Marty Foster

Martin Robert Foster (born November 25, 1963) is an American retired Major League Baseball umpire. After first working in the American League in 1996, he was added to the MLB umpiring staff in 2000. Foster retired following the 2022 season.[1][2]

Marty Foster
Foster in 2012
Born: (1963-11-25) November 25, 1963
Denver, Colorado
MLB debut
September 10, 1996
Last appearance
August 16, 2022
Career highlights and awards
Special Assignments

Umpiring career

Before reaching the major leagues, Foster umpired in the Appalachian League, Midwest League, Southern League, International League, Pacific Coast League, and American Association.[3]

His first post-season assignment was the 2006 National League Division Series.[1] He also umpired the 2008 American League Division Series and the 2002 All-Star Game.[3]

Notable games

Foster was the home plate umpire on July 15, 2005, in a game between the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals, where, after the benches had been warned, Runelvys Hernández hit Carlos Guillén in the head with a pitch sparking a brawl that lasted nearly 10 minutes, and resulted in 7 players being ejected.[4]

Foster was the home plate umpire for 300th career win of Tom Glavine, on August 5, 2007, at Wrigley Field.[5] He was the second base umpire for Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Garza's no hitter against the Detroit Tigers on July 26, 2010. Foster ejected Tigers manager Jim Leyland from that game during the third inning.[6]

In a 2001 spring training game, Foster was the plate umpire during Major League Baseball's first use of video monitoring of umpire strike zones. The video monitoring was part of an effort by baseball officials to enforce the rule book definition of the strike zone.[7]

Foster was at first base in the last game played at the old Yankee Stadium.

While serving as the plate umpire during an April 8, 2013 game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers, Foster made a controversial strike three call on Ben Zobrist that catcher A. J. Pierzynski did not even try to frame. It ended the game and gave Joe Nathan, who was seen on camera saying "Wow!" after this call, his 300th career save.[8]

While serving as the plate umpire again an April 7, 2018 game between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets, Foster made a controversial strike three call on Anthony Rendon. Rendon flipped his bat, prompting Foster to eject him along with Nationals manager Dave Martinez.[9]

In an April 29, 2021, game between the Miami Marlins and the Milwaukee Brewers, Foster made one of the most controversial calls of his career.[10] Foster called a runner on his way to first base safe due to obstruction on the baseline by the pitcher. The first baseman had already caught the ball fielded by the pitcher to record the out when the runner was more than ten feet from reaching base and running inside the baseline.[11] Upon reviewing the video after the game, Foster defended his call.[12]

See also

References
  1. "Marty Foster". Retrosheet.org. Retrosheet. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  2. "Sources: 10 MLB umps retiring, most since '99". ESPN.com. 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  3. "Marty Foster – 60". Mlb.com. MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  4. Recap Royals at Tigers 7-15-2005
  5. "New York Mets vs. Chicago Cubs - Box Score - August 05, 2007 - ESPN". Espn.com. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  6. Garza throws first no-hitter in Rays' history ESPN.com. Retrieved 26 July 2012
  7. "Pirates strike for six in win". The Argus-Press. March 2, 2001. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  8. Lacques, Gabe (April 9, 2013). "Ump's blown call enables Joe Nathan to notch 300th save". USA Today. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  9. "Anthony Rendon ejected without a word; Dave Martinez tossed for plenty of them". Washington Post.
  10. Joseph, Andrew (April 28, 2021). "Fans crushed MLB umpire Marty Foster over his jaw-droppingly bad interference call". USA Today. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  11. Hill, Josh (April 28, 2021). "Watch: Umpire Marty Foster makes the worst call in the history of baseball". fansided.com. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  12. Koons, Zach (April 28, 2021). "MLB Umpire Addresses His Controversial Brewers Call". thespun.com. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
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