Most favored to road team: Mike Everitt (Road team wins 61.8% of the time)
Most favored to home team: Tom Hallion (Home team wins 72.2% of the time)
Lowest average run total: Doug Eddings (7.9 runs per game)
Highest average run total: Jerry Crawford (12.3 runs per game)
Calls least strikes: Andy Fletcher (1.48 K/BB rate)
Calls most strikes: Doug Eddings (3.21 K/BB rate)
Calls most balls: Ed Montague (3.85 BB per game)
Calls least balls: Doug Eddings (2.06 BB per game)
These are based on the umpires that have called at least 20 games behind home plate.
I made a pdf file of all the 2006 Major League Umpire stats. Next time you go to a ballgame, print this out and bring it with you. It will give you a little more insight into who’s calling the game behind home plate.
Awesome bit of information. Thanks!
Last Saturday (May 2), Lou Piniella got ejected from this first game as a Cubs manager as he argued about the Mark Wegner’s call at third base. A factoid about umpire Mark Wegner. In 2006, he called the 2nd most walks per 9 innings. He’s the 13 in the list of umpires that favor the home team.
I always knew that pitchers and batters spend the first couple innings adjusting to the umpire’s strike zone, but it’s quite startling to see some of the differences in stats between certain umpires.
You know how Starting Lineup makes figures of MLB players? They should make figures of the umpires.
That is brilliant! They could have them in different poses. The arms outstretched in a “SAFE” pose. The dramatic follow-through of a “you’re OUT.” AND THEN THE CLASSIC ARMS FOLDED, CHEST PUFFED OUT, STERN LOOK ON FACE AS THE MANAGER ARGUES WITH THE UMP. They would need to make manager starting lineups of Lou Pinella kicking dirt. And Lloyd McClendon throwing a base. Dude, these would become BEST SELLERS.
Wow. I figured they were pretty predictable but that is crazy. I am sure the managers use this information to make decisions throughout the game. For example I am sure the odds on a hit and run change if you know the ump calls a strike a certain % of the time.