Not yet announced, but here they are:

Opening at L.A. Angels

Plate: Gary Darling
1B: Jerry Meals
2B: Derrly Cousins
3B: Alfonso Marquez
LF: Joe West (cc)
RF: Jim Reynolds

Opening at Chicago White Sox

Plate: John Hirschbeck (cc)
1B: Bill Miller
2B: Mark Wegner
3B: Mark Carlson
LF: Mike Everitt
RF: Dan Iassogna

Note: Mark Carlson replaced Larry Vanover in game 1 due to Larry experiencing back pain. It was a last-minute scratch, and since Carlson lives in the Chicago area, he was pressed into duty for that game. Dale Scott then replaced Carlson for game 2.

Opening at Atlanta

Plate: Joe Brinkman (cc)
1B: Marvin Hudson
2B: Jeff Nelson
3B: Gary Cederstrom
LF: Eric Cooper
RF: Sam Holbrook


Opening at St. Louis

Plate: Ed Montague (cc)
1B: Bill Hohn
2B: Bruce Dreckman
3B: Jerry Layne
LF: Angel Hernandez
RF: Tim Timmons

"cc" denotes crew chief

There have been some last-minute switches to this, so don't be surprised if something changes by Tuesday, especially since a couple guys have already been switched twice.

[ October 05, 2005, 10:36 PM: Message edited by: MLB UMPIRE ]

..so where are you working?

So, when the Red Sox are in the field, Bill Miller will ump 3rd Base, and Bill Mueller will be playing 3rd base!!!!

Yes.

MLB ump:

How are the postseason assignments determined? Is it based on evaluations? Seniority? The whim of the commissioner's office?

(I can already see your one-word answer: Yes!)

wink

Thanks.

HMMMMMMMMMMM

You SURE?

Special event assignments (All-Star game and post-season are what is referred to as "special events") are determined by a number of factors, including evaluations of performance.

There really isn't a rotation per se; however, one cannot be assigned to a special event until he has completed five years in the majors. Also, an umpire cannot be assigned to two consecutive World Series, nor can he be assigned to two sequential post-season special events. For example, Ed Montague cannot receive an LCS assignment because he is working a divisional series right now, but he can get the World Series. If he were to work the LCS, he would not be able to work either the divisional series before or the World Series following it. If Ed gets the Series this year, he cannot work it next year.

I hope this helps clear it up a bit.

BTW, while receiving special event assignments are always nice in terms of the pride involved, you might be surprised to learn that most of us actually prefer to stay home after the regular season's finished. We don't get paid any less or more whether we work a special event or not, so to us, the post-season is just that much extra work. Don't misunderstand me, though. We don't bitch and whine if assigned the World Series, for example. It's an honor, of course, but it just means our offseason doesn't begin until 4 weeks later than originally planned.

[ October 05, 2005, 10:17 PM: Message edited by: MLB UMPIRE ]

Absopositilutely. wink

[quote]MLB UMPIRE:
[/quote]Special event assignments (All-Star game and post-season are what is referred to as \"special events\") are determined by a number of factors, including evaluations of performance.

There really isn't a rotation per se; however, one cannot be assigned to a special event until he has completed five years in the majors. Also, an umpire cannot be assigned to two consecutive World Series, nor can he be assigned to two sequential post-season special events. For example, Ed Montague cannot receive an LCS assignment because he is working a divisional series right now, but he can get the World Series. If he were to work the LCS, he would not be able to work either the divisional series before or the World Series following it. If Ed gets the Series this year, he cannot work it next year.

I hope this helps clear it up a bit.

BTW, while receiving special event assignments are always nice in terms of the pride involved, you might be surprised to learn that most of us actually prefer to stay home after the regular season's finished. We don't get paid any less or more whether we work a special event or not, so to us, the post-season is just that much extra work. Don't misunderstand me, though. We don't bitch and whine if assigned the World Series, for example. It's an honor, of course, but it just means our offseason doesn't begin until 4 weeks later than originally planned. [/QUOTE]

Two things Ump: First, how did Dan Iassogna get an assignment if you need 5 years experience? Did MLB count his time as a fill-in?

Second, Ed Montague was the Series crew chief last year, so he probably wasn't the best example for you to use

Another question of my own....do you know why MLB selects the World Series umpires from the division series crews? Is it to make sure guys are fresh before the biggest games of the season? Thanks!

Two questions: I am new to this board - are you anonymous (and gay)? If not to either, which MLB ump are you (just curious)? Other question, On the St. Louis series, Angel Hernandez has been assigned - he has a reputation for a) a bad strike zone, and a quick temper when challenged on that zone. Will he work the plate in the series and if so, in which game (please don't tell me in a potential decisive Game 5!)

OK then I won't tell you it's game 5....you can find out on your own

Fill-in time is not counted as full-time seasonal work. Dan has the required number of years as a full-time MLB umpire.

I think you know what I mean. wink I used Eddie because I was looking at his name when typing the response.

This isn't the case. World Series umpires can and have been selected among guys who didn't work either the divisional series or LCS. There is no set requirement either way.

Indeed.

For what it's worth, the rotation in a 6-man crew goes like this:

RF-LF-3B-2B-1B-PLATE (then back to RF, etc.), so Angel would, indeed, have the plate for a game 5 in a series.

1. Didn't Dan become full-time last year? Not being argumentative here, just curious as to how they get five years experience out of 2 full seasons. I think Dan is a great umpire and he deserves it regardless of how many years he has.

2. I knew exactly what you meant, I was just being a pain :cool:

3. In the past WS umpires didn't come from the DS or LCS, but in the past few years that seems to have been the case....did this change again? You would obviously know better than I would so I'm probably wrong on this one.

Thanks ump!

Iassogna's info at MLB.com says:

Joe, I think I remember reading somewhere that Dan was given credit back to 1999 per the agreement between those umpires whom MLB kept or brought back. I don't recall if Ump had said this or if I read it somewhere else, but maybe that's the explanation. Perhaps Ump can confirm this.

I am new to this board and am just curious - are you an anonymous, current MLB ump? If not anonymous, who are you? I've met Tim McCleland. I am a closeted high school and college baseball umpire. How long should I keep my patience when a coach is exp[loding - ranting and raving in close proximity to me (no profanity)?

j.a., my recommendation to you when dealing with arguments is to let the other person get in his say, but never let him make it personal. There are certain things he can say that should result in an immediate ejection. If he uses profanity directed at you personally ("You're a piece of shit!" "You suck!" etc.), then he should be run. If, instead, he's directing it at the call ("That call sucked!" "That call was horseshit!"), let it go unless it gets way too prolonged.

There are times when I will eject someone simply for not ending what I believe is an endless tirade. Also, there are specific situations where an immediate (or almost immediate) ejection is warranted without anything directed at you personally. The most common example is when someone is arguing balls and strikes. I get quite pissed off when someone from the dugout starts chirping about balls and strikes, and I won't wait too long before I eject said person, even if he never uses profanity or personal insults against me.

You have to be your own judge when it comes to how much you're willing to take. You also have to realize that things are much different on the major league level from the amateur level, so be careful not to base what you do on what we always do. I've been at your level, remember, and I can attest to the fact that it's not the same up here with respect to many arguments.

In a nutshell, remain calm, cool, and collected, don't yell, and hold your ground, and you should be fine. Good luck.

Later...

Which is sometimes what a manager wants -- if he's trying to send a message to his players or if he thinks it'll give them a spark, he'll want to get ejected. Ever had a situation where you knew a manager just wanted to be thrown out and you refused to do it?

Yes, more than once, in fact. Sometimes when it's hot as hell on the field and the manager would love to be ejected, I'm going to try to keep him in the game so he can sweat his ass off as much as I am.

Regardless, there have been times where a manager gets livid to the point where he's trying to make a statement and get ejected, but I won't oblige him. I've had a few of those this year--in Chicago and Atlanta to name two places.

Don't talk about my boyfriend that way! :mad:

Baker? Arguing with an ump? You don't say....

Ump likes to keep his column on a professional level - no personal questions asked, please. wink

I don't know about you, Illini, but he may have meant Ozzie. After all, he never did indicate which team. Details, Ump, details!

FWIW, I do recall a big argument between Ozzie and an umpire a couple months ago where Ozzie never got thrown out of the game, but both he and the plate umpire were really going at it. It was easy to see that both were using quite a number of profanities at each other. Wouldn't it be funny if our resident Ump was that umpire.

I thought about that, but I'm just so used to seeing Dusty get in an umps face, I automatically make that association. Hm, you never know....

I'd like to say that I've seen all the division series games for the most part, except for the Padres-Cardinals (how anticlimactic that one was, eh?), and in my personal opinion as a fan, I thought the umpiring was excellent.

Tonight's Yankees games where Alfonso Marquez (sp?) called the Yankees runner safe when Molina tried tagging him on that low throw to home...

Today's home run call on Ausmus where the ball hit barely above the yellow line...

Yesterday's weird balk then walk call by plate umpire Jeff Nelson, who had no fewer than 4 "whackers" the previous day, with Bobby Cox coming out every inning to argue it seemed...

More than once fielders pulling their feet off bases, turning what should have been bang-bang outs into safes...

A batter being called out in the Cardinals game yesterday for hitting the ball while being out of the box...

Good job by the umps, Ump! So, were you involved in any of these?

Indeed. Dan was credited for previous experience.

Well, I know, and I'm not telling. wink

[ October 10, 2005, 02:28 PM: Message edited by: MLB UMPIRE ]

Good question.

He's no Bobby Cox, though.

True, but Bobby is not as vociferous, shall I say, as was this other individual to whom I referred above. wink

Bobby's actually not that bad. He just moans and groans a lot when he's "discussing" things.

MLB UMP, question about tonight's Yankees/Angels Game 5. Now, I'm a Yankee fan, so I may be looking at things through 'pinstriped lenses' but that baserunning call on the Cano strikeout looked questionable. To my knowledge, the rule says the runner must be within the lane at the time of the throw, so technically I suppose it was correct. But Cano only had his left foot over the line to the inside of the diamond. The ball and the throw, and the first baseman for that matter, were all to the outside/foul side of the lane. As I saw it, Cano was only inside slightly because Erstad was blocking the path to the bag. And I thought the only reason Erstad missed the ball was that he probably took his eye off the ball and was bracing for contact that the base runner was trying to avoid. The runner never blocked the throw, the sight of the throw, or the defender. I've only seen that call made when the runner and the ball are both inside or both outside, where the runner truly impedes the play. This call, it seemed like Joe West, one of the best in the business, rewarded a bad defensive play. Thoughts?

**edited to add** Just saw a better replay on ESPN, and I was mistaken in one regard. It appeared that the ball was thrown to the inside part of the bag, which is what the catcher is taught to do. But I still don't think Cano blocked the view of the first baseman, who was definitely blocking the running lane. And he didn't interfere with the ball. What's the runner to do in that case? Stop? Crash through the defensive player? Seems like the position of the first baseman put the runner at serious disadvantage.

[ October 11, 2005, 04:28 AM: Message edited by: so fla ref ]

so fla,

I think you're focusing too much on first base and what happened there. Keep in mind that the running lane begins exactly halfway between home and first--45 feet down the line. It actually extends a little past the bag, too, which is why you often see its border line continue on past first base itself.

Cano was required to run inside the lane beginning at the 45-foot point and continuing thereafter. He didn't do this. Had he been in the lane and the contact occurred at first as it did, Joe may very well have not called the interference, because the batter-runner has to eventually make contact with the base, which itself is just outside the lane.

When we see such situations develop, we take a lot into consideration, including the defense's throw. The worse the throw, the less likely we are to declare the interference. I don't think the throw here was bad enough to negate the interference call.

Hope this addresses your question.