2013 Umpires and Totals Update

For the past five years I've been in a definite minority when it comes to umpires and the effect they have on Major League Baseball totals. My advice back in 2008 when I first wrote Baseball Betting - Umpires and Their Effect on Totals is the same as it is now - don't worry about who is behind the plate. If your handicapping shows a game to be a good over wager or a good under wager, go ahead and bet it regardless of who is calling balls and strikes.


To further illustrate my point, before the season started I wrote 2013 Baseball Umpires Report in which we looked at the top five over and under umpires from the 2012 season and looked to see how they performed over a three-year span and if the numbers they posted in 2012 were continuations or reversals of what the umpires had done in the past.

Now that they 2013 season is close to the midway point, let's revisit the top five over umpires and the top five under umpires from 2012 and see how they are doing this year.

Top Over Umpires of 2012

Paul Emmel
As we mentioned in this year's previous article, Paul Emmel was an over machine in 2012, as his games went an amazing 27-6-1, which is 81.8% over. Through June 16, Emmel had been behind the plate 15 times this season. His games are 4-9-2, which is 30.8% over.

Jim Joyce
Jim Joyce saw his games go 23-12 in 2012, which is 65.7% over. So far in 2013, Joyce has the lowest over percentage of any umpire who has called at least 10 games. His games are 3-10-1, which is 23.1% over.

Tony Randazzo
Tony Randazzo was 19-11-3 in games last season, going over 63% of the time. So far this season, Randazzo is 5-8-1, giving him an over percentage of 38.5%.

Todd Tichenor
Tichenor was 18-11-4 last season and like the first three on the list, has seen more of his games go under the total than have gone over this season. He's under percentage isn't as extreme as the others, as he's 6-8-1, which is 42.9% over.

Chris Guccione
Guccione was 18-11-1 last season and is the only one of last year's top five over umpires to show and over tendency in 2013, as his games are 9-4-1, which is 69.2%.

When you add all five of the umpires' records together, the top five over umpires from 2012 stand at 27-39-6, which is 40.1% over.

Top Under Umpires of 2012

Hunter Wendelstedt
Wendelstedt was 3-9 last season in limited duty, but is 9-5 so far this season, which is 64.3% over.

Dan Bellino
Bellino went 8-22-2 in 2012 and has shown no preference so far in 2013, going 7-7-1.

Ron Kulpa
Kulpa was 9-22-2 last season and is 5-8 this season, continuing with his under tendency from last season.

Mike Winters
Winters was 10-22-2 last year and almost has as many overs this season as he did all of last last year, as he is 9-6, or 60% over so far in 2013.

Wally Bell
Bell went 11-23-1 in totals in 2012 and so far in 2013 is 10-8, which is 55.6% to the over.

If you add everything up, the top five under umpires of 2012 are a combined 40-34-1, which is 54.1% to the over.

Out of the 10 umpires only two are showing a continuation with last year's tendencies, while Bellino is 50-50 this year. That means the other seven umpires are showing a contradiction to what they did last season.