Joe West Class - Three Responsibilities of Umpires

MLB's longest-ever serving umpire, Joe West, spoke during a recent White Sox Talk podcast to offer advice to young umpires by outlining an ump's three responsibilities.

West's baseball discussion—with stories of the 2005 World Series, balks and ejections of Mark Buehrle and Ozzie Guillen, his friendship with Hawk Harrelson (the podcast got Harrelson's side of the story in 2017), filming "Naked Gun," and robot umpires—with NBC Sports Chicago host Chuck Garfien landed on the nature of an umpire's job, which West took as an opportunity to dole out a curriculum of umpiring advice about the three responsibilities of officiating.

Your first responsibility is to the game of baseball.
Said West, "You're gonna have to make some tough decisions."

Your second responsibility is to your profession.
"You can't make calls [thinking] they're not going to argue with me if I make this call, like the phantom play at second base where the fielder's off the bag. You have to say that he didn't touch the bag. If you call a guy out, no one says a word even though you're wrong, so why don't you call it right and take whatever little heat there is, and be right?"

Your third responsibility is to do what in your heart is morally and honestly correct.

Video snippet and full episode of West's interview as follows:

ABL Ejection - Bob Crawford Ejects Shane Barclay

1B Umpire Bob Crawford ejected Sydney Blue Sox Manager Shane Barclay for arguing an out call at first base in the bottom of the 9th inning of the Perth Heat-Blue Sox game of the Australian Baseball League.

With one out and one on (R1), Blue Sox batter Max Brennan hit a ground ball to Heat pitcher Jorge Perez, who lunged to tag Brennan as Brennan slid headfirst into first base, ruled out by 1B Umpire Crawford. At the time of the ejection, the Heat were leading, 5-3. The Heat ultimately won the contest, 5-3.

Wrap: Perth Heat vs Sydney Blue Sox (ABL), 12/26/19 | Video as follows:

ABL Ejections - Greg Howard's Happy New Year

Australian Baseball League umpire Greg Howard closed out 2019 with a pair of Canberra Cavalry ejections prior to Geelong-Korea's year-ending, come-from-behind, walk-off victory and following a profane rant from an aggravated pitcher.

HP Umpire Greg Howard ejected Cavalry pitcher Steven Kent and Manager Keith Ward (ball four call) in the top of the 9th inning of the Cavalry-GK game. With none out and none on, Geelong-Korea batter Seung-Hyun Baek took 0-1, 1-1, 2-1, and 3-1 pitches for called balls, upon which Kent was warned then ejected for arguing balls and strikes; his manager followed shortly thereafter.

At the time of the ejections, the game was tied, 3-3 (Canberra had been leading 3-1 prior to the bottom of the 8th). Geelong-Korea ultimately won the contest, 4-3.

Wrap: Canberra Cavalry vs Geelong-Korea (ABL), 12/28/19 | Video as follows:

ABL Bandits P Blackley Clears Benches in Brisbane

Benches cleared in the Australian Baseball League after Brisbane Bandits pitcher Travis Blackley hit Auckland Tuatara leadoff batter Jared Walker with a pitch. As for ejections, HP Umpire Mal Mackay and crew-mates Paul Latta and Tom West did not eject anyone during the incident, but word has it that the ABL suspended Blackley for as many as four games after he allegedly uttered a racial slur at a Japanese player.

Leading off the sixth inning for Auckland in a 5-2 ballgame, Walker took a 0-2 pitch in on the hands for a hit-by-pitch. Following the HBP, words and gestures were exchanged between batter Walker and pitcher Blackley, leading to a bench-clearing situation.

We first discussed INF separation in 2017.

The following video analysis breaks down the incident, and shows a flareup in the "biggest mound conference in the country" after what appears to be an interaction between Blackley and opposing player Yujo Kitagata, who played in 13 games for the Arizona League's Dodgers in July and August 2019 before his ABL debut with Auckland in November. He previously played in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League.

We refer to an old concept of ours—the Division of Infield Halves—and possible priorities for umpires who, in a crew of any size, are outnumbered by team personnel on the field, as well as a potential explanation for why no one was ejected.
Related Post: Dodger vs Giants Bench-Clearer and Division of Halves (5/17/17).

Conclusion: Priorities to Bear in Mind
First: Calling umpires are first onscene and should be prepared to respond to high stakes situations, such as HBP events or hard slides.
Second: Separate the teams via the division of halves principle as soon as practicable.
Third: Remain aware of high-risk players: namely, incident instigators (i.e., pitcher & batter).

Video as follows:

MLB, Umps Union Reach Tentative Agreement

MLB and the MLB Umpires Association (MLBUA) reached a tentative labor agreement through 2024, subject to ratification, that purportedly includes a provision in which umps will help develop an automated ball/strike system (electronic K-zone).

The five-year CBA would ensure continued labor peace amongst the major league umpiring ranks since a 1999 dispute led to the resignation of 22 umpires, several of whom were eventually rehired by affiliated baseball.

MLB's announcement bore no details of the deal, other than its five-year term, which mirrors past practice with the World Umpires Association's five-year agreements (as part of a 2018 rebrand, WUA changed its name to MLBUA last season).

Relations between MLB and its umpires have been shaky in recent years, ultimately resulting in a white wristband protest in 2017, MLBUA calling for the commissioner's office to act after personal attacks on umpires in 2018, complaint bemoaning MLB's "inaction" after Manny Machado's purportedly violent post-ejection misconduct in June 2019.
Related Post: WUA-MLB Relations Deteriorate with New Umpire Protest (8/19/17).
Related Post: MLBUA Calls for BOC Action After Latest Umpire Abuse (9/23/18).
Related Post: MLBUA Objects to MLB "Inaction" on Machado (6/18/19).

Given this extended tension, the 2019 edition of negotiations appears healthier than 2014's go-around, as at one point a lockout was rumored on the horizon as talks broke down in December between WUA and MLB.
Related Post: MLB-WUA Contract Talks Stall, Lockout Possible (Source) (12/9/14).

Perhaps MLB made the umps a deal they couldn't refuse what with pensions, electronic strike zone technology, and other issues in the mix.

Listen to Gil's thoughts on news of this proposed agreement via the following video:

Tmac - Perceptions in Panama or Perilous Precipitation

A pair of perilous plays in Panama produced parallel perceptions of procedural process as umpires correctly officiated an out/safe call at second base followed by the decision to enter a rain delay.

Neither of the calls were particularly controversial from an objective point of view—the runner was safe at second because the fielder failed to firmly and securely possess the baseball in his glove prior to the runner's arrival (upheld via replay), while the rain and field conditions all but necessitated a stoppage of play—but perceptions abounded with the umpires' handling of these two situations.

Sure the calls were correct, but could the crew have looked better making them?

In this Teachable Moment, tmac talks about situation handling and game management: the out/safe call at second was fine and the safe mechanic was fine, but how should an umpire react to a dissenting player afterward?

For example, the Official Baseball Rules' General Instructions to Umpires concludes with, "Finally, be courteous, impartial and firm, and so compel respect from all."

Calling for the tarp was proper, as well, yet could this situation have turned out differently and what of the visiting manager's post-tarp argument?

This situation handling Teachable brought to you by Umpire Placement Course (UmpCourse.com).

Video as follows:

ABL Ejection - Ryan Harder's Game Ending K

HP Umpire Ryan Harder ejected Geelong-Korea 2B Joo-Hyung Kim (strike three call) in the top of the 9th inning of the Australian Baseball League's GK-Heat game. With two outs and the bases loaded, Joo-Hyung Kim took a 2-2 pitch from Heat pitcher Josh Rawlinson for a called third strike. Replays indicate the pitch was located near the inner edge of home plate and belt-high, the call was irrecusable. At the time of the ejection, the Heat had won the game, 9-7.

To whit, there have been other ejections in the ABL this month...and this is one of them that actually has better than average video coverage, relative to the others.

Wrap: Geelong-Korea vs Perth Heat (ABL), 12/13/19 | Video as follows:

Teachable - Whitson's Haywire Hot Corner Tag

Chad Whitson, new to the MLB full-time staff, showed his mettle during a White Sox-Angels Teachable in Anaheim. Tmac breaks down the 3B Umpire's haywire play at third base in which Whitson gets knocked down, only to get back up again and rule on the sliding runner at the hot corner.

With a runner on second and none out, Whitson anticipates a tag-up situation and potential play at third base on a fly ball to Angels center fielder Mike Trout.

As Trout's throw arrives at the glove of third baseman Matt Thaiss, Whitson moves into foul territory on the home plate side and behind third base, having read White Sox baserunner R2 James McCann's slide to the home plate side of third base, thus giving himself a keyhole angle to see this leading edge of the bag.

Even on ground, Whitson keeps his angle.

As McCann's hook slide veers past third base, the runner inadvertently trips up the umpire, who scrambles back toward the foul line as the runner overslides the base: the keyhole angle now concerns the edge of third base facing foul territory and Whitson adjusts his position to see it...to the best of his ability.

Although McCann's trip momentarily stumbles Whitson, he does his best to stay on the foul line just in time to observe the runner's diving effort into the gloved arm of the fielder, ruling the runner out on the tag in a call affirmed via Replay Review following Chicago manager Rick Renteria's challenge.

This play serves as a reminder to stay engaged with the play—even when things go sideways—and find a way to observe and confidently call the action. By calmly adhering to angle and position adjust principles, an umpire can put him or herself into the best position possible, all things considered, to see a play, even if the most optimal angle is sacrificed due to an unexpected circumstance.

This Tmac's Teachable Moment was sponsored by Umpire Placement Course (UmpCourse.com).

Video as follows:

ABL Ejection - Joshua Weschler Ejects Two Tuatara

Australian Baseball League HP Umpire Joshua Wechsler ejected Auckland SS Josh Morgan and Manager Steve Mintz (strike three call) in the bottom of the 6th inning of the Cavalry-Tuatara game. With one out and two on (R2, R3), Morgan took three consecutive pitches from Cavalry pitcher Steven Kent for called first, second, and third strikes. At the time of the ejections, the game was tied, 5-5. The Cavalry ultimately won the contest, 7-5.

Notice anything about the difference in commentary quality between the local vs American broadcasters?

Umpires were Josh Wechsler (as Joshua Weschler) (HP), Warren Van Rooyen (1B), and Travis Watson (3B).

Wrap: Canberra Cavalry vs. Auckland Tuatara, 12/5/19 | Video as follows:

Teachable Tripp Gibson's Scramble at First Base

In today's Teachable, Tmac takes to Tripp's transit on a play at first base as 1B Umpire Gibson adjusts his position on a diving tag attempt in New York, a safe call affirmed via Replay Review.

During a Nationals-Mets game, Nats batter Juan Soto hits a slowly bouncing ground ball up the first base line, fielded by Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. With Soto hustling down the line, Alonso gloves the ball and immediately lunges toward Soto in an attempt to tag him out.

In this Teachable, we watch umpire Gibson's positioning as he jogs into position to observe the attempted play on the runner. Tripp slots into the keyhole angle to see the missed tag while still maintaining a look as to Soto's touch of first base. Having ruled the runner safe, Gibson patiently waits for the action to somewhat subside before indicating "safe" due to the missed tag.

Gibson's read of a potential tag and subsequent positioning to observe said tag attempt while still peeking at his secondary play of the base touch allows him to prepare to rule on any potential appeal play that may occur in the aftermath of the initial tag attempt. HP Umpire and Crew Chief Mark Carlson, meanwhile, observes whether the batted ball was fair or foul; this is a play wherein the home plate umpire, who ordinarily has fair/foul responsibility for batted balls in front of first/third base, clearly has the fair/foul call pursuant to the standard mechanic.

This Tmac's Teachable Moment was sponsored by Umpire Placement Course (UmpCourse.com).

Video as follows: