Rankings Explanation

The two charts are listed in order of the most pitching friendly umpire to the least pitching friendly umpire. The rankings are computed using a weighted average of the five categories.

First chart: the raw statistics for each category as well as the league averages.

Second chart: all categories are scaled to league average. 1.00 is league average, anything over 1.00 indicates the umpire is more favorable to pitchers in the category than league average. Under 1.00 indicates the umpire is less favorable to pitchers in the category than league average (For example 1.2 in K's indicates the umpire averages more K's than league average, while 1.2 in BB's indicates the umpire averages less walks than league average.)

Glossary

Rank (daily)- How each umpire ranks (most pitching friendly to least) among the home plate umpires scheduled for that day.

Rank (1-88) How each umpire ranks (most pitching friendly to least) among all umpires for the last three years. There are 88 umpires in the sample. 

K’s - Average total strikeouts per game. 2013, 2014, and 2015 season to date are each weighted 1/3.

BB’s - Average total walks per game. 2013, 2014, and 2015 season to date are each weighted 1/3.

Runs - Average total runs per game. 2013, 2014, and 2015 season to date are each weighted 1/3.

% Strike Out of Zone - The percentage of pitches the umpire called strikes that were outside the strike zone (the higher the better for a pitcher). The percentage is out of only pitches that were called a ball or a strike. Equally weights each pitch from the last three seasons.

% Balls in Zone - The percentage of pitches the umpire called balls that were inside the strike zone (the lower the better for a pitcher). The percentage is out of only pitches that were called a ball or a strike. Equally weights each pitch from the last three seasons.

Weighted Average- 20% K's, 20% BB's, 10% Total Runs, 25% Percent Strikes Out of Zone, 25% Percent Balls in Zone. Percent strikes out of zone and percent balls in zone are the only categories the umpire fully controls and receive the highest weight.

League Average- The averages for each category from the last three seasons equally weighted.

*Not Available - On the first day of a series, the umpire assignments are not made available until first pitch.

 

Rank
(Daily)		Rank
(1-88)		GamePitcher AwayPitcher HomeUmpireK'sBB'sTotal
Runs		% Strike
Out of Zone		% Balls in
 Zone
16Giants @ CardinalsCainGarciaMike Everitt16.255.898.8215.63%6.58%
214Blue Jays @ PhilliesBuehrleMorganAdam Hamari14.934.718.1814.50%8.92%
318Mariners @ RangersMontgomeryHollandJohn Hirschbeck15.715.926.8915.48%9.46%
419Nationals @ RockiesStrasburgDe La RosaJim Wolf13.995.557.8214.75%8.51%
521Braves @ PadresTeheranRossCory Blaser14.405.358.3014.74%8.87%
632Dodgers @ AthleticsWoodChavezTim Timmons15.326.048.9815.25%9.36%
735Indians @ Red SoxKluberKellyMark Wegner14.785.408.1813.84%9.49%
839Tigers @ CubsNorrisLesterTony Randazzo15.075.607.9413.59%9.47%
940Diamondbacks @ PiratesRayHappManny Gonzalez14.275.658.4013.44%8.76%
1046White Sox @ AngelsSamardzijaWeaverDana DeMuth15.024.968.4413.42%10.39%
1161Royals @ RedsGuthrieSampsonChris Conroy14.575.808.9013.40%9.67%
1268Twins @ YankeesSantanaEovaldiTed Barrett14.396.748.3415.30%10.58%
1372Rays @ AstrosKarnsKeuchelRob Drake14.045.628.0514.69%12.31%
1485Mets @ OriolesSyndergaardJimenezTom Woodring14.416.688.4013.06%11.38%
  Marlins @ BrewersKoehlerPeraltaBen May     
     League Average14.755.628.2614.37%9.82%

 

Rank
(Daily)		Rank
(1-88)		GamePitcher AwayPitcher HomeUmpireK'sBB'sTotal
Runs		% Strike
Out of Zone		% Balls in
 Zone		Weighted Avg
16Giants @ CardinalsCainGarciaMike Everitt1.1010.9540.9361.0881.4911.149
214Blue Jays @ PhilliesBuehrleMorganAdam Hamari1.0121.1921.0101.0091.1011.069
318Mariners @ RangersMontgomeryHollandJohn Hirschbeck1.0650.9491.1991.0771.0371.051
419Nationals @ RockiesStrasburgDe La RosaJim Wolf0.9481.0131.0561.0261.1541.043
521Braves @ PadresTeheranRossCory Blaser0.9761.0490.9951.0261.1071.038
632Dodgers @ AthleticsWoodChavezTim Timmons1.0380.9300.9201.0611.0491.013
735Indians @ Red SoxKluberKellyMark Wegner1.0021.0401.0100.9631.0351.009
839Tigers @ CubsNorrisLesterTony Randazzo1.0221.0041.0410.9461.0371.005
940Diamondbacks @ PiratesRayHappManny Gonzalez0.9670.9940.9830.9351.1211.005
1046White Sox @ AngelsSamardzijaWeaverDana DeMuth1.0181.1330.9790.9340.9450.998
1161Royals @ RedsGuthrieSampsonChris Conroy0.9880.9690.9280.9331.0150.971
1268Twins @ YankeesSantanaEovaldiTed Barrett0.9750.8330.9911.0640.9280.959
1372Rays @ AstrosKarnsKeuchelRob Drake0.9521.0001.0261.0220.7970.948
1485Mets @ OriolesSyndergaardJimenezTom Woodring0.9770.8410.9830.9090.8620.905
  Marlins @ BrewersKoehlerPeraltaBen May      

 

Notable Umpires

Jaime Garcia will pitch in spacious Busch Stadium with the best umpire for pitchers on the day in Mike Everitt. Among today’s umpires, Everitt calls balls inside the zone at the lowest rate and strikes outside the zone at the highest rate. The strike zone should be very generous for Garcia today.

Noah Syndergaard gets Tom Woodring behind the plate, one of the most extreme hitter friendly umpires in baseball. He rates below average for pitchers in all 5 categories. While Syndergaard has the talent to throw a gem anytime, he will have to pitch in a good hitters environment and with a small zone today.

Dallas Keuchel will pitch with Rob Drake behind the plate. Drake is actually fairly close to league average in 4 of the categories, but he stands out to the extreme in the wrong direction in the 5th. Basner calls balls inside the zone at a rate of 12.3% which is by far the highest on the day. Keuchel will have to be very precise today to get called strikes. 

Corey Kluber and Jon Lester are the other top pitching options of the day, and both will both pitch with middle of the pack umpires for pitchers. Kluber has to deal with a red hot Boston lineup in Fenway park, and he will get Mark Wegner calling balls and strikes. Lester gets Tony Randazzo, who like Wegner stays close to the league average in all categories.