Major League Baseball Umpire Pat Holberg Suspended for Sports Betting
NEW YORK, N.Y. --
Major League Baseball announced today the suspension of Umpire Pat Holberg. The news broke on the most recent gambling and tax evasion scandals the MLB has had this season so far. Earlier this year, MLB issued a permanent ban for now-former San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano for betting on his team's games and suspending four more ball players for a year for violating MLB betting rules.
Then, there was the Shohei Ohtani ordeal. In early June, his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud after stealing roughly $17 million from Ohtani to cover his illegal gambling debts with a Southern California bookie.
MLB alleges that veteran umpire Pat Holberg, who has been officiating with the League since 2014, violated Rule 21 -- which is also known as baseball's official rules and policies regarding sports betting and using illegal channels.
According to the MLB officiating handbook, Rule 21 states:
"Any player, coach, manager, umpire, or employee or otherwise employed in any way by Major League Baseball who bets on games in which they have a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible while a person who bets on games in which they do not have a duty to perform shall be declared ineligible for one year. "
There also exists the possibility that Hoberg's appeal will be successful, and no further penalty will result.
"Most Accurate Umpire"
Pat Holberg is statistically the best balls-and-strikes umpire on the MLB Umpire Roster.
Pat Holberg Called a Perfect World Series Game
According to data obtained by Umpire Data Scorecards, Holberg made a total of 100% correct calls during the 2022 Game 2 of the World Series Games between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros.
With the full backing of the Umpire's Union, which is one of the most powerful unions, Holberg has appealed the suspension.
The Umpire's Union said in a statement to media:
"The Major League Baseball Umpires Association was made aware in Spring Training that Umpire Pat Hoberg was being investigated for potential violation of Major League Baseball’s sports betting policies. We have been working with Pat since then. We are now appealing the discipline issued by Major League Baseball. Because the appeal process is ongoing, the Union cannot discuss the matter. We will have no further comment until the appeal process is complete."
MLB stated that the investigation, "did not find any evidence that games worked by Mr. Hoberg were compromised or manipulated in any way. However, we determined that discipline was warranted."
It is unclear if any of the alleged bets effected any outcomes of any baseball games. The investigation is on-going, according to league officials.
Meanwhile, long-time controversial MLB Umpire known for heroically bad calls, Angel Hernandez, retired this year. The MLB this year has come under fire this season for inconsistent officiating, often-times game changing bad calls, and a record number of ejections.
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