Major League Baseball fired umpire Pat Hoberg for his association with a known gambler, but the investigation into his betting habits has raised questions about the integrity of the league. The report found that 141 baseball bets were placed by Hoberg’s close friend, a professional poker player, in total. However, only eight of these bets – on five games involving Hoberg as an umpire or replay review official – showed a profit.
The investigation revealed no evidence of any wrongdoing in the five games, including one playoff game and two regular season contests. In each case, Hoberg’s calls were deemed correct by MLB’s evaluation system. The report stated that there was “no apparent correlation between bet success and bet size” and no obvious pattern in the betting activity.
It’s worth noting that while Hoberg’s association with a known gambler led to his dismissal, it does not necessarily mean he participated in any wrongdoing. Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy is an example of someone who was wrongly accused and later revealed to have been involved in game-fixing. MLB has emphasized the distinction between Hoberg’s actions and those of Donaghy.
The investigation found that the betting activity did focus on games involving Hoberg, but only to a limited extent. This raises questions about whether the league should have taken action against Hoberg based solely on his association with someone who gambled. The report provides no evidence to support claims that Hoberg manipulated the outcome of any game he umpired or was involved in.
Despite the lack of evidence, MLB’s decision to fire Hoberg remains a topic of debate. As one expert noted, “the absence of evidence does not prove innocence,” highlighting the need for further scrutiny into the circumstances surrounding Hoberg’s dismissal.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2025/02/03/umpire-pat-hoberg-investigation-bets-2021-games/78196118007