How are MLB Umpires evaluated?

When the MLB umpires established the new union after that failed resignation attempt they all came under the power of the Commissioner's Office. One of the offices of the commisioner office is Vice President of Umpiring.......I believe that is still Ralph Nelson.

Under Nelson there is a director of umpire administration, Tom Lepperd; a director of umpire evaluation, Phil Janssen; and a special assistant, Marty Springstead. There are three supervisors in (retired MLB umpires) Frank Pulli, Larry Barnett and Steve Palermo.

They also have a lot of part-time evaluators and observers. The supervisors spend the season traveling around the country, evaluating the current Major League crews and scouting the minor leagues for up-and-coming talent.

QuesTec continues to be used to grade umpires but will not be the only system for evaluation. If an umpire meets ball-and-strike standards under QuesTec, no other system will be used.

(This is where the umpires union chimed in)

But if an umpire falls below QuesTec standards, his performance will be analyzed by the other means - videotape analysis of his strike zone, live observation by umpiring supervisors - to determine his status. (demoted or released)

They state that there is a constant emphasis on evaluation. As we both know MLB, is the only one of the four major professional leagues that doesn't use television replay aid its officials.

The aftermath of calls, the arguements, ejections and ensuing fracases -- are all written up in reports and reviewed by the Commissioner's Office.

The result of all this evaluation is post season assignments.....Thirty-six of MLB's 68 full-time umpires worked during the postseason and drew their assignments based on regular-season evaluations. The umps with the best reviews are supposed to be rewarded with postseason work.

All of this was agreed to and signed off on by the WUA (World umpires Association) last year.......

Good to see you again Rob.....

PIAA:
Hey thanks that is very interesting.

I figured QuesTec was one of the evaluation tools for strike zone calls.

How about for base calls? Do they use video replay as an evaluation tool for day to day calls that maybe don't rise to the level of argument/ejection/fracas?

In addition to what PIAA already said they are given a video of any game where it is available. They also get their QuesTec tapes. As stated if something strange happens, Either an ejection or strange rule problem, it is reviewed by the supervisors and then by the crew involved. I had a friend that was working replacement as an AAA ump and he showed some of the tape from some of the games he worked. The thing I found interesting is the number of times the crew chief will insert himself into a prolonged discussion. At the levels we work that would never happen but at the pro level the CC will go in and protect a younger guy.