[RchW]

Originally Posted by Questdog

No robots; no replay.......

Bad umpire calls are just like bad hops.......

Bad hops don't come with bias. Balls and strikes often do. It's not even the number of bad calls it is the occurrence during certain high leverage game situations that can force a critical decision onto one team. That's a huge strategic advantage. If one team consistently gets that advantage it brings the game into disrepute.

FWIW I stopped watching basketball because of blatant referee bias. Baseball is getting close to that level IMO.

See this analysis from Close Call Sports

I have no issue with Boston and St. Louis winning but it was pretty obvious just by observing that both of them benefited from critical calls or non-calls on balls and strikes. The data below certainly supports it.

Both St. Louis and Boston could have won without this advantage and each series would have been much better for it.

Forum: American, National League Championship Series
As the 2013 AL and NL Championship Series get underway, we again open the umpire forum to discussion. Notes include home plate umpire performance according to pitch f/x and UEFL Rules 6-2-b-a (horizontal bound, "Kulpa Rule") and 6-2-b-b (vertical strike zone, "Miller Rule"). Plays include significant plays, if such plays occur. For future games, notes include home plate umpire probables. Call +/- also included/highlighted.

- 10/11, LAD@STL 1: HP Umpire Gerry Davis: pfx (148/156 Balls, 51/62 Strikes = 199/218 = 91.3%) +1 STL.

- 10/12, LAD@STL 2: HP Umpire Mark Carlson: pfx (81/87 Balls, 36/45 Strikes = 117/132 = <90.0%) +6 STL.
- 10/12, DET@BOS 1: HP Umpire Joe West: pfx (110/115 Balls, 46/52 Strikes = 156/167 = 93.4%) +1 BOS.

- 10/13, DET@BOS 2: HP Umpire Rob Drake: pfx (90/95 Balls, 36/42 Strikes = 126/137 = 92.0%) +2 BOS.

- 10/14, STL@LAD 3: HP Umpire Mike Everitt: pfx (80/84 Balls, 42/46 Strikes = 122/130 = 93.8%) +3 STL.

- 10/15, BOS@DET 3: HP Umpire Ron Kulpa: pfx (83/83 Balls, 40/46 Strikes = 123/129 = 95.3%) +4 BOS.
- 10/15, STL@LAD 4: HP Umpire Bruce Dreckman: pfx (102/108 B, 47/49 S = 149/157 = 94.9%) +4 STL.

- 10/16, STL@LAD 5: HP Umpire Ted Barrett: pfx (93/94 Balls, 50/53 Strikes = 143/147 = 97.3%) +1 STL.
- 10/16, BOS@DET 4: HP Umpire Alfonso Marquez: pfx (100/105 B, 46/54 S = 146/159 = 91.8%) +4 BOS.

- 10/17, BOS@DET 5: HP Umpire Dale Scott: pfx (111/113 Balls, 45/50 Strikes = 156/163 = 95.7%) +3 DET.

- 10/18, LAD@STL 6: HP Umpire Greg Gibson: pfx (100/107 B, 40/46 S = 140/153 = 91.5%) +5 STL.
Series Complete: NLCS Cardinals defeat Dodgers (4-2), net advantage St. Louis, +20 pitches (won series).

- 10/19, DET@BOS 6: HP Umpire Dan Iassogna: pfx (84/88 Balls, 48/53 Strikes = 132/141 = 93.6%) +4 BOS.
Series Complete: ALCS Red Sox defeat Tigers (4-2), net advantage Boston, +12 pitches (won series)