If you have spent any time on the baseball field, you may notice a few nicknames tossed around at the umpire, just like nicknames for pitches. Some of them probably aren’t appropriate for this article. Have you ever heard an umpire called a blue?
Umpires are basically the referees in baseball. They call balls and strikes, and determine if the runner is out or safe. It is one of the most thankless jobs on the field, and oftentimes get the blame if a team loses.
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Why is an umpire called blue?
The answer is pretty simple. Umpires are called blue, because they historically wore blue shirts. It was a part of their uniform.
In basketball or football, the referee may be referred to as zebras, since their uniform was pinstriped black and white.
In baseball the uniform of the umpire was blue, so they were referred to as such.
The color blue was chosen to help umpires beat the heat. Especially for the umpire behind home plate.
They are wearing extra padding much like a catcher, so light blue was designed to keep them cool.
With the help of lighter and more breathable material, you may see umpires wearing black, however, the name ‘blue’ has stuck.
Do umpires like to be called blue?
From my experience calling an umpire blue is a respectful way to refer to an umpire. Umpires take pride in being ‘the blue’ and wear it as a badge of honor. It really is just referring to the history of the game and not sure any umpire should take exception to it.
I’ve spent some time umpiring little league games and it never bothered me when a coach would call me blue. As an umpire I know I’ve been called much worse.
The important thing as an umpire is to build some rapport with the team’s managers, and getting all worked up about being called blue is just silly.
As a coach or player I always felt funny calling an umpire ‘blue’ especially when he wasn’t wearing a blue shirt. Shortening up the word umpire and calling them ‘ump’ is always a fan favorite.
My college coach always found out the umpire’s first name. I always thought this was hilarious, especially when he would add a “Y” to the end of their name when he was arguing a call.
“Come on Scotty, you’re better than that”
All in all there are a lot of names you can call an umpire, and blue is probably the most common and acceptable.
What do umpires say instead of STRIKE?
When an umpire calls a strike they usually yell something that is not very articulate.
Some yell STRIKE, you may also hear HAW, or YUP.
The point is to make sure everyone knows the pitch was called a strike vs a ball. Usually calling a strike comes with a hand motion as well.
When a pitcher throws a ball the umpire usually says the word ‘ball’ quietly.
If the batter swings the umpire shouldn’t need to say anything since everyone knows a swing counts as a strike.
However if the pitcher throws the ball in the strike zone and the batter doesn’t swing, this is when the umpire has his time to shine.
Here is great video showing how creative umpires can get with their strike 3 calls.
The best is when the umpire gets to punch someone out. That means a pitcher throws a pitch in the strike zone on the third strike and the batter doesn’t swing resulting in a strikeout, or K.
Umpires positions
Positioning of an umpire is very important.
You’ll notice an umpire calling balls and strikes position themselves between the catcher and the batter.
However there is much more to it than that. Here is a great video breaking down where an umpire should line up when calling balls and strikes.
Being an umpire can be very challenging. Putting yourself in the right position to make the correct call is key to being a good umpire. Umpires will miss calls even if they are great, parents and coaches please take it easy on them.
A bad call shouldn’t affect a game, and if it does let it go.
Who is the most hated MLB umpire?
Easily has to be Angel Hernandez. In fact 22% of players and coaches identified Angel Hernandez as the worst MLB umpire in the league.
He has umpired in the league since 2000 and has had the spotlight on himself multiple times.
In my opinion any time an umpire is noticed during a game it’s a bad thing.
Their job is to call a fair game, and not change the outcome of a game based on a decision they make. Angel Hernandez seems to get noticed a lot and has been the center of huge controversy during games.
The sign of a terrible umpire.
Here is a link ranking the blindest umpires in the league for more details.
How much does an MLB umpire make?
The average salary of an MLB umpire is around $250k per year.
Some umpires can make more than that, however most make around that much.
Some think that is a lot, however those are just the MLB umpires. In order to be an MLB umpire you have a ton of training and time in the minors to work your way up.
It could take years of hard work and dedication to get become an MLB umpire.
Why is an umpire called blue conclusion
Being an umpire is very difficult. It really is a thankless job.
We can all agree that some umpires or ‘blues’ are out there for the wrong reasons.
Maybe it’s the only place they have any power and they take advantage of it. Maybe they just couldn’t play the game themselves so they decided to become an umpire.
However for the most part umpires are typically just out there to volunteer at the local little league and ensure kids are having a good time. No umpire is perfect, and its important to remember that. There will be bad calls.
So make sure next time you are watching your kid play baseball you take it easy on the blue. Show him some respect and make sure your kids do the same.
Until next time
Coach Scott
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