Baseball umpire score cards provide a detailed analysis of an umpire’s performance behind the plate during a baseball game. For over a decade, websites like Brooks Baseball have tracked ball and strike calls made by MLB umpires and compared them to an objective standard known as the “PitchFX” zone to determine the accuracy of each call. This data is then compiled into umpire score cards that give fans unprecedented insight into how well or poorly an umpire called balls and strikes over the course of a full game.
The score cards break down each umpire’s ball and strike calls pitch-by-pitch, indicating whether the call matched the PitchFX zone or not. A breakdown of called strikes, called balls, missed calls inside and outside the zone is provided, along with totals and percentages. Additional stats include “catcher’s interference” calls, if any, and “time of game.” The score cards provide transparency into the human element of umpiring that has never before been available.
While umpires still receive subjective evaluations on other aspects of their performance like their demeanor, ball/strike accuracy is now an objective statistic. Some umpires consistently call a larger or smaller strike zone than the actual PitchFX zone. For example, veteran umpire Joe West is known for a wide strike zone while Ted Barrett is considered to call a tighter, smaller zone. Umpire score cards allow fans to see these tendencies in the raw data.
The score cards also show that even the most experienced umpires do not call 100% of pitches correctly. No umpire gets every single call right according to the PitchFX zone standard, as calling balls and strikes in real time is incredibly difficult. The best MLB umpires still get over 95% of calls correct on average over the course of a full season according to their score cards. Lesser umpires may only get 90-92% correct.
In addition to measuring accuracy, umpire score cards have changed how fans and analysts view umpire performance. A few missed calls may not seem like a big deal, but over the course of a full game even a 1% error rate can significantly impact the outcome, especially when missed calls favor one team over the other. Score cards have revealed some umpires with clear home team biases in their ball/strike calls.
Some umpires receive harsh criticism when their score cards show a game where they missed an unusually high number of calls or seemed to favor one team. Others point out that even a typically great umpire can have a few “off” games now and then due to human factors like fatigue or distraction. The data shows umpires are still very good at their jobs overall despite not being perfect.
Umpire score cards have also had a positive impact on MLB’s willingness to overturn clearly missed calls on video review. When the clear and convincing evidence shows an umpire blew a call, MLB is now more likely to reverse the call rather than stick with the original ruling out of some misguided sense of protecting the umpire. Accuracy matters more than any one umpire’s pride, and score cards have helped shift that perspective.
While far from a perfect measure of umpire performance given the inherent human element to the job, umpire score cards have created unprecedented transparency and accountability for ball/strike accuracy in MLB. They have changed how umpires, managers, players and fans view and evaluate umpire performance for the better. As technology improves, score cards may start tracking other types of calls as well to provide an even more complete picture of how well umpires do their job behind the plate.
Umpire score cards have revolutionized how baseball fans can analyze and understand the human element of balls and strikes calling. No umpire is perfect, but score cards give unprecedented insight into which umpires consistently perform well and which struggle with accuracy according to an objective standard. They have created more transparency and accountability for ball/strike calls while also recognizing the inherent difficulties of the job. Umpire score cards are likely to continue evolving the evaluation of on-field MLB umpire performance for years to come.
