World Series: Robot Umps

by FreeZorilla on Feb 25, 2010 11:11 AM EST

As a followup to my front page post on World Series starting pitcher age, I decided to take a look at the effect umpiring may play to the veterans' advantage. To do so, I looked at the called strike zone for each pitching matchup over the past two World Series utilizing texasleaguers.com's pitch fx tool. Z-Balls represent pitches in the normalized zone that were called balls. O-strikes represent pitches outside the zone that were called strikes. Below are the results:

2008

Date	PHI	Z-Ball	O-Strikes	TB	Z-Ball	O-Strike
22-Oct	Hamels	4	2	Kazmir	4	2
23-Oct	Myers	9	3	Shields	3	2
25-Oct	Moyer	1	3	Garza	5	4
26-Oct	Blanton	11	1	Sonnanstine	11	2
27-Oct	Hamels	6	1	Kazmir	13	2
		31	10		36	12

It's tough to say who really had the avantage but the ratio of bad calls was roughly equal at 3-1 against each team's pitchers. Its a shame the zone was the most expanded (what a stupid concept) in the Garza-Moyer matchup when Moyer is reliant on that condition for success. There is no reason for the zone to change from game to game.

2009

Date	PHI	Z-Ball	O-Strikes	NYY	Z-Ball	O-Strike
28-Oct	Lee	10	1	Sabathia	5	0
29-Oct	Pmartinez	2	2	Burnett	3	1
31-Oct	Hamels	2	2	Pettitte	6	0
1-Nov	Blanon	7	2	Sabathia	5	1
2-Nov	Lee	13	0	Burnett	4	1
4-Nov	Pmartinez	1	3	Pettitte	11	0
Total		35	10		34	3

This is probably not what most of use were expecting. 10-3 in bad strike calls in favor of the Phillies. What does it say about how amazing Cliff Lee was that he had 23 Z-Balls and only 1 O-strike between his two starts? Meanwhile poor Andy Pettitte had 17 Z-Balls and 0 O-strikes versus 3 Z-Balls and 5 O-Strikes for his opposing pitchers. That should be an impossibility. While old men Moyer and Perdo benefitted from favorable umpiring, Pettitte is no spring chicken. Its tough to draw any conclusion except that human umpiring is absurd and extremely influential on outcomes.

This post was written by a member of the DRaysBay community and does not necessarily express the views or opinions of DRaysBay staff.

Tweet Comment 25 comments | 1 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

R.J. Anderson approves of this message.

Second Fav. NFL Team- The chiefs

by 4QB on Feb 25, 2010 3:00 PM EST reply actions

So do I. Not having robots call balls and strikes is asinine.

Tools Whore

by Tyler on Feb 25, 2010 6:32 PM EST up reply actions

I hate the idea of robot umps

regardless of whether an ump is right or wrong, fans and players alike have to have someone to blame when a call does not go their way. It would be crazy to take that away. We would all be like “Well I guess the robot said it, so it can’t be wrong.” And that would be the end of it. No waiting in the parking lot, no player/manager/ump confrontations….very boring.

by free hotdogs on Feb 25, 2010 10:26 PM EST reply actions

You mean instead of blaming umps fans would hold players accountable?

The umpires are not a meaningful part of the baseball experience for me. At least I prefer when they are not. If you want controversy, I suggest pro wrestling. Baseball outcomes should be determined by the players or on a calculator.

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Feb 26, 2010 10:02 AM EST up reply actions

Cowboy Joe West needs to wrestle Kent Hrbek

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

by Andy Hellicksonstine on Feb 26, 2010 10:04 AM EST up reply actions

Fixed

Baseball outcomes should only be determined ~~by the players or~~ on a calculator.

Hit Buc 'Em for all your Bucs news and DRaysBay for every piece of Rays info.

by Buc Wild on Feb 26, 2010 10:17 AM EST up reply actions

meh

I just wish they held the umps accountable for their calls. Hold them accountable to the strike zone. Robot umps turn me off because I think it will slow the game down even more. We do have the technology for the umps to be held accountable, and if they mess up they don’t get to work the playoffs. If they keep messing up, then you fire them. Simple as that. The carrot to the umpiring union is keeping umps in pro ball. The stick will be turnover.

by rglass44 on Feb 26, 2010 10:23 AM EST up reply actions

I know call me crazy and make a refernece to wrestling

but I like some randomness thrown in. If you Everything in our lives is getting more and more automated. Specifically talking about strike zones, I like that every ump is different. If you are a pitcher or a batter you have to adjust to their strike zone for that game. However an ump should be consistent. The O-strike numbers for Garza and Moyer show that the ump has an expanded strike zone. I am sure that particular ump has a rep for that and they scout it, just like pitchers know batters strengths and weaknesses. Both pitchers used that to an advantage, or at least equally received the benefit of the call.

If you want a perfect sterilized game, then play it on a calculator by all means. Part of the challenge of playing baseball is adapting…fields are different, pitchers are different, umps are different.

by free hotdogs on Feb 26, 2010 10:59 AM EST up reply actions

I take no issue with fields as they play both sides the same.

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Feb 26, 2010 12:10 PM EST up reply actions

to an extent

but just like umps, differing field conditions are unique to baseball and give the home team and advantage unlike “home” courts or fields of other sports. Both teams will play on the field, but one team knows that field very, very well and has adjusted their game to it.

I am curious about the case of PMartinez and Pettite though, because it is so extreme. Is there any visual data to show the location of those pitches?

by free hotdogs on Feb 26, 2010 1:49 PM EST up reply actions

The field that we used for HS soccer was the only one in the league that had lights on it

So we knew how to play it during the cold nights when dew would be covering the entire pitch. Additionally, the rules of the division gave loose parameters for a field so we used the largest dimensions that you legally could. This helped us because we knew that we would be better spread than just about any opposition, and we were in better shape to use the advantage. We had a really strong year with average talent.

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

by Andy Hellicksonstine on Feb 26, 2010 1:59 PM EST up reply actions

You know how I know you're gay?

by rglass44 on Feb 26, 2010 2:19 PM EST up reply actions

Dew

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Feb 26, 2010 2:21 PM EST up reply actions

Spread?

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Feb 26, 2010 2:21 PM EST up reply actions

I've seen your bumper sticker

“Cowboys butts drive me nuts”

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

by Andy Hellicksonstine on Feb 26, 2010 3:39 PM EST up reply actions

Sure, but every team owns a homefield advantage and games are split between venues

Which umpire gets assigned to a game is a variable out of both teams hands. Thats silly.

Pettitte:

Pedro

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Feb 26, 2010 2:14 PM EST up reply actions

But how does one team have an advantage over another with human umps?

by rglass44 on Feb 26, 2010 2:19 PM EST up reply actions

If Moyer draws an ump with an ocean-sized zone, I’d say he drew the advantage. Its random distribution of umps, but the sequencing creates advantages.

Inconsistencies also lead to advantages as demonstrated above.

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Feb 26, 2010 2:25 PM EST up reply actions