Best Under Umps
By CHRIS BERNUCCA
Betting baseball’s boys in blue is a seldom-used practice that can lead to huge profits, especially when wagering on MLB totals.
The umpires working the lowest-scoring games come in all categories - big and small, young and experienced, argumentative and passive.
However, the ones at the top of the list are providing consistent returns better than any team totals play on either side. The best are operating at nearly 75 percent.
There are nearly seven weeks left in the season, leaving plenty of time to track the men in blue with the best under records and collect a little coin.
We used a cutoff of 20 games, so honorable mention goes to Brian Runge, the only third-generation umpire in history who worked Jonathan Sanchez's no-hitter. The under is 14-5 when Runge is behind the plate.
James Hoye (Seven years)
The least experienced of the group with seven years (He was a substitute ump for five years), Hoye was a computer science major who once drove a beer truck in the offseason.
Hoye has the highest average total of anyone on this list at 8.6 runs. But that is a very low number league-wide. The under is 19-8 when Hoye works the plate, including 7-1 when the number is 8.5 or lower.
Jeff Kellogg (16 years)
The under is 17-8 with Kellogg, who called Anibal Sanchez's no-hitter in September 2006. He also worked last year's World Series.
Kellogg's strike percentage of 61.0 is the lowest of any umpire who has been behind the plate at least 20 times. That's somewhat odd considering he also is tied for the lowest average total of 7.8 runs.
John Hirschbeck (25 years)
The only crew chief in this group, Hirschbeck and brother Mark were umps from 1988-2003, the first set of umpiring brothers. He is best known for get spat on by Roberto Alomar during a heated argument in 2006.
Hirschbeck has worked two World Series and also was behind the plate for Barry Bonds' record-breaking 756th home run. He is tied for the best under mark at 17-6.
Andy Fletcher (Nine years)
The only ump to wear a mouthguard to protect against concussions, Fletcher gave Coco Crisp a three-ball walk about a year ago. However, he also is credited with using Terry Francona as a conduit to teach a hopeful minor leaguer named Michael Jordan how to respectfully disagree with umps while working in the Southern League in the 1990s.
Fletcher, who has never worked the postseason, is tied with Kellogg for the lowest total average at 7.8 runs. When he works the plate, those games average just 1.40 homers, the second-lowest mark. Both of those stats help contribute to his under mark of 15-7.
Ted Barrett (12 years)
A former amateur boxer and devout Christian (How's that for a dichotomy?), Barrett is one of the best young umpires in the game, working six Division Series, an ALCS and a World Series. In his first full season, he called David Cone's perfect game in 1999.
Barrett is tied with Hirschbeck for the best under mark at 17-6, including a 5-1 record when the number is 8.5 runs or lower. His 8.1 average runs are second-lowest among this group and his average homers (1.58) is third behind Fletcher and Larry Vanover (1.38).
As an added bonus, Barrett and Fletcher have worked in the same crew many times this season.