This is for those that are suffering through the cold, snowy winter such as we have here in Central Illinois.
Every team and blogger has been combing through the stats to see where they are strong and where they are weak. Now with a few weeks until the season is to begin let’s look at the umpires and their strike zone habits. Below you will find the Top Ten that are highest and Top Ten that are lowest percentage in each category. Below that you will find the same information and a bit more about the tendencies of each umpire.
These are the Top Ten umpires that did the best job by calling the least amount of balls while it was actually a strike.
These umpires had the highest percentage of mistakes when calling a ball when it was a strike.
This chart shows the percentage that the Top Ten called a strike which was actually a ball. Baseball needs to look into these guys and decide if they should be continuing as a Major League umpire (Angel Hernandez).
These umpires were the BEST and called the least number of strikes that were actually a ball.
| Pitches out of zone | % Called Strikes out of zone | Pitches in zone | % Called Balls in zone | Ave. Walks | Ave. K’s | Ave. Runs | ||
| Adam Hamari | 1933 | 10.09 | 1312 | 3.2 | 5.1 | 16.5 | 7.5 | |
| Adrian Johnson | 5827 | 9.06 | 3856 | 3.89 | 6 | 14.4 | 8.4 | |
| Al Porter | 6191 | 8.45 | 4172 | 3.45 | 6.5 | 15.5 | 9.2 | |
| Alfonso Marquez | 6372 | 7.17 | 4165 | 3.91 | 6.3 | 15.3 | 7.8 | |
| Andy Fletcher | 5593 | 8.26 | 3824 | 4.16 | 5.9 | 15 | 8.2 | |
| Angel Hernandez | 6131 | 10.57 | 4024 | 3.11 | 5.8 | 14.4 | 9.4 | |
| Bill Miller | 6189 | 10.5 | 4080 | 2.16 | 5.3 | 15.3 | 7 | |
| Bill Welke | 6211 | 9.64 | 4146 | 3.06 | 5.4 | 13.3 | 8.4 | |
| Bob Davidson | 6345 | 9.38 | 4235 | 3.35 | 5.9 | 14.9 | 8.9 | |
| Brian Gorman | 3562 | 9.57 | 2336 | 3.3 | 6.1 | 14.6 | 7.6 | |
| Brian Knight | 6608 | 8.79 | 4335 | 3.06 | 7.5 | 16.1 | 9.3 | |
| Brian ONora | 4775 | 10.55 | 3145 | 2.35 | 6.8 | 16.5 | 9 | |
| Bruce Dreckman | 6305 | 9.04 | 4063 | 3.32 | 6.4 | 16.5 | 8.2 | |
| CB Bucknor | 5751 | 10.61 | 3856 | 2.52 | 5.2 | 16.4 | 7.4 | |
| Chad Fairchild | 5658 | 8.87 | 3867 | 2.77 | 5.7 | 15.1 | 8.4 | |
| Chris Conroy | 5534 | 8.47 | 3899 | 3.15 | 6.4 | 15 | 7.6 | |
| Chris Guccione | 6063 | 9.43 | 4072 | 2.8 | 5.3 | 15.2 | 8.8 | |
| Clint Fagan | 2833 | 9.28 | 1925 | 4.36 | 8.2 | 14.7 | 9.6 | |
| Cory Blaser | 5105 | 9.72 | 3445 | 3.22 | 5.9 | 14.4 | 9.2 | |
| D.J. Reyburn | 1019 | 9.21 | 1380 | 3.12 | 6.5 | 15.4 | 8.8 | |
| Dale Scott | 5924 | 9.18 | 3807 | 4.68 | 7.6 | 14.7 | 8.8 | |
| Dan Bellino | 5913 | 9.78 | 3870 | 3 | 5.7 | 15.1 | 8.9 | |
| Dan Iassogna | 6042 | 9.76 | 4046 | 3.78 | 5.9 | 15.8 | 7.2 | |
| Dana DeMuth | 5541 | 8.95 | 3603 | 3.22 | 6.1 | 15.6 | 8.7 | |
| David Rackley | 2186 | 8.14 | 1406 | 3.98 | 7.5 | 15.1 | 8.8 | |
| Doug Eddings | 5506 | 10.24 | 3559 | 2.29 | 4.6 | 15.2 | 8.3 | |
| Ed Hickox | 4460 | 10.27 | 3026 | 3.17 | 5.2 | 15.2 | 9.7 | |
| Eric Cooper | 5670 | 8.84 | 3684 | 2.01 | 5.5 | 16.2 | 7.4 | |
| Fieldin Culbreth | 5632 | 8.84 | 3815 | 2.91 | 6.2 | 14.5 | 7.4 | |
| Gary Cederstrom | 4611 | 10.24 | 3093 | 3.23 | 7 | 15.3 | 8.8 | |
| Gary Darling | 6143 | 9.72 | 4170 | 3.57 | 5.6 | 15 | 8 | |
| Gerry Davis | 5715 | 8.33 | 3896 | 3.13 | 5.9 | 15.4 | 7.3 | |
| Greg Gibson | 5340 | 8.3 | 3743 | 3.45 | 6.4 | 15.3 | 8.3 | |
| Hunter Wendelstedt | 6383 | 10.48 | 4201 | 2.81 | 6.7 | 15.7 | 6.5 | |
| James Hoye | 5787 | 9.4 | 3947 | 3.32 | 5.6 | 16.3 | 8.7 | |
| Jeff Kellogg | 6140 | 9.28 | 4161 | 3.29 | 5.9 | 15.6 | 7.7 | |
| Jeff Nelson | 6086 | 9.71 | 4183 | 3.18 | 5.5 | 14.2 | 9.3 | |
| Jerry Layne | 4552 | 8.7 | 3069 | 3.98 | 5.6 | 15.2 | 8.7 | |
| Jerry Meals | 5739 | 10.47 | 3851 | 3.25 | 6.5 | 15 | 7.7 | |
| Jim Joyce | 6265 | 9.9 | 4098 | 3.42 | 4.9 | 15.6 | 8.5 | |
| Jim Reynolds | 6332 | 9.22 | 4197 | 3.76 | 5.9 | 14.6 | 7.8 | |
| Jim Wolf | 3382 | 9.49 | 2203 | 2.91 | 6.5 | 16.1 | 8.4 | |
| Joe West | 5683 | 8.38 | 3806 | 4.13 | 6.4 | 14.3 | 7.7 | |
| John Hirschbeck | 5814 | 9.94 | 3938 | 3.35 | 7.2 | 15.5 | 8.3 | |
| John Tumpane | 2720 | 10 | 1812 | 4.19 | 5.9 | 15.8 | 8.1 | |
| Jordan Baker | 5361 | 8.9 | 3606 | 3.22 | 5.5 | 14.6 | 8 | |
| Kerwin Danley | 4936 | 10.01 | 3205 | 4.02 | 5.9 | 15.2 | 8.5 | |
| Lance Barksdale | 5696 | 9.06 | 3904 | 2.64 | 5.4 | 15.9 | 6.1 | |
| Lance Barrett | 2217 | 10.46 | 1382 | 3.84 | 5.9 | 14 | 8.7 | |
| Larry Vanover | 5089 | 9.22 | 3412 | 3.6 | 7.4 | 13.5 | 7.3 | |
| Laz Diaz | 6040 | 10.02 | 4050 | 4.37 | 5.9 | 15.3 | 7.8 | |
| Manny Gonzalez | 5356 | 8.98 | 3573 | 2.94 | 6 | 15 | 9.1 | |
| Mark Carlson | 6397 | 10.15 | 4216 | 3.32 | 5.7 | 14.1 | 8.3 | |
| Mark Ripperger | 408 | 12.01 | 331 | 2.72 | 5.9 | 15.9 | 7.9 | |
| Mark Wegner | 5916 | 9.43 | 4149 | 2.96 | 3.3 | 16 | 9.3 | |
| Marty Foster | 5480 | 10.04 | 3605 | 3.72 | 5.8 | 15.5 | 7.9 | |
| Marvin Hudson | 6570 | 10.17 | 4156 | 2.91 | 5.4 | 14.9 | 8.3 | |
| Mike DiMuro | 5720 | 9.81 | 3824 | 4.13 | 6.6 | 14.5 | 9.9 | |
| Mike Estabrook | 4336 | 9.43 | 2933 | 2.15 | 6.2 | 14 | 8.3 | |
| Mike Everitt | 6260 | 10.61 | 4098 | 2.05 | 5.5 | 15 | 7.9 | |
| Mike Muchlinski | 4070 | 7.62 | 2821 | 4.18 | 6.2 | 15.8 | 9 | |
| Mike Winters | 6368 | 10.33 | 4078 | 3.48 | 5.8 | 15.1 | 7.5 | |
| Paul Emmel | 6472 | 9.35 | 4317 | 3.31 | 6.6 | 16.2 | 8.2 | |
| Paul Nauert | 5936 | 9.82 | 3899 | 3.26 | 6.1 | 14.5 | 7.9 | |
| Paul Schrieber | 5927 | 8.44 | 4105 | 3.61 | 4.9 | 15.3 | 7.7 | |
| Phil Cuzzi | 5978 | 10.19 | 4067 | 2.02 | 6.3 | 12.9 | 7.7 | |
| Quinn Wolcott | 2533 | 8.69 | 1635 | 3.24 | 5.9 | 16.1 | 7.7 | |
| Rob Drake | 4972 | 9.63 | 3278 | 4.09 | 6.6 | 14.8 | 9 | |
| Ron Kulpa | 5833 | 10.75 | 3874 | 3.1 | 6.8 | 15.1 | 8.4 | |
| Sam Holbrook | 5917 | 9.08 | 3701 | 4.27 | 5.7 | 16.1 | 6.9 | |
| Scott Barry | 5606 | 8.95 | 3813 | 3.57 | 5.8 | 14.7 | 8.3 | |
| Ted Barrett | 5927 | 11.29 | 3860 | 3.34 | 6.4 | 15.3 | 9.5 | |
| Tim McClelland | 5713 | 7.21 | 3888 | 3.47 | 5.3 | 14.1 | 7.8 | |
| Tim Timmons | 6195 | 10.59 | 4057 | 2.69 | 7.1 | 14.3 | 10.1 | |
| Tim Welke | 6014 | 10.46 | 3964 | 3.28 | 6.8 | 16.5 | 9.3 | |
| Toby Basner | 911 | 6.26 | 654 | 5.05 | 6 | 14.2 | 8.1 | |
| Todd Tichenor | 6093 | 9.75 | 3901 | 3.72 | 8.4 | 14.6 | 10.2 | |
| Tom Hallion | 6373 | 9.52 | 4190 | 4.39 | 5.6 | 14.4 | 7.8 | |
| Tony Randazzo | 5940 | 8.27 | 4012 | 2.77 | 6.5 | 15.7 | 8.6 | |
| Tripp Gibson III | 1066 | 9.19 | 715 | 3.08 | 6.2 | 14.9 | 9.1 | |
| Victor Carapazza | 5842 | 10.03 | 3910 | 2.38 | 6.2 | 15.3 | 8.7 | |
| Wally Bell | 5928 | 10.26 | 4020 | 3.58 | 5.4 | 14.8 | 7.9 | |
| Will Little | 2219 | 8.97 | 1451 | 2.69 | 6.3 | 14.8 | 8.2 |
Next time you watch a game look at the plate umpire stats and see if it rings true in 2014.