguing the ruling, he practically begged Kaiser to seek a second opinion. Only when his pleas fell on deaf ears did he become enraged, and rightfully so.

Kaiser actually seemed to enjoy the swirl of controversy that stemmed from the incident. Considering one of his umpires made a terrible mistake, his postgame "best in the world" quote was especially misguided.

Umpires have become more confrontational and vindictive in recent years, never hesitating to charge toward the dugout to confront an angry player or refuse an obvious strike call for a pitcher who earlier complained about the strike zone.

Too often their attempts to establish control over a game have dissolved into a haze of screaming matches, ejections and protests. The last time I looked, fans weren't plunking down $25 a ticket to see Ken Kaiser umpire.

Its been said that an umpire has done his job well if nobody noticed him. These days, however, they seem to be seeking the spotlight, as if to extract revenge for all the tongue lashings they've received over the years.

But big egos and confrontational attitudes aside, the quality of game calling has suffered.

On Aug. 7, the Orioles' Harold Baines hit a go-ahead two-run homer against Tampa Bay that barely cleared the left field fence before bouncing back onto the field. Umpires ruled the ball had struck the top of the wall and allowed Baines only a double. The Orioles lost by one run. Earlier this season, Rich Becker was denied a grand slam at Camden Yards on an identical call.

But the Orioles haven't been only team victimized by bad umpiring.

On July 5, the New York Mets lost a 3-2, 11-inning contest to the Braves when umpire Angel Hernandez called Atlanta's Michael Tucker safe at the plate on a sacrifice fly even though the ball clearly beat Tucker to the plate and catcher Mike Piazza appeared to get the tag down. And recently Cleveland's Omar Vizquel clearly stole home against Tampa Bay, only to be called out by an umpire who was perfect position to make the correct call.

So severe has the situation become that earlier this month, Miller met with the American League supervisor of umpires to complain about a perceived lack of respect afforded his team by certain crews.

Why have the Orioles been supposedly singled out? It wouldn't have anything to do with the 1996 Roberto Alomar-John Hirschbeck spitting incident would it?

A few years ago, such a suggestion would have been preposterous. Now it actually sounds reasonable. Remember the "no-tolerance" policy umpires trotted out before the 1997 season, vowing a quick hook to any player who remotely stepped out of line? That was the first evidence that umpires were looking for a fight.

That ridiculous policy was apparently still in tact Aug. 8 when Baines was ejected by Foster for dropping his bat at home plate and silently walking to the dugout in protest of a called third strike call. To make matters worse, Foster stormed to the dugout to confront, and eventually toss, Miller.

In 19 years, the classy and soft-spoken Baines had never been kicked out of a game. But that streak was no match for this new breed of ego-driven men in blue.