In 1999 there was a thrust in MLB to clean house and re-structure umpiring operations. Part of that plan included a missive, aimed at the league’s worst strike-zone refs, to accept an early-retirement package or face the axe. The strained relationship between the umps and MLB higher-ups culminated in the combined mass resignation and firing of most of the members of the ump’s union. The NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) quickly got involved and forced MLB to re-hire some of the umps who had been shown the door.

Major League Baseball had long been aware of problems stemming from inconsistent strike-zones and aggressive, or incompetent umpires. The 1999 plan involved phasing out the offenders. But the problem was that many of the umpires who were rated as the worst in the game were among the handful of minority members of the umpiring union. In effect, the MLB found themselves in the position of having to fire their only minority umpires.

That, obviously, couldn’t happen. Especially in a league that, like the NFL, had recently come under strong criticism for its lack of minority managers and GMs. So the end result was that two of the five worst umpires in the game, CB Bucknor and Angel Hernandez, were kept on and dispersed into roving crews.

A 2003 Sports Illustrated survey of MLB players and managers pegged the 5 worst umps in the league at 1: CB Bucknor, 2:Bruce Froemming, 3:Joe Brinkman, 4:Joe West, 5:Angel Hernandez. Bucknor was a runaway winner, picking up 20% of the votes. A 1999 USA Today survey also rated Angel Hernandez as the fifth worst umpire in the game. Out of 36 NL umpires he scored a 34 in temperament, 32 in respect for players, and 32 in consistency.

Bucknor’s strike-zone has always been among the worst in the game. To call it tight would be an understatement. This guy lives for confrontation. Watch a Bucknor game and see how many times he takes the mask off and glares at the pitcher. He doesn’t back down, and he doesn’t make adjustments.

Following Bucknor’s confrontation with Gary Sheffield, and subsequent confrontation with John Gibbons of the Blue Jays the next day, it might be time for the MLB to get out the brooms again and do some sweeping. The Questec system is in place, and the league knows who’s been doing their jobs, and who hasn’t. We can only assume some of these guys are getting notes behind the scenes, but this is one spot on the MLB spectrum where no light ever shines. Umpires are like a secret society with their own rules of internal governance. They make the strike zones. The make the calls.

But what happens when your typesetter puts 1 m in “commission?” What happens when your doctor prescribes Rogaine as birth-control?

Something has to be done to stop the bad umpires from making the game all about them. Because no one tunes in to watch CB Bucknor call a game. But they will tune out. After pulling their hair, throwing their beer, smacking the TV…