"Steeee-rike one!"

In the 100-plus posts that I've published as Mudville Mom, I have tried to cover many aspects of the game of baseball - my joy in watching a perfectly-executed double play; the hobby of collecting baseball cards; my fascination (or infatuation!) with catchers; and how much I dislike the Phillies and Yankees.  But there's one topic I haven't covered yet, and watching yesterday's Washington Redskins/LA Rams game gave me the inspiration to write about officiating (I won't get into the terrible job that the replacement refs are doing in the NFL - that's a whole other can of worms!).

According to MLB.com, Major League baseball umpires get around $120,000 per season when they start out in the big leagues, and senior umps can earn upwards of $300,000.  Between spring training, a 162-game schedule, and the postseason, being an MLB umpire is a job that takes up most of the year (unlike NFL refs, who can hold other jobs - and if I'm not mistaken, is one of the issues they're dealing with in these ongoing negotiations between the NFL and the referees' union).   So despite not making as much money as the baseball players themselves, umpires are well cared-for while on the road.  Each ump gets a $340 per diem to cover hotel and food, and when they fly, it's always first class. Working a full postseason can tack on an extra $20,000, plus expenses. They also get four weeks of paid vacation during the regular season, which I think is quite excessive when the season is only six months long (I work a 180-day schedule at a high school - imagine if I asked my principal for four weeks of paid vacation during the school year!).

These guys hang onto their jobs, too; on average, there's only one opening for a new big league ump each season.  Joe West, for example, has been umpiring Major League baseball games since the days of Pete Rose and Johnny Bench (34 years) and Derryl Cousins has been calling plays for 33.  Umpiring can run in the family too - Harry Wendelstedt umpired for many years, and his son, Hunter, is an umpire now as well.

But one thing these guy aren't is perfect.  They have been known for making bad calls countless times, most recently in last Saturday's Nationals-Braves game, where the first base umpire claimed that Adam LaRoche's foot was off the base when Martín Prado reached the base, when we know it really wasn't.  The problem is, the reason we know that LaRoche's foot was indeed on the base is because we saw the replay at least six times, including in very slow motion.  Umpires don't have the benefit of replay (except in home run calls, when a team can appeal the call and the umpires go into their clubhouse and review the tape).  Often times the play is so close that they have to make a guess, and other times they have to judge by the sound of the ball hitting the glove instead of by looking at the play. 

While we love to boo and heckle umpires, I think they do a pretty good job overall.  While some people believe that instant replay needs to be expanded and umpires should be allowed to review calls other than in home run situations, I think having them go off into the clubhouse to review every disputed play would make a baseball game last an eternity.  Instead, I do think that they should show a play on a scoreboard's Jumbotron or Diamond Vision or whatever it's called.  That way everyone, including the umpires, can see a replay in a timely manner and umpires can change the call right away.  This wouldn't take long, but then I wonder if umpires would rely on it too much.   Although nothing shatters an umpire's ego more than having to admit a mistake and change a call.

One of the reasons that many of us die-hard baseball fans enjoy the game so much is that in many ways, it has gone unchanged over the years.  Yes, the Designated Hitter has only been around for 39 years, and yes, the new Wild Card and playoffs formats are ridiculous.  But the managers don't wear headsets or use iPads - they still tap their ball caps, point to their noses and ears, and brush their shoulders to send signals to their players.  And the umpire is still the big guy behind the plate - the one who decides fair or foul, swing or no swing, go to first or go sit down.  Day in and day out (except for those 4 weeks of vacation), whether you like them or not.  boo them or cheer their call, spit on them or kick dirt on them, umpires will always be there to make the call.  Now whether or not it's the right one... well, that depends for which team you're cheering!