Atlanta Braves

CB Bucknor Makes a Strong Case for Auto-Strike Zone

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:26 p.m. ET

Fansided, Steve Herl/FanSided via Call to the Pen

On Tuesday night in Atlanta, veteran umpire C. B. Bucknor put on an historically bad performance behind the plate. In response, Major League Baseball should immediately do two things.

Everyone knows that Major League Baseball's umpires make the strike zone subjective instead of adhering to the rule book definition. They will argue that calling balls and strikes is very difficult and the "human element" will always make for a changing zone. But the problem isn't that calling balls and strikes is difficult. The real problem is that many Major League umpires believe that their personal interpretation of the strike zone is the law. In addition, depending on the hitter or the pitcher the limits of the zone may change from pitch to pitch and game situation to game situation.

Umpires, just like basketball officials and football referees have forgotten that they only exist for one reason. When we played sports as kids, no matter the sport, we played thousands of games without an official of any kind. We called touchdowns, first downs, safe or out on the bases, fouls or traveling or anything else. Occasionally there were disagreements but no more often than there are in pro sports. For a strike zone we either drew a rectangle on a wall or placed home plate in front of a bush that approximated the strike zone. If the ball hit any part of the rectangle or the bush the pitch was a strike.

At some point, parents decided that if we were going to play "real" games in Little League we had to have an independent arbitrator to make sure that every call was made impartiality and according to the rules. This arbitrator could not have any agenda and could not be associated with either team. He also could not be prejudiced or self serving. Any self interest would miss the point of having anyone other than the participants making the calls. If decisions were going to be made selfishly or to prove a point the players could just decide among themselves how to make the call. Authority is always meant to be a place of service and not of privilege.

The Show in Atlanta

On Tuesday night in Atlanta, home plate CB Bucknor set a new standard for bad umpiring. Not only was he inconsistent and erratic, he was arrogant and vengeful. He called pitches 6 inches inside and outside strikes and called pitches right down the middle balls. Hitters from both teams struggled all night trying to figure out what was a strike.

Beginning in the second inning with Max Scherzer pitching to Brandon Phillips the strike zone began floating. Phillips took a two strike pitch right down the middle for ball one. The next hitter Adonis Garcia took a strike for ball one. Scherzer got back to a 2-2 count with a slider for a strike that Brandon Phillips had just taken for a ball.

In the top of the fourth things got very ugly. After Bryce Harper led off with a broken bat double to left, Ryan Zimmerman worked a walk with one out. With two on and one out in a scoreless game, Jason Werth came to the plate. With apparently a history between the umpire and the hitter, Werth took six pitches, six balls and struck out. Strike two and strike three were each in the left handers batters box.

The rest of the game was a mystery with the strike zone evading Bucknor. Players and pitchers from both teams complained to no avail. The managers let their feelings be known. Through it all, CB Bucknor stood indignant, occasionally yelling back towards the dugouts. His inability to call pitches correctly should have been embarrassing to the League.

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The Bottom of the Ninth

But the bottom of the ninth was when his night became historical. Every late inning for the Nationals is painful because their bullpen is so bad these days but Bucknor's exhibition even overshadowed the pen's struggles. With the Nationals leading 3-0, Freddie Freeman led off with a sharp single to right off of Washington's "closer", Blake Treinen. After Nick Markakis hit a fielder's choice grounder to second for the first out, Brandon Philips lined a single to right. Treinen then walked back to back hitters to force in a run. Shawn Kelly replaced Blake Treinen and got strike one on Emilio Bonifacio with a pitch in the left handers box. Bonifacio swung at strike two high and outside. He then flew out to Bryce Harper in shallow right, swinging at the same pitch that was called strike one.

So with the bases loaded, two outs and the tying run on second base, the Braves had Chase d'Arnaud at the plate. d'Arnaud checked his swing on a pitch in the strike zone which was called ball one. He then swung and missed at a high strike. Strike two was called on the third pitch which was 4 inches outside. After three foul balls, Chase d'Arnaud swung and missed at a down and away slider from Shawn Kelly. D'Arnaud missed the pitch by four inches. Matt Weiters dropped the ball but secured it and stepped on home plate for the final out.

Take Two

The telecast of the game on MASN in Washington D.C. went to their postgame show. Johnny Holliday gave the summary of the game but then he sent the telecast back to Atlanta. To everyone's amazement including Chase d'Arnaud, CB Bucknor ruled that d'Arnaud had foul tipped the third strike. He called everyone back on the field and allowed the Braves another pitch. Fortunately, Kelly threw the same pitch and d'Arnaud swung and missed again. This time Weiters caught the ball cleanly so Bucknor's imagination couldn't change the out call.

Two Things Major League Baseball must do

CB Bucknor's performance highlights two things. One is that he needs to be respectfully asked to retire. He is a terrible umpire and everyone knows it. There is no excuse for Major League games to be decided by his incompetence. He may be a wonderful human being but he is not able to umpire Major League Baseball.

The second thing Major League Baseball needs to do is immediately work on a system to call balls and strikes automatically. An umpire can still be behind home plate with a wireless earpiece attached to a system that calls the pitches. He would still be there to make the hand motion and call check swings and such. Foul tips would be handled by the same system.

The challenge system has basically eliminated arguments on the field. An auto strike ball system would allow pitchers and hitters to relax and make for faster games. If Major League Baseball cannot find a system to call balls and strikes, I can draw a rectangle or put a bush up behind home plate. Something has to be done. CB Bucknor proved it.