Are Umpires rated very often

[Ron G]

Either umpires are getting worse or the strike box is incorrect. It seems that I have seen more errors (compared to the strike box) than ever before. Last night I saw a ball called on a pitch that was at least one ball width below the top of the zone and in the middle of the box. The very next pitch was at least one ball width below the bottom of the zone and in the middle, it was called a strike. The pitcher was jobbed on the first pitch and the batter on the second.
Could it be an incorrect strike box location?

 

[catman]

They get graded after every game. Pitchers and hitters can adjust to any strike zone that the umpire calls, as long as it is consistent. If they always give a couple of inches outside or low, the players can handle that. If they call one pitch a strike and another in the same location a ball, that's what gets players and managers upset.

 

[Ron G]

They get graded after every game. Pitchers and hitters can adjust to any strike zone that the umpire calls, as long as it is consistent. If they always give a couple of inches outside or low, the players can handle that. If they call one pitch a strike and another in the same location a ball, that's what gets players and managers upset.

Here is a question. Given what you pointed out, are they in fact given leeway in their grading. By that, I mead are they graded against them selves (their own strike zone consistency) or against the rule book definition of the strike zone (presumably the computer generated strike box).

 

[catman]

I believe they are graded against the rule book strike zone.
When umpires started calling the high strikes (the strike zone in the rule book is the bottom of the knees to the letters), players started complaining, until they realized that the umps were actually calling the strikes according to the rules. The hitters can, as I said, adjust to just about anything, as long as they know it will be called.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Not often enough. Umpiring gets worse and worse every year

I don't care if blatant strikes are balls or vice versa. I care about consistency.

IT DOES NOT EXIST. Ever. These morons are just winging it every pitch.