Call to the pen
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MLB Umpires: Kerwin Danley becomes the first black crew chief

By Jeff Kallman

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 14: Home plate umpire Kerwin Danley #44 signals one more pitch during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on April 14, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 14: Home plate umpire Kerwin Danley #44 signals one more pitch during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on April 14, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

MLB Umpire: Kerwin Danley becomes the first black crew chief

The Neutral Contingent

The majors aren’t overrun with minority umpires, and one hopes devoutly that more consider the profession, assuming their blood runs strong while their tolerance runs deep. Even if the cynic observing umpiring in the past decade might remind you the evidence is overwhelming that an ump doesn’t have to be native to the Caucasian Mountains to blow a call, or a ball game, or just be the target at all on a team’s bad day.

Be careful what you wish for, however. EV Analytics has ranked umpires according to whether they are pitcher-friendly, neutral, or hitter-friendly, by way of the ERAs when they’re behind the plate. Their most recent analysis showed Marquez ranked as the most extremely hitter-friendly MLB umpire in the Show with a 4.51 total ERA when he’s behind the plate. Kerwin Danley was ranked among the neutral contingent, a change from his early career when he was believed more a hitters’ umpire.

EVA considered ERAs between 4.30 and 4.33 neutral; Danley’s was exactly 4.33. Eighteen umpires were ranked in that range overall; Danley’s was matched by Adrian Johnson, Brennan Miller, Mike Winters, and Chad Whitson. The most extremely pitcher-friendly ump in EVA’s analysis? Phil Cuzzi, with a 4.18 ERA.

Danley is less inclined to hit the switch on the trap door, too. In the past five seasons, he’s ejected only four people from games. Danley has 45-lifetime objections, from the moment he umpired his first major league game in 1992.

light. Read. MLB Projections: Top 10 pitchers for the 2020 season

  • His first ten seasons: 26.
  • Since 2002: 19.
  • His highest number of heave-hos since 2002: 4, in 2003.

Either the players or the managers who object to Danley’s calls respect him enough to try reasoning with him instead of rolling him over or he has enough patience to make Job resemble a rush-hour commuter. He isn’t particularly heat-seeking, but the wrong word will still trigger his finger on the trap door switch.

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