One of the difficulties with trying to review from the angles that we see is that they're rarely the right angle to make a definitive call. The umpires are trained where to position themselves to have the best chance of getting the best look at the play.

Having been an umpire for many many years at all levels up to semi-pro, I am glad to see them get it right. I have watched games where the first look is one way, but with slow replay and different angles the call is reversed. Love it.

Out/Safe calls are usually actually easier for umpires in real life than they are on TV. Not saying that they're by any stretch *easy*, but when you're on the field and you can see the play in real time and hear the pop of the glove whilst looking at the bag, it's easier to call the close plays than looking at weird angles on TV (assuming you're in the right place).

In 2006, I went to an Aberdeen Ironbirds (MiLB) game and was selected for the "You Make the Call" minigame. They put the clip on the video board and stopped it right before the call (whacker at first with the BR). As the host asked me for my call, I came up with an out and blew out the mic with my "OUT!" call. The base umpire turned to see if I made the right call and actually applauded me.

as an nfhs baseball umpire, i would not give a hit-by-pitch on that last play. one of the most useful tips i was given in umpire camp to judge hbp's was this: from his original stance, did the batter place any part of his body CLOSER to the pitch than when he started, INCLUDING any part of a swing. if he did, then he has crossed the advantage/disadvantage line (which is the basis of 99% of rules enforcement). so, using that guidance, if a batter starts a swing and then stops, he has placed some part of his body (in this case, as usual, it is the hands) closer to the pitch and therefore should not be granted the award of a hbp. of course, it is a judgement call; would the pitch have hit the batter had he not attempted the swing is also part of the evaluation. but the moving closer tip has helped me support the overwhelming majority of my "discussions" with coaches when this happens. thanks again, greg.

1: Looks like he’s safe. When the catcher reaches his glove out, his opponent’s foot is just on the home plate. Although he did pull his glove back as soon as the opponent was mid-slid. He may have been out because you can’t tell if the catcher tagged him or was about to tag him. It’s a complicated call. 2: Out. I slowed it down and he seemed to get tagged just barely before he hit his foot on the bag after he was tagged. Which means he is out. 3: Safe! He put his hand in when he slid for the plate. Plus the catcher made an illegal move, standing guard on the plate. Safe either way. 4: Safe. The ball didn’t hit the glove until Turner hit the plate. 5: I wanna say that he’s out. But I cant tell from any angle given. It looked like his toe kept on the base until he fell. 6: Safe. It’s the same as number 4. The ball hadn’t hit the glove until the opponent had the foot on the base. 7: slowed it down. It went through a hole or got stuck. Which doesn’t count either way because it didn’t go OVER the wall. 8: I’m not sure what you would call. But I would give the man his home run. It went over and looked like it hit a rail or something. 9: That’s a home run. If it goes in the the crowd it’s a home run. Unless it goes in the foul zone. 10: Dead Ball! Batter swung at pitch and it went and hit his back ankle. 11: Wasn’t hit! He dodged it. 12: That one had to hurt. Didn’t hit the bat but it moved over slightly. So I think it is a HBP

Appreciate the meticulous analysis of calls with graphs and footage. Very entertaining, Chris!

Love this bro. People really watch the game and don’t realize how hard of a job it is.

I was a second base blue for The British Baseball League. After my first game I sat in my car afterwards, mentally exhausted. I could not safely drive home for at least an hour or so. It did get easier. The venom from the crowd is toxic, when they believe you have called wrong. 50% totally hate you and 50% totally love you...until your decision affects your newest bestest friends team. No-one loves you.

Thanks for this I’m already an umpire but this was fun too do lol, on the one slide it would be overturned anyway cause the catcher did not give the runner a lane even before receiving the ball so safe no matter what happened after.

I have to say with that much space there at the plate, it is enough space and not obstruction!

Look at where the ump was in# 1 He had the BEST view in the stadium! He got it right!!

I love these things

That last one is interesting, because in cricket, the batters glove is counted as part of the bat in that context.

I was today years old that I knew Marcus Semien was ever on the Athletics... I mean THE MORE YOU KNOW

I might actually have a shot at this career I got a majority of the place calls correct which is good news for me since I start umpireing school in January

Good video. Just a suggestion look up the definition of foul tip and foul ball. I made this mistake until I went to umpire school. Keep up the great work!

The video content is so excellent, congratulations

Close play Review #3 , the catcher was not blocking the plate.

Tag: 1) Safe. We bitch at the umps, but that's a great bang-bang call. How you could do that in real time, I have no clue. 2) Overturn it, he's out. His front leg never touches second in time, and the tag is applied, as you see in the slow-mo, before the trail leg gets in. 3) He barely nicks it, so we don't have to go to the plate block rule (if it was applicable). Safe, and you'd need replay to see it. 1B: 1) Safe, and not that close. 2) Hell of a stretch and the ump was right on it -- and he was right. 3) Same as #1. HR: 1) Nope. Joc will go back to second. 2) Yep, bounces off the railing above the yellow line. 3) Top of the wall, then the Pesky Pole, that a homer -- one of the shortest in modern baseball. HBP: 1) Neither HBP or foul tip, it's a strike on the swing. 2) Did that nick his sleeve to gat that call? 3) No swing, clearly gets his hand.

Umpiring is easy. Just think of what Angel Hernandez would do and then do the exact opposite…100% correct calls all the time.

Watch for the foot while listening for the pop of the glove; The job of tHe First Base Umpire

Two plays in this I personally had an issue with was the one play at the plate where the runner stuck his hand in between the catchers legs. It is unchallengeable due to catcher interference period. Second was the Freddie Freeman play which is irrefutable due to the proximity rule. Great examples for more complex rule calling/ umpiring

A video like this is interesting and fun. But what would REALLY be a "you make the call" video realistic is if they put body cams on the umpires.. see the play the way the umpire saw it and make the call! Would probably make a person think twice about criticizing them

last hit by pitch was not, first he swings at the pitch and second never attempts to avoid the ball

#2 was a hit on him. It swiped and it would be considered a hit.

A fly ball was batted down the right-field line. The right-fielder made contact with the ball, which was still inflight in foul ground, but his feet may have been still in fair ground. The ball tipped off his glove and remained in foul ground. The ball was called foul, which in my opinion was the correct call. The other team however tried to argue that since his feet were in fair ground when he made contact with an inflight ball that the ball is fair and live. I have always been under the impression that fielder's position is irrelevant. I understand the rule to be where the ball was in relation to the line when the ball was contacted. So to summarize: inflight ball crosses the line into the foul side of the line when an outfielder in fair ground contacts the ball. Fair or foul? You make the call?

They need to put go pros on umpires. And have a game televised purely through the umpires “eyes” it would shut up just about everyone and would be awesome to see. Tumpanes crew or a crew of the crew chiefs would be amazing since they are almost always going to be in the correct spot to get the call right

Nice

i watched one game with angel hernandez umpiring at first base and he got 5 calls wrong out of 5 attempts. 3 he called out were safe and 2 call safe that were out. i know that balls and strikes aren't reviewable but in the same series when he was behind the plate his call rate was 78 per cent right. so now we know why they want the robot umpires.

Good job. 👍

First clip he safe

Good job by that sharp-eyed Red Sox fan to advocate for his team.

First play was definitely a fair ball .. no question

10 out of 12

The one clip by the foul pole is a ground rule double. I thought it hit the foul pole, but it didn't.

Id like to be an umpire do the ahhh Boom! Earl Weaver Heave Ho😅

I got one wrong. It was that Houston home run.

so on the hbp thing it was actually considered an out, bc the hands and knuckles count as part of the bat, so it would result in a foul tip. but the catcher caught it meaning that it was an out!

I love being an umpire

Good video

First play is safe

1.safe 2.safe 3.safe

Since umpiring is so easy why is there such an umpire shortage?

tbh I got them all right first try I was suprised

1st play is safe

"Couldn't pay you...." at $225K to start as a rookie MLB ump I'll bet you would.

The overturned infield plays, look at the umpires mechanics. Where is the umpire on the field when the play happens?

I went 8/12

How can you have a hit by pitch on a ball in the strike zone?

Batter was hit by pitch on review but still swung and missed. Shouldn't that be called a strike?

hmmmm.....last one hit by pitch. Nope

What bother me is that everyone knows this could all be easier, but umpires in the MLB have WAY too much influence on the creation of the rules. Automated eyes are routinely denied. And then you have dolts like Angel Hernandez. We are talking about 65 year old men that need to make decisions with their eyes. Thats an insane way to think.

second comment and keep these coming

#1 he was out

The issue with umps are not the calls that get over turned. Everyone know the Naked eye doesn't see everything and replay is there to help. This is true with every sport. The Issue with Baseball however is the amount BS they can call and power they carry. If they don't like the way you look at them they can throw you out. How about Angel Hernandez, I dont even have to say what he has done, everyone knows. MLB cant do anything because a union protects them.

I only got 1 wrong

No it's a job better left to autoump.

No I don’t want that job baseball is too slow and boring I was a basketball official in Southern Ohio for a number of years lots of fun and extra $.

Blake shutdown

Tie goes to the runner. If it’s very close, unless you’re absolutely sure, he’s safe.

Seems stupid that the hands are HBP.

Out

Like I said, only 2 out of 10 umpires can do the job properly as shown by all these missed calls in the PRO game.

I prefer the NFL red flag!