#umpires

[baseballbybsmile]

Today In 1977: New York Yankees manager Billy Martin is surrounded by umpires who lost their luggage and had to wear street clothes with Oakland A's jackets & caps for the game!

[metrosoxual]

Happy opening day! I'm going to go on record that MLB's implementation of automated ball-strike as a challenge system is dumb. There's technology already in use which relays ABS to umpires through an earpiece in real time. This allows umpires to correct calls in real time and serves as a tool that improves umpire accuracy. A challenge system will cause unnecessary game delays for reviews, add to friction between umpires and players, and because challenges are limited there will still be bad calls that go unchallenged.

[michelle-ma-cherie]

Some quotes from "‘You can’t be the player’s friend’: inside the secret world of tennis umpires" article

Here is the link to the full article - it's well worth the read - and thanks again to @bluespring864 for sending it to me

one of the most interesting aspects of the article is how umpiring is a more isolating job than being a player

they are not allowed to be public figures

During tournaments, they can be seen up in the chair – but once the match is over, they are not allowed to explain their decisions in press conferences or on social media. Their code of conduct prohibits them from meeting journalists.

yet with the rise of the social media

Some umpires have become celebrities in their own right.

and they can't exactly be friends with anybody but their small group

BUT THERE'S UMPIRES GROUP CHAT

Lahyani shares the most interesting videos on a WhatsApp group for all the top ATP chair umpires.

from the history of umpiring

Before the 1980s, officials were sometimes little more than well-connected tennis fans looking for an expenses-paid holiday.

when the conflicts became more prevalent in the matches Dick Roberson created a set of penalties that umpires could use against the player, stiffened the code of conduct, set up schools for umpires

To keep things professional, he insisted that players and chair umpires eat in different cafeterias. “You can’t officiate to be a player’s friend,” Roberson told me.

some of the interesting techniques

Each umpire was told to look directly at the player who loses the point, because they’re more likely to cause trouble.

[umpire should] be strong and clear in their tone, and never to interrupt the player.

To offset this imbalance [sitting in the chair above the court], when players asked questions, Roberson told umpires that they should respond, rather than maintaining a haughty silence.

some ways to manage the crowd

Čičak noted the way the umpire called the score: once in the local language and again in English. The first one starts the clock between points, and the second one can be used to calm the crowd. “The more you try to control them [the crowd] the less they will listen to you,” Čičak told me. “So we can use the score.”

the rules are applied by the umpire depending on the situation

Take the shot clock, for instance. In theory, the server is allowed up to 25 seconds between points. In practice, it’s more complicated. If the player takes longer, the umpire must ask: was there a good reason for the delay? Did a shout from the crowd break the player’s focus? Did they need a bit longer to recover after an especially exhausting point?

Or, when the player swears: was it loud enough for people to hear? Was it offensive?

example of technique

We rewatched the incident together and Haigh walked me through his thought process. Rather than returning to his chair, he had remained on court, so he could look Shapovalov in the eye. He had reminded himself to keep his shoulders down, to let Shapovalov know that he was receptive to conversation, and his responses short, so the player could vent. Without emotion, he told Shapovalov that he understood his frustration but he was just applying the rules.

the introduction of electronic line calling doesn't help with confrontations with players

“It seems like the guys are more frustrated with themselves because they now cannot blame the line umpire who made that call.”

there's a system of badges (gold, silver and bronze) and evaluation for one

Umpires are normally evaluated by others one rank above them

umpire can't up their level if they don't officiate a "difficult" match

Čičak awarded the umpire a score of five out of seven. To have scored higher, she’d have needed to have responded to a difficult situation, but nothing came up.

Mohamed Lahyani is reviewing incidents and consulting other umpires

Some rules of assigning umpires to the match

For major tournaments, the umpires are assigned the night before the match, by the head of officiating and other senior figures.

Chair umpires are not allowed to officiate anybody of the same nationality.

"no list"

The sport’s governing bodies share a list of which chair umpires cannot officiate which players.

the requests can come from an umpire, a player or from governing bodies

there's also the section about umpires being a close group - so there are instances of power imbalance, abuse, they are very hard to investigate (all the usual stuff for such a situation)

[chloeworships]

💣👀 BOMBSHELL CORRUPTION: MLB — BLUE JAYS

💣👀 BOMBSHELL CORRUPTION: MLB — BLUE JAYS

I’m sorry cupcakes and die/hard fans 💔🥺

Isaiah’s was robbed of his glory. Don’t blame him.

I failed to mention in the recoding the LORD showed me the jersey number 13. I actually wasn’t sure why. WELP… I just looked up a photo of an umpire calling the player SAFE and this was the FIRST image from google. What makes this even more insane is I have 6ix notifications showing lol. God had to show you the proof.

What a disgrace.

We love you guys but they did yall dirty. SMH

Remember what God said about those who go against him…

They really tried to cage (hold back) the beautiful handsome blue jay. Terrible 😢

The folded money means someone caved. When ppl say you “folded” it means you gave in and some would add you gave in under pressure

💵💵💵

[newstech24]

MLB will use robotic umpires starting subsequent season

Main League Baseball will use so-called robotic umpires at house plate starting in 2026, the league introduced at the moment. The system has been examined in minor league video games (as defined on this video, included under), spring coaching, and occasions just like the 2025 All-Star Recreation. The Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) is seen as a fairer, extra correct approach to name when a…

MLB will use robotic umpires starting subsequent season

[webercreative]

Tap your helmet!

Yes, I’m on board… since home plate umps have been castrated already any way Sorry for the disturbing word, but it’s not a knock on umps. The truth is, MLB and the union and the umps took the teeth out of the Earl Weaver/Billy Martin/nextGenManager arguing back in the 80s, if not sooner. No personality from umpires allowed, sadly. And they have demanded umps adhere to the (ridiculous) idea of…

Tap your helmet!

[lajinahossain]

Umpires confiscate Trammell's bat after Yankees appeal

The ninth inning of the New York Yankees’ 8-4 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday night was delayed after umpires confiscated a bat used by Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell. After Trammell doubled, Yankees manager Aaron Boone asked officials to check his bat. Both managers talked to plate umpire Adrian Johnson, and he then talked to the replay office in New York. Johnson eventually handed…

Umpires confiscate Trammell's bat after Yankees appeal

[newstech24]

Umpires confiscate Trammell's bat after Yankees enchantment

The ninth inning of the New York Yankees’ 8-4 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday night time was delayed after umpires confiscated a bat utilized by Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell. After Trammell doubled, Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone requested officers to verify his bat. Each managers talked to plate umpire Adrian Johnson, and he then talked to the replay workplace in New York. Johnson…

Umpires confiscate Trammell's bat after Yankees enchantment