Blue Jays' Gibbons worst at successful replay challenges

Ian Hunter

Blue Jays' Gibbons worst at successful replay challenges image

It wasn’t that long ago that a manager’s best recourse for a controversial call was to yell, kick dirt and throw a fit on the field. Thanks to instant replay, managers can go to the video room and challenge a call rather than waste their breath arguing a play that can’t be overturned.

Instant replay hasn’t done anything to speed up the pace of play, but at least it’s helping ensure umpires make the correct call, even if it takes several minutes to verify with the video crew in New York.

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Some managers seem to pick their spots perfectly when it comes to a replay challenge, while others often make the wrong call and whiff. Here's a breakdown for the season so far, via Baseball-Reference.com.

Who are the worst?  

John Gibbons, Blue Jays (27 percent); Bud Black, Rockies (34 percent); Dusty Baker, Nationals (34 percent)

Of the 40 challenges issued by Blue Jays John Gibbons this season, just 11 of them were overturned. Only Nationals manager Dusty Baker has fewer successful challenges — with nine, but Baker has only made 26 challenges in 2017. Rockies manager Bud Black is tied with Baker for the second worst success rate: 11 for 32.

Since the institution of instant replay in 2014, Gibbons has been among the lowest success rate in manager challenges. In 2014 and 2016, Gibbons owned the worst success rate among all MLB managers for overturned calls. Since 2014, Gibbons has a 37 percent success rate on challenged plays.

There’s no definitive win probability shift after a successful or failed challenge, but Gibbons either has a propensity to challenge calls that are difficult to overturn, or his hunch isn’t that great on close plays.

Who are the best?

Joe Girardi, Yankees (70 percent); Ned Yost, Royals (70 percent); Dave Roberts, Dodgers (67 percent)

There may not be any rhyme or reason for it, but Yankees manager Joe Girardi and Royals manager Ned Yost are two who consistently show up on the higher end of the spectrum for overturned calls. Girardi is 21 for 30 in manager challenges this season, while Yost is 17 for 24.

Last season, Yost topped the list for the best success rate in manager challenges, and prior to that Girardi was the best in baseball in 2014 and 2015. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has 21 successful calls thus far in 2017, which ranks third in MLB.

Which manager made the most challenges? The Rangers' Jeff Bannister is up to 51 challenges in 2017, but has converted 27 successful calls. Yost has made the fewest challenges with 17 and has been unsuccessful in overturning a call only four times this season.

See the chart below for a full breakdown of all 30 teams.

thumbnail_MLB Manager Challenges 2017.jpg

Ian Hunter