Getting Set - Using Body Position to Improve Call Accuracy

In this Teachable Moment, tmac spies 2B Umpire Greg Gibson making a safe (pulled foot) call in Minnesota, a reviewed-and-affirmed call made possible by Gibson's use of sound umpiring technique in pivoting and getting set prior to the critical action of the play.

Gibson's static positioning allows him to maintain a constant head height and thus keep his eyes in similar constancy, which increases the likelihood of seeing the play clearly and making the correct call.

Video as follows:

MLB-High 10 Umpires Retire During 2022-2023 Off-Season

It's official—10 Major League Baseball umpires have retired following the 2022 season, a record-high for the unified MLB era and most since 1999, when a failed contract strategy led to 22 resignations. Seven crew chiefs and three 'number twos' won't return in 2023, opening the door to call-up umpires looking for a full-time job as well as current backup chiefs looking for a permanent promotion to that role. This retiring class combined for 261 years of on-field Major League experience.

The retirements of Greg Gibson (10/6/22), Tom Hallion (12/8/22), and Jim Reynolds (12/21/22) were previously disclosed by the indivual umpires prior to this announcement of all 10 retirements.

Retirements, Listed as Name, Service Time (Seasons with 1+ games)

- Postseason & total ejection stats listed on following lines:

Ted Barrett, 26 Years (29 Seasons AL/MLB [1994-2022]): Crew Chief with 3,400 regular season games.

- 6 Wild Cards (2012, 13, 15, 16, 20, 22)

- 12 Division Series (2000, 01, 02, 03, 06, 07, 11, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21)

- 10 League Championship Series (2005, 08, 09, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 20, 22)

- 5 World Series (2007, 11, 14, 18, 21)

> 65 MLB ejections

Greg Gibson, 24 Years (25 Seasons NL/MLB [1997-2019, 2021-22]): Crew Chief with 2,746 games.

- 3 Wild Cards (2012, 13, 18)

- 10 Division Series (2001, 03, 04, 06, 07, 09, 10, 11, 15, 21)

- 5 League Championship Series (2005, 12, 13, 14, 18)

- 1 World Series (2011)

> 92 MLB ejections

Marty Foster, 24 Years (27 Seasons AL/MLB [1996-2022]): Number Two with 2,745 games.

- 1 Wild Card (2020)

- 3 Division Series (2006, 08, 17)

> 110 MLB ejections

Tom Hallion, 30 Years (32 Seasons NL/MLB [1985-99, 2005-19, 2021-22]): Crew Chief w 3,645 games.

- 10 Division Series (1996, 97, 2008, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21)

- 5 League Championship Series (1998, 2007, 09, 10, 11)

- 2 World Series (2008, 21)

> 102 MLB ejections

Sam Holbrook, 22½ Years (22 Seasons A/NL/MLB [1996-99, 2002-19, 2021]): Crew Chief w 2,423 games.

- 1 Wild Card (2012)

- 7 Division Series (2005, 07, 10, 13, 16, 19, 21)

- 4 League Championship Series (2008, 09, 11, 12)

- 3 World Series (2010, 16, 19)

> 78 MLB ejections

Jerry Meals, 26 Years (31 Seasons NL/MLB [1992-2022]): Crew Chief with 3,303 games.

- 3 Wild Cards (2020, 21, 22)

- 9 Division Series (1999, 2004, 05, 09, 10, 11, 14, 19, 20)

- 3 League Championship Series (2008, 17, 21)

- 2 World Series (2014, 20)

> 61 MLB ejections

Paul Nauert, 22½ Years (24 Years NL/MLB [1995-99, 2002-20]): Number Two with 2,450 games.

- 1 Wild Card (2020)

- 6 Division Series (2004, 08, 10, 13, 14, 17)

- 1 League Championship Series (2016)

- 1 World Series (2017)

> 33 MLB ejections

Jim Reynolds, 22½ Years (24 Years AL/MLB [1999-2022]): Crew Chief with 2,815 games.

- 3 Wild Cards (2015, 17, 20)

- 7 Division Series (2005, 07, 08, 12, 13, 14, 18)

- 5 League Championship Series (2010, 15, 16, 17, 20)

- 2 World Series (2014, 18)

> 43 MLB ejections

Tim Timmons, 22½ Years (23 Years NL/MLB [1999-2021]): Number Two with 2,746 games.

- 2 Wild Cards (2013, 20)

- 3 Division Series (2005, 09, 18)

- 4 League Championship Series (2011, 14, 15, 20)

- 1 World Series (2018)

> 90 MLB ejections

Bill Welke, 22½ Years (24 Years AL/MLB [1999-2022]): Crew Chief with 2,816 games.

- 3 Wild Cards (2014, 16, 20)

- 6 Division Series (2003, 06, 08, 11, 15, 20)

- 4 League Championship Series (2014, 16, 17, 19)

- 1 World Series (2015)

> 102 MLB ejections

Video as follows:

Greg Gibson, the Home Plate Umpire, Retires from Baseball

Major League umpire and crew chief Greg Gibson has retired 25 years after his NL debut; baseball's infamous home plate umpire officiated his last MLB game in May 2022. Said Gibson, "It's my time to get out of the way."

The umpiring veteran made those comments to his home town Daily Independent, further explaining his decision to retire: "I was getting to the point where it wasn’t fun."

Before Gibson's National League debut in 1997, the Ohio-born and Kentucky-residing umpire journeyed through the minor league system's Appalachian, Florida Instructional, South Atlantic, Florida State, Eastern, and International Leagues.

He officiated three Wild Card Games (2012, 13, 18), 10 Division Series (2001, 03, 04, 06, 07, 09, 10, 11, 15, 21), five League Championship Series (2005, 12, 13, 14, 18), and one World Series (2011) to go along with more than 2700 regular season games, and picked up 92 career ejections along the way.

An injury sidelined Gibson for the COVID-shortened 2020 season and according to the Daily Independent, long COVID issues contributed to Gibson's abbreviated 2022 schedule that ended in May.

Related Post: Injury Scout - Greg Gibson Out for 2020 Season (6/11/20).

Gibson promoted to crew chief prior to the 2022 season, and retires from baseball into an insurance business he became involved with several years ago; in 2019, Gibson graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a degree from the school's the Risk Management and Insurance program.

Related Post: Greg Gibson Fulfills Goal, Graduates from College (5/12/19).

Video as follows:

Call of the Month - May 2022

May 2022's Call of the Month takes us to Fenway Park, where 1B Umpire Greg Gibson officiates a tricky play at first base as multiple variables come together simultaneously to make an infield ground ball into a call challenged and confirmed via Replay Review.

The play begins with Red Sox batter JD Martinez hitting a ground ball up the middle, where Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña made a diving play to stop the ball before throwing to first baseman Yuli Gurriel as Martinez arrived at first base.

Boston challenged the call, alleging that Gurriel had pulled his foot, but as signaled by Gibson and confirmed by Replay, Gurriel kept his foot on the base and caught the ball prior to Martinez's arrival.

Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 047 - Greg Gibson (2; Matt Blake)

HP Umpire Greg Gibson ejected Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake (fair ball call; QOCN) in the top of the 3rd inning of the #WhiteSox-#Yankees game. With one out and one on (R1), White Sox batter Tim Anderson hit a 1-1 changeup from Yankees pitcher Luis Severino on the ground, fielded along the third baseline by Severino and ruled a fair ball by HP Umpire Gibson. Replays indicate the batted ball appeared to strike Anderson's foot in the batter's box (this is not a reviewable play), the call was incorrect. At the time of the ejection, the game was tied, 0-0. The White Sox ultimately won the contest, 5-0.

This is Greg Gibson (53)'s 2nd ejection of 2022.

Greg Gibson now has -2 points in the UEFL Standings (0 Previous + 2 MLB - 4 Incorrect Call = -2).

Crew Chief Greg Gibson now has 2 points in Crew Division (2 Previous + 0 Incorrect Call = 2).

Related: Tmac's Teachable Moments - Let's Fix Replay (1/19/17).

This is the 47th ejection report of the 2022 MLB regular season.

This is New York's 4th ejection of 2022, 2nd in the AL East (TOR 5; NYY 4; BOS 3; BAL, TB 2).

This is Matt Blake's 1st ejection since Sept 8, 2021 (Edwin Moscoso; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

This is Greg Gibson's 2nd ejection of 2022, 1st since April 12 (Antoan Richardson; QOC = U [NEC]).

Wrap: Chicago White Sox vs. New York Yankees, 5/23/22 | Video as follows:

Sox-Yankees Donaldson Fight - Officiating Provocateurs

Benches cleared during Saturday's White Sox-Yankees game in New York during Josh Donaldson's 5th inning at-bat after a confrontation with Chicago catcher Yasmani Grandal, resulting in Umpire Greg Gibson issuing warnings to both teams. Of the four general types of game participants, adversaries and abusers are most likely to be involved in unsporting situations and we revisit our 2017 "Let's Talk - Mental Health in an Abusive Environment" article in the context of the Chicago-New York feud.

This, of course, invites the disclaimer and reminder that the game participant label applies to the participant's role in the game, not the participant's personal off-field attributes.

These two teams' animosity stems from, amongst others, Josh Donaldson's physical play in pushing Chicago baserunner Tim Anderson off of third base earlier in May, a play featured as an Ask the UEFL video that highlights 3B Umpire Chris Guccione's success in both properly calling Donaldson for illegally forcing Anderson off his base and effectively diffusing a potential fighting situation through strong game management. Rewinding the tape even further, Donaldson was upset with a strike call Grandal got from HP Umpire Dan Bellino in 2020, when Bellino ejected Donaldson for actions intended to ridicule in kicking dirt on home plate after hitting a home run against Chicago.

Related Post: Ask UEFL - Anderson Safe After Donaldson Pushes Runner Off Base (5/14/22).

In studying the history of Chicago and New York's interdivisional bickering, we note that Donaldson appears to have historically been involved in other unsporting situations with other teams, as well as with umpires. For instance, Donaldson was one of our Top 10 MLB Hothead Players by Ejection Frequency in 2019, Donaldson's history of ejections—which doesn't include situations like the Anderson push or hard slide into second—suggests the possible presence in Chicago-New York of a player that would be classed as an adversary or abuser pursuant to the 2017 framework.

To review, the four types of game participants are allies, neutrals, adversaries, and abusers, with allies comprising the most helpful and cordial team personnel who work with officials to help a game run smoothly and help diffuse volatile situations, whereas adversaries and abusers provoke the vast majority of on-field problems, with abusers crossing a definitive sportsmanship boundary.

When a player further provokes animosity with the opposing team, they cross into perhaps a new category of disruptor, a label borrowed from basketball that runs ancillary to the four types described above.

Thus, a player who is both an abuser and a disruptor may routinely harass or otherwise cause problems—just a general air of hostile tension—as well as disrupt the game, perhaps due to this hostility, and perchance cross over into causing problems with their opponents as well. (Similarly a player can be both an apparent ally and a disruptor in that the player appears cordial with officials but routinely incites and provokes with the other team).

As we stated in 2017, "Although getting away from an abuser may temporarily halt the potentially unsporting behavior—and it is appealing to keep the ejection- or technical foul-gun in its holster—chances are that a future call that goes against the abuser's team will be met with an episode of greater harassment. Remember, intimidation or being made to feel guilty is a tactic of abuse and must be dealt with assertively. Bullies thrive on passive victims' behavior."

The key here is to rely on both psychological game management and situation handling techniques as well as application of book rules to support disciplinary and other mitigative measures to remove problem players (and/or coaches) from the game.

In New York, Crew Chief Greg Gibson sought fit to issue warnings rather than eject personnel. In Chicago, Guccione simply separated the two players and prevented further escalation. In 2016, Dale Scott ejected Donaldson for his active role during the Blue Jays-Rangers benches-clearing brawl, as did Brian Gorman in 2019 when Donaldson's Atlanta Braves fought with the Pittsburgh Pirates after Donaldson was hit by a pitch.

Officiate evenhandedly, or as the rulebook's General Instructions to Umpires section states, "be courteous, impartial and firm, and so compel respect from all." You might just find that once you eject a problem player, your game will all of a sudden appear to run much more smoothly.

Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 006 - Greg Gibson (1; Antoan Richardson)

3B Umpire Greg Gibson ejected Giants 1B Coach Antoan Richardson (Unsportsmanlike-NEC) at the end of the 2nd inning of the #Padres-#Giants game. With two out and one on (R1) with the Giants leading the Padres 10-1, Giants baserunner R1 Steven Duggar stole second base without a throw. Replays indicate that after the conclusion of the inning, Padres 3B Coach Mike Shildt and Giants 1B Coach Richardson became engaged in an argument, resulting in Gibson's ejection of Richardson for unsporting conduct, the call was irrecusable.* At the time of the ejection, the Giants were leading, 10-1. The Giants ultimately won the contest, 13-2.

This is Greg Gibson (53)'s 1st ejection of 2022.

Greg Gibson now has 3 points in the UEFL Standings (1 Previous + 2 MLB + 0 Irrecusable = 3).

Crew Chief Greg Gibson now has 2 points in Crew Division (1 Prev + 1 Irrecusable Call = 2).

*This ejection led to Alyssa Nakken becoming the first woman to appear as an on-field (base) coach in a Major League game. Nakken replaced Richardson as 1B Coach following the ejection.

This is the sixth ejection report of the 2022 MLB regular season.

This is San Francisco's 1st ejection of 2022, 1st in the NL West (SF 1; ARI, COL, LAD, SD 0).

This is Antoan Richardson's first career MLB ejection.

This is Greg Gibson's 1st ejection since September 22, 2021 (Bob Melvin; QOC = N [Foul/Ball]).

Wrap: San Diego Padres vs. San Francisco Giants, 4/12/22 | Video as follows:

Culbreth & Danley Round Out Retirements (Joining Davis, Gorman & West), with Diaz, Gibson, Hudson, Kulpa, and Welke Promoted to Crew Chief

Major League Baseball announced its final umpire staff changes for 2022, with Fieldin Culbreth and Kerwin Danley retiring alongside Gerry Davis, Brian Gorman, and Joe West. Crew Chief promotions and new full-time umpires hires were also announced.

MLB's official announcement confirms the hiring of Ryan Additon, Sean Barber, John Libka, Ben May, and Roberto Ortiz to the full-time staff. The new-hires have worked the following numbers of MLB games prior to 2022:

> Additon: 381 major league games.

> Barber: 693.

> Libka: 371.

> May: 658.

> Ortiz: 412.

Retiring umpires are Culbreth, Danley, Davis, Gorman, and West. They retire with the following experience:

> Culbreth: 29 years, 3140 regular season. 1 Wild Card, 8 Division, 7 Lg Champ, 3 World Series.

> Danley: 30 years, 2656 regular season. 1 Wild Card, 7 Division, 2 Lg Champ, 2 World Series.

> Davis: 40 years, 4849 regular season (5k overall). 3 WC, 13 DS, 11 LCS, 6 World Series.

> Gorman: 31 years, 3430 regular season. 1 WC, 10 DS, 7 LCS, 3 World Series.

> West: 44 years, 5460 regular season. 4 WC, 8 DS, 10 LCS, 6 World Series.

West retires as the umpire with the most games officiated in MLB history; Gerry Davis has the fourth-most all-time. Davis retires with the second-most League Championship Series officiated with 11 (Jerry Crawford 12), and Joe West with the third-most (10). Davis has the most Division Series officiated with 13 and Brian Gorman has the 6th-most. Gerry Davis has the most postseason games in MLB history (151) and Joe West is second (132, presently tied with Ted Barrett).

Promoted to crew chief to fill the five retirements are Laz Diaz, Greg Gibson, Marvin Hudson, Ron Kulpa, and Bill Welke. Of that list, Diaz, Hudson, Kulpa, and Welke served as interim crew chiefs for MLB's COVID-shortened 2020 season (Greg Gibson opted out).

Related Post: MLB Names 7 Interim Crew Chiefs for 2020 (7/23/20).

MLB Ejections 180-181 - Greg Gibson (6-7; OAK x2)

HP Umpire Greg Gibson ejected A's bench coach Ryan Christenson and manager Bob Melvin (foul ball no-call; QOCN) in the top of the 6th inning of the #Mariners-#Athletics game. With one out and one on (R1), Mariners batter Dylan Moore attempted to check his swing on a 0-2 sinker from A's pitcher Geolis Guerra as Mariners baserunner R1 Jared Kelenic attempted to steal second base, ruled ball two. Replays indicate that Moore's bat made contact with the pitched ball and that A's catcher Sean Murphy did not catch the ball (it was not a foul tip), the call was incorrect. At the time of the ejections, the Mariners were leading, 3-1. The Mariners ultimately won the contest, 4-1.

These are Greg Gibson (53)'s sixth and seventh ejections of 2021.

Greg Gibson now has 8 points in the UEFL Standings (12 Prev + 2*[2 MLB - 4 Incorrect Call] = 8).

Crew Chief Greg Gibson now has 4 points in Crew Division (4 Previous + 0 Incorrect Calls = 4).

These are the 180th and 181st ejection reports of the 2021 MLB regular season.

This is the 82nd manager ejection of 2021.

This is Oakland's 7/8th ejection of 2021, 1st in the AL West (OAK 8; SEA 5; HOU, TEX 4; LAA 3).

This is Ryan Christenson's first career MLB ejection.

This is Bob Melvin's 6th ejection of 2021, 1st since Sept 18 (James Hoye; QOC = Y-c [Replay Review]).

This is Greg Gibson's 6/7th ejection of 2021, 1st since Sept 11 (Vance Wilson; QOC = U [USC-NEC]).

Wrap: Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland Athletics, 9/23/21 | Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 168 - Greg Gibson (5; Vance Wilson)

HP Umpire Greg Gibson ejected Royals 3B Coach Vance Wilson (Unsportsmanlike-NEC; QOCU) in the middle of the 7th inning (God Bless America / 7th Inning Stretch Break) of the #Royals-#Twins game. With none out and none on in the top of the 7th, Royals batter Hanser Alberto flied out, Hunter Dozier grounded out, and Whit Merrifield lined out. Replays indicate no pitches were improperly officiated to the detriment of Kansas City, the call was irrecusable. At the time of the ejection, the Twins were leading, 6-1. The Twins ultimately won the contest, 9-2.

This is Greg Gibson (53)'s fifth ejection of 2021.

Greg Gibson now has 12 points in the UEFL Standings (10 Prev + 2 MLB + 0 Irrecusable Call = 12).

Crew Chief Greg Gibson now has 4 points in Crew Division (3 Previous + 1 QOCU = 4).

This is the 168th ejection report of the 2021 MLB regular season.

This is Kansas City's 5th ejection of 2021, 2nd in the AL Central (CWS 6; KC 5; MIN 4; CLE, DET 2).

This is Vance Wilson's 1st ejection since July 4, 2005 (Chris Guccione; QOC = U [Balls/Strikes]).

This is Greg Gibson's 5th ejection of 2021, 1st since Sept 3 (Christian Yelich; QOC = Y [Check Swing]).

Wrap: Kansas City Royals vs. Minnesota Twins, 9/11/21 | Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 161 - Greg Gibson (4; Christian Yelich)

HP Umpire Greg Gibson ejected Brewers LF Christian Yelich (check swing call) in the bottom of the 5th inning of the #Cardinals-#Brewers game. With two out and one on (R1), Brewers batter Lorenzo Cain attempted to check his swing on a 0-2 cutter from Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright, ruled a swinging third strike by HP Umpire Gibson. Play was reviewed and adjudicated by the UEFL Appeals Board (8-0), the call was correct. At the time of the ejection, the Cardinals were leading, 8-0. The Cardinals ultimately won the contest, 15-4.


This is Greg Gibson (53)'s fourth ejection of 2021.

Greg Gibson now has 9 points in the UEFL Standings (5 Previous + 2 MLB + 2 QOCY = 9).

Crew Chief Gerry Davis now has 1 point in Crew Division (0 Previous + 1 Correct Call = 1).

This is the 161st ejection report of the 2021 MLB regular season.

This is the 65th player ejection of 2021. Prior to ejection, Yelich was 0-2 in the contest.

This is Milwaukee's 16th ejection of 2021, 1st in the NL Central (MIL 16; CIN 12; CHC 7; STL 6; PIT 3).

This is Christian Yelich's 2nd ejection of 2021, 1st since July 10 (John Libka; QOC = Y [Out/Safe]).

This is Greg Gibson's 4th ejection of 2021, 1st since July 16 (Charlie Montoyo; QOC = Y [Replay Review]).

Wrap: St Louis Cardinals vs. Milwaukee Brewers, 9/3/21 | Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 098 - Greg Gibson (3; Charlie Montoyo)

HP Umpire Greg Gibson ejected Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo (untimely Replay Review challenge of out call at 1B; QOCY) in the bottom of the 5th inning of the #Rangers-#BlueJays game. With two out and none on, Blue Jays batter Cavan Biggio hit a 1-0 slider from Rangers pitcher Joe Barlow on the ground to second baseman Nick Solak, who threw to Barlow as Biggio arrived at first base, ruled out by 1B Umpire Stu Scheurwater for the inning's third out. Gibson subsequently denied Montoyo's attempt to challenge Scheurwater's out call, ruling that Montoyo had consumed more than 20 seconds from the end of the play until announcing his intent to challenge/request a review of the play in contravention of Replay Review regulations. Replays do not indicate that Montoyo informed Gibson of an intent to challenge the preceding play, the call was correct.* At the time of the ejection, the Blue Jays were leading, 6-0. The Blue Jays ultimately won the contest, 10-2.

This is Greg Gibson (53)'s third ejection of 2021.

Greg Gibson now has 6 points in the UEFL Standings (2 Prev + 2 MLB + 2 Correct Call = 6).

Crew Chief Greg Gibson now has 3 points in Crew Division (2 Previous + 1 Correct Call = 3).

Related Ejection: MLB Ejection 018 - Greg Gibson (2; Aaron Boone) (4/26/21).

This is the 98th ejection report of the 2021 MLB regular season.

This is the 48th manager ejection of 2021.

This is Toronto's 3rd ejection of 2021, T-2nd in the AL East (NYY 6; BOS, TOR 3; BAL 2; TB 0).

This is Charlie Montoyo's 1st ejection since August 16, 2020 (Vic Carapazza; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

This is Greg Gibson's 3rd ejection of 2021, 1st since April 26 (Aaron Boone; QOC = N [Replay Timing]).

Wrap: Texas Rangers vs. Toronto Blue Jays of Buffalo, 7/16/21 | Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 018 - Greg Gibson (2; Aaron Boone)

1B Umpire Greg Gibson ejected Yankees Manager Aaron Boone (untimely Replay Review challenge of run no-score time play; QOC) in the top of the 8th inning of the #Yankees-#Orioles game. With two out and the bases loaded, Yankees batter Gio Urshela hit a line drive to Orioles left fielder Austin Hays, who threw to third baseman Maikel Franco as Yankees baserunner R1 Aaron Judge slid into third base, ruled out by 3B Umpire Rob Drake, and runner R2 DJ LeMahieu arrived at home plate, ruled not to have scored prior to the third out by HP Umpire Will Little. Gibson subsequently denied Boone's attempt to challenge Little's time play decision, ruling that Boone had consumed more than 20 seconds from the end of the play until announcing his intent to challenge/request a review of the play to the umpires in contravention of Replay Review regulations. Replays indicate less than 20 seconds transpired from Little's effectuation of the no score mechanic until Boone's request to review the play, the call was incorrect. Play was reviewed and affirmed by the UEFL Appeals Board (6-0), the call was incorrect. At the time of the ejection, the Orioles were leading, 4-2. The Orioles ultimately won the contest, 4-2.

This is Greg Gibson (53)'s second ejection of the 2021 MLB regular season.
Greg Gibson now has 1 point in the UEFL Standings (3 Prev + 2 MLB - 4 Incorrect Call* = 1).
Crew Chief Greg Gibson now has 1 point in Crew Division (1 Previous + 0 Incorrect Call = 1).

*Because of Crew Chief status, Gibson is assigned the role of calling umpire for the Replay denial.

Boone's post-game comments: "[Gibson] said we didn't have any time left."

This is the 18th ejection report of the 2021 MLB regular season.

This is the 11th manager ejection of 2021.

This is New York's 1st ejection of 2021, T-1st in the AL East (BAL, BOS, NYY 1; TB, TOR 0).

This is Aaron Boone's 1st ejection since Sept 25, 2020 (John Tumpane; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).

This is Greg Gibson's 2nd ejection of 2020, 1st since April 11 (Mike Borzello; QOC = U [Warnings]).

Wrap: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles, 4/26/21 | Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 006 - Greg Gibson (1; Mike Borzello)

HP Umpire Greg Gibson ejected Cubs catching coach Mike Borzello (warnings) in the top of the 4th inning of the #Cubs-#Pirates game. After Cubs batter Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch from Pirates pitcher JT Brubaker in the top of the 3rd inning, Cubs batter Anthony Rizzo hit a 3-0 sinker from Brubaker on the ground to Pirates first baseman Colin Moran, who threw to shortstop Kevin Newman as Contreras slid into second base, originally ruled an out (no interference) by 2B Umpire Ryan Additon and overturned to slide rule interference (double play) upon Manager's Challenge by Pirates Manager Derek Shelton.* 

After Pirates batter Dustin Fowler was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the 3rd inning, Cubs batter Kris Bryant in the top of the 4th inning took a first-pitch sinker from Brubaker for a hit-by-pitch, resulting in warnings. Replays indicate the pitch was located off the inner edge of home plate and struck Bryant in the elbow, the call was irrecusable. At the time of the ejection, the Pirates were leading, 4-1. The Pirates ultimately won the contest, 7-1.

This is Greg Gibson (53)'s first ejection of the 2021 MLB regular season.
Greg Gibson now has 2 points in the UEFL Standings (0 Prev + 2 MLB + 0 Irrecusable Call = 2).
Crew Chief Greg Gibson now has 0 points in Crew Division (-1 Previous + 1 Irrecusable Call = 0).

*The four criteria with which to determine whether a runner has engaged in a bona fide slide in accordance with Official Baseball Rule 6.01(j) [YES/NO in regard to Contreras' slide] are:

(1) begins his slide (i.e., makes contact with the ground) before reaching the base [YES];

(2) is able and attempts to reach the base with his hand or foot [NO];

(3) is able and attempts to remain on the base (except home plate) after completion of the slide [NO];

(4) slides within reach of the base without changing his pathway for the purpose of initiating contact with a fielder [MAYBE].

Related Play (for comparison): MLB Ejection 005 - Jerry Layne (1; Joe Maddon) (4/10/21).

Related Post (cc microphones): Tmac's Teachable Moments - Let's Fix Replay (1/19/17).

This is the sixth ejection report of the 2021 MLB regular season.

This is Chicago-NL's 1st ejection of 2021, T-1st in the NL Central (CHC, CIN 1; MIL, PIT, STL 0).

This is Mike Borzello's 1st ejection since August 29, 2020 (Nic Lentz; QOC = U [Warnings]).

This is Greg Gibson's 1st ejection since September 20, 2019 (Dave Roberts; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).

Wrap: Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, 4/11/21 | Video as follows:

Injury Scout - Greg Gibson Out for 2020 Season

Although MLB hasn't played a game since Spring Training on March 12, famed home plate umpire Greg Gibson has nonetheless suffered an injury and will be sidelined for the entire 2020 season, if there is one, after tearing his quadriceps tendon.

According to The Daily Independent, Gibson tore his tendon in late May while loading an off-road vehicle onto a trailer at his farm in Boyd County, Kentucky. Had MLB not been subject to a COVID-19 shutdown, there's a strong chance Gibson would have been on a baseball field instead of at home when the injury occurred.

The 85% tear resulted in surgery on June 1, with recovery and rehabilitation slated to take an additional six months—or the entire baseball season. Fortunately, Gibson, who graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 2019 with a degree in Risk Management and Insurance, can still work his office job at the insurance agency.
Related Post: Greg Gibson Fulfills Goal, Graduates from College (5/12/19).

Gibson halts a postgame cooler dumping.

Said Gibson, "If you're gonna get hurt, this is the year to get hurt." He anticipates returning to baseball in 2021, estimates his umpiring career has a life of approximately six or seven years remaining, and hasn't ruled out working Replay Review HQ in New York later in 2020, if the major league players and owners agree on terms of a season.

Gibson missed time in 2019 not solely to graduate and receive his diploma, but due to injury as well (he later rehabbed in Triple-A in July and put a quick stop to a post-game in Omaha in which some players looked poised to dump a celebratory gatorade cooler on Gibson to commemorate his imminent return to the major leagues).
Related Post: Injury Scout Update - Greg Gibson's Triple-A Plate (7/20/19).

Gibson was scheduled to be the Number 2 umpire on Jerry Layne's crew in 2020, alongside Will Little and first-year full-timer Jansen Visconti.
Related Post: 2020 MLB Umpire Crews (Delayed Season) (5/6/20).

Postgame Processing Changes Gibson's Strike EJ QOC

Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts became the sixth person ejected in 2019 arguing an umpire's ball/strike call that looked incorrect in real-time, but was later changed to 'correct' when MLB's postgame pitch processing changed computer zone numbers to flip Greg Gibson's QOC from N to Y. When Gibson ejected Roberts Friday night in Los Angeles, I cautioned this exact scenario might happen (as it has happened many times before), which is precisely what occurred as MLBAM's vertical StatCast/PitchCast problem struck again and transmogrified yet another big league ejection well after the game's final out.

To recap, Gibson tossed Roberts following a 2-0 pitch ruled a strike that passed over the center of home plate and vertically near the hollow of LA batter Gavin Lux's knee.

At the time, the computer (that'd be TrackMan near what could become the final phase of its Major League Baseball existence) deemed the pitch an unequivocal ball, low: sz_bot 1.6 and pz 1.35. Accounting for margin-of-error, the pitch was less than half an inch away from borderline "call stands" territory: QOC = Incorrect. In fact, the preceding ball call was located higher off the ground than the subsequent strike (ball: pz 1.41, strike: pz 1.35).
Related Post: MLB Ejection 212 - Greg Gibson (2; Dave Roberts) (9/20/19).

Watch out for inaccurate real-time FoxTrax.

Postgame Processing Changes Strike Zone: Hours after all the fans and players at Dodger Stadium had cleared out, MLB's secretive postgame processing went to work to calibrate each player's strike zone for each individual semi-borderline pitch the hitter faced.

For Gavin Lux in the 4th inning, the numbers were changed thusly: sz_bot for the ball call increased to 1.69 ft, while sz_bot for the strike call decreased to 1.56 ft—a difference of 0.13 feet, or 1.56 inches.

The vertical phenomena happened before, too.

Notice that the ball thrown higher off the ground than the strike (pz 1.41 vs 1.35) was captured at a point 0.06 feet, or 0.72 inches higher than the strike. Upon normalizing the strike zone (e.g., accounting for the 1.56 inch-difference in sz_bot), we see that, in relative units, the pitch ruled "ball" was actually located lower than the pitch ruled "strike," relative to Lux's hollow-of-knees.

Lessons: The robot umpire concept simply doesn't work if we have to wait for overnight processing to conclude before knowing whether a given pitch was a ball or a strike. It's not good enough to have an automated system call "strike three," only to find out several hours later that, "sorry, it should have been ball four."

Second, this isn't even the first time this season that postgame processing has exposed the vertical strike zone blind spot of the pitch-tracking computer. Earlier in 2019, it happened to Ron Kulpa in Houston, it happened to Ramon DeJesus in Minnesota, it happened to Jeremie Rehak in Anaheim, and now it has happened to Greg Gibson in LA. All four times, it took until the next day for the umpire to be vindicated by revised pitch tracking numbers.
Related Post: MLB Ejections 130-131 - Ramon De Jesus (1-2; MIN) (7/23/19).
Related Post: MLB Ejection 077 - Jeremie Rehak (4; Brad Ausmus) (6/9/19).
Related Post: MLB Ejections 007-08 - Ron Kulpa (1-2; Cintron, Hinch) (4/3/19).

Third, post-game processing solely goes to work, generally, on sz_bot and sz_top, meaning it tackles the vertical zone problem but not other sources of error, including calibration or tracking. For instance, postgame processing does not account for the three-dimensional strike zone problem posed by a tracking system that sees things in two dimensions (at the front edge of home plate).

For more information about UEFL ZoneCheck and MLB's habitual vertical strike zone problem, see the following related articles.
Related Post: ZoneCheck - Twins' Ump De Jesus' Ball 4 Call (7/24/19).
Related Post: Bad Computer Umpire - Faulty Pitch Data Defames Kulpa (4/6/19).

Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 212 - Greg Gibson (2; Dave Roberts)

HP Umpire Greg Gibson ejected Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts (strike one call; QOCN) in the bottom of the 4th inning of the #Rockies-#Dodgers game. With none out and one on (R1), Dodgers batter Gavin Lux took a 2-0 slider from Rockies pitcher Peter Lambert for a called first strike. Replays indicate the pitch was located over the heart of home plate and below the hollow of the knee (px -0.19, pz 1.35 [sz_bot 1.60 / RAD 1.48 / MOE 1.39] [sz_bot 1.56 / RAD 1.44 / MOE 1.35]) and the ball two call immediately preceding was located over the outer half of home plate and below the hollow of the knee (px -0.39, pz 1.41 [sz_bot 1.69]), the call was correct.* At the time of the ejection, the Rockies were leading, 4-2. The Dodgers ultimately won the contest, 12-5.

This is Greg Gibson (53)'s second ejection of 2019.
Greg Gibson now has 13 points in the UEFL Standings (9 Prev + 2 MLB +2 Correct Call = 13).
Crew Chief Greg Gibson now has 1 point in Crew Division (0 Previous + 1 QOCY = 1).

*This pitch was located 0.48 vertical inches from being deemed a correct call 0.01 vertical inches from being deemed an incorrect call.
The original ejection report stated, "If MLBAM postgame processing decreases sz_bot to a value of 1.56 or less, this call will be deemed correct."
After overnight processing, MLBAM changed sz_bot from 1.60 to 1.56. QOC is now Y.

This is the 212th ejection report of 2019.
This is the 95th Manager ejection of 2019.
This is Los Angeles' 4th ejection of 2019, 5th in the NL West (SD 8; COL 6; ARI, SF 5; LAD 4).
This is Dave Roberts' 1st ejection since June 19, 2018 (Tripp Gibson; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).
This is Greg Gibson's 2nd ejection of 2019, 1st since August 13 (Ned Yost; QOC = Y-c [RLI]).

Wrap: Colorado Rockies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 9/20/19 | Video as follows:

Runner Struck by Batted Ball Behind Infielder Not Out

Home plate umpire Greg Gibson reversed a dead ball out call in Kansas City after Cardinals batter Randy Arozarena's ground ball hit St. Louis runner Yadier Molina between second and third, explaining to Royals Manager Ned Yost that because the batted ball struck a runner after the ball had already passed all infielders, Official Baseball Rule 5.09(b)(7), which ordinarily holds that a runner is out when struck by a batted ball, did not apply. Why?

Thanks to Umpire-Empire for this Ask the UEFL submission.

The Rule: OBR 5.09(b)(7) states that a "runner is out when—He is touched by a fair ball in fair territory before the ball has gone through, or by, an infielder and no other infielder has a chance to make a play on the ball. The ball is dead and no runner may score, nor runners advance, except runners forced to advance."

All infielders are playing inside the runner.

When the infield plays in and the ball bounds past all infielders before striking the runner, as was the case in Kansas City, Rule 5.09(b)(7) does not apply to the situation. Had an infielder been positioned even-with or behind the runner when the runner was touched by the batted ball, the "Time" & out call would be the proper ruling (as long as the umpire deemed that the infielder(s) had a play on the ball).

GG explains to Yost his basis for reversal.

The Recovery: Gibson relied on Rule 8.03(c) to correct that which he knew was wrong the moment he called it: "If the umpires consult after a play and change a call that had been made, then they have the authority to take all steps that they may deem necessary, in their discretion, to eliminate the results and consequences of the earlier call that they are reversing."

Gibby explained to Yost the error of his initial "Time" call and corrected the mistake by calling R2 Molina safe and placing each Cardinals baserunner at their next base, keeping the bases loaded and scoring one run for the visiting team while ruling that Molina—not exactly known for his speed—would most likely have remained at third base had the original call been the ultimate one.

Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 159 - Greg Gibson (1; Ned Yost)

1B Umpire Greg Gibson ejected Royals Manager Ned Yost (runner's lane interference no-call by HP Umpire Pat Hoberg; QOCY) in the top of the 5th inning of the #STLCards-#Royals game. With two out and none on, Cardinals batter Kolten Wong hit a 1-2 curveball from Royals pitcher Glenn Sparkman on the ground in front of home plate to catcher Meibrys Viloria, who threw to first baseman Ryan O'Hearn as Wong arrived at first base, ruled safe by 1B Umpire Gibson as O'Hearn did not catch the baseball, and also that Wong at some point during his journey to first base did not run within the three-foot runner's lane. Runner's lane interference (RLI) rule 5.09(a)(11) applies to the fielder taking the throw (F3 O'Hearn) and not the fielder making the throw (F2 Viloria); accordingly, because Wong did not interfere with O'Hearn's ability to receive Viloria's throw, there was no running lane interference; because, all else equal (e.g., assuming Wong was invisible), Viloria's throw was poor and would likely not have been caught by O'Hearn, the call was correct. At the time of the ejection, the Cardinals were leading, 2-0. The Cardinals ultimately won the contest, 2-0.

This is Greg Gibson (53)'s first ejection of 2019.
Greg Gibson now has 6 points in the UEFL Standings (3 Prev + 2 MLB + 1 Correct-Crewmate = 6).
Crew Chief Gerry Davis now has -5 points in Crew Division (-6 Previous + 1 Correct Call = -5).
*Rule 5.09(a)(11) states, "A batter is out for interference when—In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball is being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the three-foot line, or inside (to the left of) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment in so doing interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is dead."
Related Post: Runner's Lane Interference - 2018 World Series Edition (10/28/18).

This is the 159th ejection report of the 2019 MLB regular season.
This is the 76th Manager ejection of 2019.
This is Kansas City's 8th ejection of 2019, T-2nd in the AL Central (DET 9; CWS, KC 8; MIN 3; CLE 1).
This is Ned Yost's 3rd ejection of 2019, 1st since June 8 (Bruce Dreckman; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).
This is Greg Gibson's 1st ejection since August 8, 2018 (Kevin Long; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

Wrap: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Kansas City Royals, 8/13/19 | Video as follows:

Injury Scout Update - Greg Gibson's Triple-A Plate

Greg Gibson served as the home plate umpire for Saturday's minor league (Triple-A) Memphis-Omaha game. Just like injured players, umpires seeking to rejoin MLB's Third Team after a lengthy absence complete minor league rehab assignments on their way back to the Show, a sign that a return to big league baseball is near.

Gibson, whose last MLB game was in May, officiated the first game of the Redbirds-Storm Chasers series on Friday night as the first base umpire alongside Pacific Coast League umpires Jason Starkovich, Nate Tomlinson, and Alex Ziegler.

To really bring Gibby back to full speed, the teams even got into a bean ball war (presumably in Greg's honor) when Omaha's Heath Fillmyer hit batter Lane Thomas with a pitch, resulting in Fillmyer and Storm Chasers Manager Brian Poldberg's 9th inning ejections, care of HP Umpire Starkovich. Earlier in the game, Starkovich ejected Redbirds pitcher Harold Arauz for drilling opponent Nick Dini, resulting in automatic warnings.

Saturday's Lunar Lady Bobblehead Giveaway night celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing was less eventful from an officiating standpoint as Omaha walked off with the 6-5 victory on an Erick Mejia home-run, though photographic evidence indicates that Gibson issued a postgame warning to Storm Chasers outfielder Brett Phillips and a teammate, whose eyes appeared set on giving the MLB'er a Gatorade shower before Greg Gibson, the home plate umpire, motioning to both players, put an end to the idea of dumping a cooler full of liquid on him as the Storm Chasers celebrated in their dugout (and on the field).