2020 UEFL Award for Honorable - Hernandez & West

Angel Hernandez & Joe West are 2020's Honorable Umpires [2019: Eric Cooper & Chris Guccione].

Voting Results: Hernandez (13.3%), West (11.1%), Ted Barrett (10.6%), Laz Diaz/Jim Reynolds (10.0%).

Angel Hernandez & Joe West are UEFL's 2020 Honorable Umpires of the Year.

With a spotlight thoroughly focused on him during a still-in-litigation dispute with Major League Baseball over the league's purported failure to promote him to Crew Chief prior to 2017, Hernandez finally had an opportunity to lead a crew as an interim chief during the COVID-modified 2020 season.

Hernandez's 21 points in Crew Division were the most for any Chief during the 2020 season.

Said RIABUAvp, "Went out and led his crew capably + earned a playoff plate despite all the usual ridiculous noise from the general public and the pending suit with the league in the background. Then had a terrific plate performance. Not to mention he was obviously working through some injury with some type of cast or brace on his arm all year, but I don't believe he missed an assignment."

Hernandez's Division Series plate during San Diego-Los Angeles NLDS Game 2 produced a 97.8% score, which was second-highest during the series to Bill Miller's 98.4% in Game 3, and prompted a slew of tweets from usual Angel-critics praising Hernandez for a quality plate performance during the postseason.

Joe West, meanwhile, began 2020 testifying on Hernandez's behalf in the ongoing discrimination lawsuit against MLB, while simultaneously winning his defamation lawsuit against Paul Lo Duca when the latter opted to defend his position by ignoring the suit.

After initially complaining that COVID-19 deaths were exaggerated, West nonetheless began wearing a face covering during the season's second week, battled through a bloody bat-to-the-head injury by later returning to that game as a base umpire, and backed up crew mate Hunter Wendelstedt in requesting Nationals GM Mike Rizzo's removal from a game in Atlanta.

West thus wins this award not necessarily for one specific action—and perhaps in spite of several of them—but for his long-held philosophy and creed for officiating:

"My first responsibility is to the game of baseball. That doesn’t mean the commissioner’s office. That means the game. The second responsibility is to your profession. When I get on my pedestal at the union meetings, I tell them to be moral, honest, true and correct. If you do them in that order, nothing you do out there will be wrong."

UEFL Awards History, Angel Hernandez

Promising Umpire of the Year: 2010, 2012, 2014

Most Improved Umpire of the Year: 2015, 2016

UEFL Awards History, Joe West

Honorable Umpire of the Year: 2009

Ejection of the Year: 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018

Angel Hernandez now has 21 points in the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (19 Prev + 2 Award = 21).

Joe West now has 4 points in the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (2 Prev + 2 Award = 4).

The next postseason award to be announced will be Promising Umpire of the Year.

2020 UEFL Award for Crew Chief - Jim Reynolds

Jim Reynolds wins the UEFL's 2020 Crew Chief of the Year Award [2019 Winner: Gary Cederstrom].

Voting Results: Reynolds (13.7%), Bill Miller (13.2%), Mark Carlson (12.7%), Joe West (11.7%).

Jim Reynolds is the 2020 UEFL Crew Chief of the Year.

In his first season as a full-time Crew Chief, Reynolds commanded a COVID-modified crew that effectively featured two call-up umpires, given that Reynolds' season-opening number two—Jim Wolf—suffered a season-ending concussion injury nary one week into the season.

Explained Russ, "He and his crew were fantastic all season and he ended up being an LCS CC despite it only being his first season as a full time CC. That is unheard of but his work all season and in the Playoffs was phenomenal."

Reynolds concluded the 2020 season with 10 points in Crew Division.

UEFL Awards History, Jim Reynolds

Ejection of the Year: 2015

Jim Reynolds now has 17 points in the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (16 Previous + 1 Award = 17).

The next postseason award to be announced will be Honorable Umpire of the Year.

2020 UEFL Award for Fill-In Umpire - Jeremie Rehak

Jeremie Rehak wins UEFL's Fill-In Umpire of the Year Award for 2020 [2019 Winner: Jansen Visconti].

Voting Results: Rehak (19.3%), Ben May (16.3%), Sean Barber (15.8%), John Libka (14.9%).

Jeremie Rehak is the 2020 UEFL Fill-In Umpire of the Year.

Two years after last capturing this award, Rehak again takes the Fill-In of the Year title. Rehak's two ejections in 2020 were both associated with correct calls and his on-field performance throughout the season prompted a simple summation from Turducken: "Jeremie Rehak is ready."

2020 was Rehak's third season as a minor league call-up umpire (thus, he won Fill-In of the Year following his rookie season) and, having entered 2020 with 231 games of MLB experience, Rehak has been on pace for a quality look at a full-time opportunity.

UEFL Awards History, Jeremie Rehak

Fill-In Umpire of the Year: 2018

Jeremie Rehak now has 15 points in the UEFL Standings (13 Previous + 2 Award = 15).

The next postseason award to be announced will be Crew Chief of the Year.

2020 UEFL Award for Triple-Digit Rookie - Edwin Moscoso

Edwin Moscoso wins the Triple-Digit Rookie Umpire Award for 2020 [2019: N/A]

Voting Results: Moscoso (32.5%), Jose Navas (12.0%), Junior Valentine (10.5%).

Edwin Moscoso is the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League's 2020 Triple-Digit Rookie Umpire of the Year.

In an unprecedented year with a pandemic and veteran MLB umpire opt-outs, 19 Minor League Umpires made their MLB debuts in a temporary/fill-in capacity during the 2020 season. Of these, Moscoso was the first to appear, working his first MLB game in Los Angeles on July 23.

Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Edwin Moscoso (7/23/20).

Moscoso, who finished the season with two ejections, earned praise from UEFL'ers for his situation handling; said Michael, "Outside of the uniform number you would have no idea that he was a 'taxi squad' member," with several commenters opining that Moscoso demonstrated his readiness for the major league level.

UEFL Awards History, Edwin Moscoso

None

Edwin Moscoso now has 13 points in the UEFL Standings (11 Previous + 2 Award = 13).

The next postseason award to be announced will be Fill-In Umpire of the Year.

2020 UEFL Award for Most Improved - CB Bucknor

CB Bucknor wins the Most Improved Umpire Award for 2020 [2019: Doug Eddings, Eric Cooper]
Voting Results: Bucknor (16.2%), Mike Estabrook (7.9%), Angel Hernandez (7.3%).

CB Bucknor is the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League's 2020 most improved umpire of the year.

During the 2020 postseason, Bucknor officiated his first Division Series since 2013, earning a Game 2 Plate assignment during the Rays-Yankes American League Division Series. He also officiated the 2020 Wild Card round.

During the season, Bucknor occasionally served as acting crew chief in the absence of regular season chief Jeff Nelson, and earned praise from voters for that role.

Wrote baseballfollower, "CB is long the punching bag of announcers, fans and casual viewers. Not this year. Happy for him and he was EXCELLENT filling in as a CC."

After his ALDS plate job, USA Today published an article criticizing Bucknor's strike zone in which the article itself fared poorly against fact checking with four of seven claims refuted by evidence: It may very well be that as strike zone technology becomes more accessible, we may be in similar positions to run the numbers and fact check media critiques, vindicating long-maligned umpires like Bucknor.

Related Post: Booby Bumbaca - USA Today Criticizes Bucknor While Simultaneously Showing Graphics Exonerating Him (10/7/20).

Dale Scott wrote a guest op-ed article similarly coming to Bucknor's defense.

Related Post: Dale Scott Guest Op-Ed - Of Umpire Labeling, CB & Angel (10/8/20).

UEFL Awards History, CB Bucknor

Most Improved Umpire of the Year: 2013, 2014

Worst Umpire of the Year: 2017

CB Bucknor now has 5 points in the UEFL Standings (4 Previous + 1 Award = 5).

The next postseason award to be announced will be Triple-Digit Rookie Umpire of the Year.

2020 UEFL Award for Disappointing Season - Rob Drake

The Umpire Ejection Fantasy League's first Postseason Award is for Most Disappointing Season, which this year is Rob Drake (30) [2019 Winner: Rob Drake].

Voting Results (Top 3): Drake (26.2%), Hunter Wendelstedt (9.5%), Angel Hernandez (8.9%).

The UEFL Awards as defined in Rule 4-4 begin with Most Disappointing Season, below, and continue with Most Improved, Fill-In, Crew Chief, Honorable, Promising, Ejection(s) of the Year and concluding with Umpire of the Year. 235 total ballots were cast during this year's nominations process.

Rob Drake receives 2020's Most Disappointing Season Award.

As occasionally occurs with a Most Disappointing Season Award, Drake's nomination may have hinged on a poorly timed bad day at the office, which happened to be the final day of the 2020 regular season. During September 27's Padres-Giants season finale, Drake called a plate of 89.9% by UEFL f/x standards, which constituted a statistical outlier compared to baseball's larger body of plate work.

For some, the interplay of a sub-90 plate score (83.8% on ML Public) during San Francisco's do-or-die game to make the postseason, capped off by an incorrect strike three call that effectively shut the door on 2020 at Oracle Park, was enough to define an entire season of work, when not even Drake's above-average rank on Replay Affirmation Rate (T-22nd) or sole 2020 ejection over a correctly officiated interference call in Arizona would be enough to prevent an overwhelming nomination for this award.

Related Post: MLB Ejection 34 - Rob Drake (1; Torey Lovullo) (8/24/20).

Said baseballfollower, "Came back 'rebranded' with the bucket hat and had probably the worst HP job I have seen with the game on the line in SD-SF. Just shocked at how far he has slipped since 2015, and his regression is no longer a one off. I think he needs to work with Ted Barrett or Jeff Nelson next year and really get back on track."

Juanantonio Guevara was more blunt: "He fell off hard this season and just got lost, in a bad way."

In a year during which nearly every eligible umpire officiated the 2020 postseason (e.g., Tony Randazzo, Jim Wolf, and Hunter Wendelstedt were not eligible due to injuries), Drake was assigned to the NL Wild Card series in San Diego as Game 1's right field umpire, under the watchful eye of his regular season crew chief, Bill Miller.

And, yes, we'd be remiss if we didn't again mention the same Rob Drake Twitter incident that led to his nomination for the 2019 Most Disappointing Season Award. Is it fair to hold Drake's infamous "cival war" tweet against him over a year later? Probably not, but as we stated last fall, major league umpires should not make public statements on politics lest perceptions become permanently tarnished. For Drake, that lesson appears to have carried over into 2020—it doesn't help that MLB's subsequent investigation failed to generate a public outcome—and may be reflected in the voting for this award just as 9/27 was.

Related Post: Rob Drake's Twitter War, Umpires and Social Media (10/24/19).

UEFL Awards History, Rob Drake

Honorable Umpire of the Year: 2016.

Most Disappointing Season: 2019.

Rob Drake now has 5 points in the UEFL Standings (6 Previous - 1 Award = 5).

The next postseason award, Most Improved Umpire of the Year, will be released next.

2020 UEFL Year-End Awards Nominations Open

The Umpire Ejection Fantasy League's Postseason Awards nomination season coincides with the 2020 Presidential Election and you have a chance to have your voice heard by voting for Umpire of the Year categories from Best, Promising, Honorable, Fill-In, Crew Chief, Most Improved, Ejection, and Disappointing Season. Fill out the following form to cast your ballot and comment here to discuss rationale. You may cast your Awards votes through Election Day, Tuesday, November 3. Don't forget to vote.

Link to Postseason Awards Ballot (also appears below):

a. Umpire of the Year (min. 1 / max. 1 umpire) [+5 pts]

b. Promising Umpire of the Year (min. 1 / max. 2) [+3]

c. Honorable Umpire of the Year (min. 0 / max. 2) [+2]

d. Fill-In Umpire of the Year (min. 0 / max. 1) [+2]

d.1 Triple-Digit Rookie Umpire of the Year (min. 0 / max. 1) [+2]

e. Most Improved Umpire (min. 0 / max. 1) [+1]

f. Crew Chief of the Year (min. 0 / max. 1) [+1]

g. Best Ejection of the Year (min. 0 / max. 2) [Link: 2020 MLB Ejections List] [+1]

h. Most Disappointing Season (min. 0 / max. 1) [-1]

Click here for a complete history and table of UEFL Postseason Award recipients

An eligible umpire may be selected for as many or as few awards as that umpire is eligible for; Ballots will be accepted until 11:59pm on Tuesday, November 3, with awards distribution beginning shortly thereafter.

All 12 Triple-A Umpires who were on the 2019 call-up list are eligible to be written in for any UEFL Award, in addition to the Fill-In Umpire of the Year award (see 2020 Call-Up Umpires, sorted by MLB experience). The 19 minor league umpires authorized to call MLB games in 2020 and who made their MLB debuts during the 2020 season, signified by their triple-digit sleeve jersey numbers, are eligible for a 2020-exclusive award, the Triple-Digit Rookie Umpire of the Year Award. Umpires named by MLB as interim chiefs for the 2020 season (see MLB Names 7 Interim Crew Chiefs for 2020 and 2020 MLB Umpire Crews [Modified for Coronavirus Season]) are eligible for this year's Crew Chief of the Year Award.

Definitions:

a. Umpire of the Year: This Umpire has been the best MLB Umpire the past year, bar none. This Umpire has been more dedicated, professional, and positive than all others. This award will be given to one umpire.

b. Promising Umpire of the Year: This Umpire has been dedicated, professional, and has worked hard. Perhaps a rising star, the Promising Umpire of the Year is an umpire to keep an eye on, for an expectation of great things down the line. Formerly known as Noteworthy Umpire of the Year, this award will be given to one or two umpires.

c. Honorable Umpire of the Year: This Umpire has been the most honorable Umpire during the past year. Perhaps through Community Service, or through struggling with and overcoming his own difficulties, this Umpire has been the most personally admirable of all. This award may or may not be given to either one or two umpires.

d. Fill-In Umpire of the Year: This Umpire has been the best AAA Call-Up Umpire the past year, bar none. This Umpire has been the most dedicated, professional, and positive AAA/Non-MLB Full Time Umpire of all non-MLB Full Time Umpires. This award may or may not be given to a maximum of one umpire who also worked at least one MLB game during the 2019 regular season.

d.1 Triple-Digit Rookie Umpire of the Year: An award just for 2020, this umpire had an MLB debut during the COVID-modified 2020 season, signified by a uniform with a triple-digit sleeve number, and made the most of this shortened season and impromptu try-out at the major league level. This award may or may not be given to one umpire who had an MLB debut in 2020.

e. Most Improved Umpire of the Year: This Umpire has improved his overall performance from the previous season more noticeably than any other Umpire. Generally, this umpire has developed into a solid arbiter within the past year. This award may or may not be given to a maximum of one umpire.

f. Crew Chief of the Year: This Umpire has been the best MLB Umpire Crew Chief, the past year, bar none. This Umpire has led his crew(s) better than all others. This award will be given to one umpire.

g. Best Ejection of the Year: In the form of "Ejection 123: Umpire (1)," this award recognizes the best ejection(s) of the year. Nominated and selected due to form, mechanics, entertainment value, reason for ejection, or overall quality, the Best Ejection of the Year is awarded to one or two umpires for one or two specific ejections. The award may be given to one umpire for two separate ejections, in which case, he receives one point for each ejection.

h. Most Disappointing Season: This Umpire has demonstrated a regression in ability, and might have had a regrettable incident(s) occur in-season. The Most Disappointing Season award may or may not be given to a maximum of one umpire.

Ballot as follows:

Discussion of 2020 World Series

With MLB's 2020 postseason drawing to a conclusion with a #Rays-#Dodgers #WorldSeries in Texas, CloseCallSports.com prepares for the final home plate umpire plate score reports of the season, beginning with Laz Diaz for Game 1.

Umpire lineups are listed for all potential games of the series and, in accordance with UEFL f/x 3.0 framework, plate scores and skews are generated following completion of each game pursuant to UEFL Rules 6-2-b-a (Kulpa Rule) and 6-2-b-b (Miller Rule). Preliminary scores are scores calculated at the conclusion of play based on raw and placeholder values while Final scores are populated the morning after each game, factoring in post-game processing and data correction by the league.

Related: 2020 MLB World Series Umpire Crew Roster

- 10/20 TB@LAD Gm 1: Laz Diaz. 120/123 Balls + 46/48 Strikes = 166/171 = 97.1%. Skew: +1 TB.

Final for Diaz: 119/123 + 46/48 = 165/171 = 96.5%. Effect: -1 / -0.6% / -1 Skew. +0 Neutral.

- 10/21 TB@LAD Gm 2: Todd Tichenor. 92/99 Balls + 42/44 Strikes = 134/143 = 93.7%. Skew: +1 LA.

Final for Tichenor: 94/99 + 42/44 = 136/143 = 95.1%. Effect: +2 / +1.4% / +0 Skew. +1 TB.

- 10/23 LAD@TB Gm 3: Bill Miller. 93/94 Balls + 55/56 Strikes = 148/150 = 98.7%. Skew: +0 Neutral.

Final for Miller: 94/94 + 54/56 = 148/150 = 98.7%. Effect: +0 / +0.0% / +2 Skew. +2 LA.

- 10/24 LAD@TB Gm 4: Chris Guccione. 117/119 Balls + 44/45 K = 161/164 = 98.2%. Skew: +1 LA.

Final for Guccione: 117/119 + 44/45 = 161/164 = 98.2%. Effect: +0 / +0.0% / +0 Skew. +1 LA.

- 10/25 LAD@TB Gm 5: Marvin Hudson. 104/105 Balls + 48/49 K = 152/154 = 98.7%. Skew: +2 LA.

Final for Hudson: 104/105 + 47/49 = 151/154 = 98.1%. Effect: -1 / -0.6% / -1 Skew. +1 LA.

- 10/27 TB@LAD Gm 6: Jerry Meals. 85/90 Balls + 33/37 Strikes = 118/127 = 92.9%. Skew: +1 LA.

Final for Meals: 85/90 + 33/37 = 118/127 = 92.9%. Effect: +0 / +0.0% / +0 Skew. +1 LA.

Series Complete: Final Cumulative Score: 613/630 + 266/279 = 879/909 = 96.7%. Skew: +4 LA.

Note: The highest plate score during the 2019 World Series was Alan Porter's 98.2% (WS Game 1).

The highest overall plate score during the 2019 postseason was James Hoye's 99.3% (NLDS Gm 4).

The highest plate score thus far during the 2020 postseason is Jordan Baker's 99.4% (ALWC Gm 1).

Marvin's Margot Mischief - Umpire Hudson's Steal at Home

Although Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw caught Rays runner Manuel Margot stealing home in Game 5 of the #WorldSeries in the span of seconds, for HP Umpire Marvin Hudson, years of training and education contributed to a quick-draw out/safe call.

To recap, Tampa Bay's Margot led off the bottom of the 4th with a walk and stole second base in short order, advancing to third on a missed catch error by LA second baseman Chris Taylor, all with zero out.

Two outs later, Margot still stranded at third base, the young center fielder attempted to steal home, trying to catch Kershaw and battery-mate Austin Barnes. And that's when Hudson had to cram years of experience into about five seconds.

Pitcher: The first consideration for Hudson was Kershaw. As Kershaw became aware of Margot's sprint home, he lifted his pivot foot and stepped off the back of the pitcher's plate and, in doing so, became a fielder with no obligation to deliver a pitch (for having disengaged from the rubber). Once Hudson saw Kershaw remove his back foot from the rubber, he knew not to call a balk or officiate a pitch, but instead a potential throw to catcher Barnes.

Batter: Similarly, Kershaw's disengagement cued in batter Kevin Kiermaier to exit the batter's box. Official Baseball Rules 6.01(a)(3) and 6.03(a)(3) prohibit a batter from "making any other movement that hinders the catcher's play at home base," and in this situation wherein the pitcher has legally disengaged from the pitcher's plate, the batter shall vacate the batter's box lest (s)he be put in jeopardy of hindering the catcher's play at home.

With less than two out, as in Rule 5.09(b)(8), the runner is out, while with two out, the batter is out for interference. In other words, had Kiermaier remained in the box and swung at Kershaw's throw to Barnes after Kershaw legally disengaged the pitcher's plate, he would be guilty of interference and, with two out, Kiermaier would be declared out (no run would count).

Catcher/Runner: Although baseball's plate blocking rule always has a bearing on plays at home plate, on steals of home, the catcher generally will receive the throw prior to the runner's arrival, which would allow him to legally block access upon receipt of the baseball. Nonetheless, Barnes doesn't appear to block Margot's path to score.

Umpire: Finally, Hudson knows time is limited so he takes one simple read step to the right of his starting position at point-of-plate, and from this angle roughly along the left field foul line extended, is able to officiate this play thanks to obtaining the keyhole angle or wedge needed to see the potential tag.

Replay Review: Following the play, Margot signaled that he wanted a video review of the play, but the Manager's Challenge must come from, well, the manager. Because Kevin Cash opted not to challenge Hudson's call, despite each team's allotment of two Manager's Challenges during the postseason, this play was not reviewed. A Crew Chief Review for such a play cannot occur until the 8th inning, and only if the team has exhausted its supply of Manager's Challenges.

Video as follows:

Willy Adames' Subtle Push Part II - Fool Me Twice

After Max Muncy's Game 4 adventure with Rays SS Willy Adames at second base, Tampa Bay's shortstop tried for an encore performance with Dodgers runner Austin Barnes during #WorldSeries Game 5, resulting in another umpire's out call. Was this call the proper one or did Adames get greedy?

To review, 2B Umpire Mark Carlson during Game 4 declared Los Angeles batter-runner Max Muncy out at second base after an overslide into Adames, during which both players tumbled to the ground on the third-base side of the bag.

In our analysis, we discussed Official Baseball Rule 5.09(b)(4), the Definition of Terms' entry for oversliding, and MLB Umpire Manual standard for a fielder pushing or forcing a runner off a base. Conclusion: Carlson's call was correct; the runner was properly declared out on the tag after oversliding second base.

Related Post: Was Max Muncy's Fall From 2nd Base a Legal Out? (10/24/20).

In Game 5, Adames repeated his putout antics by tagging Barnes as he slid headfirst into second base and attempted to remain on the base with his left foot. This, too, resulted in an out call from 2B Umpire Laz Diaz.

Compare and Contrast, Gil's Call: Unlike the Muncy play, it would appear that Barnes was forced or pushed off of second base by Adames.

The reason for this is two-fold. First, compared to Game 4's play in which Muncy appeared to be the player responsible for the bulk of the forceful contact with his opponent (Muncy crashed into Adames), in Game 5, Adames appears to be the player responsible for the collision by virtue of diving into (or onto) Barnes, who is sliding headfirst and has only his legs at the base.

Second, Adames appears to actively direct his right hand—his non-glove hand without the ball—directly into Barnes' left leg and, in doing so, pushes Barnes off the base. Although the rule does not require the act to be intentional in order for the umpire to judge that a runner has been improperly pushed off of a base, it appears that Adames' act—not the runner's momentum—primarily caused Barnes to break contact with the base, meaning the proper remedy would be to declare the runner safe.

That said, this is a judgment call, and if the umpire's judgment, Barnes would have been unable to hold the base even without the fielder's perceptively illegal intervention, the proper call would be to declare the runner out—even if the fielder intentionally caused the runner to come off of the base.

Your mileage may vary | Video as follows: