Ever since pitch f/x data was made public and began to accumulate, a lot of math nerds have been crunching the numbers to see what it says, if anything, about umpires.

The number crunching continued Friday as some smart guy tried to figure out if umpires treated catchers differently from other players when they came up to bat. (The thought being, if you are an umpire and you see a very borderline tough pitch, are you gonna punch out a guy who you'll be standing right behind and talking to for the rest of the game?)

The answer, with a lot of caveats, is apparently yes, slightly. When the pitcher throws a 50/50 pitch to a catcher who is up to bat (ie a pitch in a location where the pitch f/x data says the ump has about a 50/50 chance of calling it a ball or strike), the catcher up to bat is perhaps 12.5% more likely to get a ball than other players. There's other things that could be going on: catchers are shorter, which this guy tried to account for, or maybe umpires "feel sorry" for unskilled hitters and catchers tend to be unskilled hitters, etc.

Those caveats aside, it looks to me like if you are a catcher who is polite and actively working on the ump on defense to get the close calls, the ump might be giving you a break in your at-bat.

There's no question that this happens. Why? Because the good-natured atmosphere will go away instantly if you punch a catcher on a borderline strike and then don't give his pitcher the same pitch.

Good catchers will work the shit out of an umpire on this issue, and umpires are only human...

traenor should have been rung up on a pitch yesterday

This. I am generally super nice to refs/umps for this reason. It works.

Good choice. As a former ump for little league baseball there was nothing better then sticking it to the loud mouth asshole coaches and fans. Oddly enough that mind set seems to have followed me to CP.

http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/new...ews_kc&c_id=kc

Royals opt to leave Mazzaro in Omaha for now
O'Sullivan to start Saturday; righty to get more work at Triple-A

By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
MINNEAPOLIS -- A plan to bring right-hander Vin Mazzaro back to pitch the Royals' game on Saturday against the Mariners has been scrapped.

Mazzaro had a poor outing for Triple-A Omaha on Sunday, giving up five runs in 2 1/3 innings. He gave up just two hits, but had terrible command problems with seven walks, a hit batsman and a wild pitch. Among his 63 pitches to 17 batters, only 29 were strikes.

Given that information, Royals manager Ned Yost instead will start right-hander Sean O'Sullivan in Mazzaro's spot.

"We're going to leave him down there for another start or two," Yost said. "We'll set O'Sullivan in that spot when we get back home."

Mazzaro had won the Royals' No. 5 starter job in competition with O'Sullivan during Spring Training. But with no need for a fifth starter until Saturday because of open dates, Mazzaro was optioned to Omaha to prepare for that date.

"Sully can start in that spot, and we'll give Vinny a chance to get settled in and get a couple of good games under his belt and then see where we're at," Yost said.

Yost said that Mazzaro made two starts in extended spring camp at Surprise, Ariz., and made his first start for Omaha on Sunday at Albuquerque. Despite Mazzaro's problems, Omaha won, 9-6, with Mike Moustakas hitting his first home run.

O'Sullivan was put in the Royals' bullpen as the long man and has pitched in two games, giving up five runs in four innings for an 11.25 ERA.

"He's out of his role," Yost said. "He's a starter and we'll get him back in his role and see what happens."

The Royals have other options at Omaha in young pitchers such as Mike Montgomery and Danny Duffy, as well as veteran Jeff Suppan, but the plan is to get them more work as the Pacific Coast League season gets under way. Each of them has made just one start so far.

Mazzaro was obtained from the A's in last winter's trade for outfielder David DeJesus after going 6-8 with a 4.27 ERA for Oakland last year. O'Sullivan, acquired from the Los Angeles Angels in last summer's deal for third baseman Alberto Callaspo, was 3-6 with a 6.11 ERA after joining the Royals.

Why don't we bring Moosetacos up instead of having to rely on mother****ing Aviles?

jazayerli
On the other hand, Noel Arguelles has thrown 3 shutout innings so far. Just seeing his name in a box score makes my evening. 4 minutes ago via TweetDeck

So the Royals traded David DeJesus for a guy who can't beat out Sean O'Sullivan for the role of 5th starter. Strong work there, Dayton. 6 minutes ago via TweetDeck

jjcoop36
Arguelles still cruising. Gives up leadoff double, but strands him as next three don't get ball out of infield. Now 32 pitches 20 strikes half a minute ago via HootSuite

jjcoop36
Arguelles' night is done. Lifted after four. Was hit by comebacker in fourth but stayed in game. Doesn't appear to be a problem

jjcoop36
Line for Arguelles looks great 4 IP, 2 h, 0 bb, 1 k. Stuff was not blow you away stuff, but pitched effectively to contact.

I'm still pissed off that we traded Bert for O'Sullivan's bum ass for that matter.

http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/new...ews_kc&c_id=kc

who?

That guy's a dumbass. If you are going to do drugs, you sure as hell better have some talent.

Who is Arguelles?