The 2018 MLB Umpire Media Guide
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THE 2018 MLB UMPIRE MEDIA GUIDE IN MEMORY OF HALL OF FAMER DOUG HARVEY, STEVE PALERMO AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE UmpiRING COmmUNITY WE HAVE LOST, INCLUdiNG BOB ENGEL, RUss GOETZ, MARK JOHNSON, KEN KAisER, BOB MOTLEY AND DAVid VINCENT. The 2018 Major League Baseball Umpire Guide was published by the MLB Communications Department. CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: Patrick Courtney; VICE PRESIDENT: Michael Teevan. Edited by: Michael Teevan and Donald Muller, MLB Communications. Editorial assistance provided by: Paul Koehler and Alex Simeone. Special thanks to the MLB Umpiring Department; the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum; the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; and the late David Vincent of Retrosheet.org. Photo Credits: Getty Images Sport, MLB Photos via Getty Images Sport, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum; and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. COPYRIGHT © 2018, THE OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF BASEBALL 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS During the 2017 season, the Major League Umpires wore patches in the memory of former umpires Russ Goetz, Mark Johnson, Steve Palermo and Ken Kaiser. Later in the season, they honored the late Bob Motley, a pioneer- ing Negro Leagues Umpire. Major League Umps spent time with Motley’s family in Kansas City in September. MLB Executive Biographies ...................................................................................................... 3 Pronunciation Guide for Major League Umpires .................................................................. 7 MLB Umpire Observers ..........................................................................................................12 Umpire Initiatives ......................................................................................................................14 Umpires in the National Baseball Hall of Fame .................................................................. 16 Retired Uniform Numbers ......................................................................................................19 MLB Umpire Roster .................................................................................................................20 MLB Umpire Crews .................................................................................................................22 Umpire Biographies ..................................................................................................................23 Squats ..........................................................................................................................................61 Major League Umpire Service Time and Special Events Worked ..................................... 62 Minor League Call-Up Umpires .............................................................................................64 All-Time MLB Umpire Roster ................................................................................................66 Special Events Selection Process ............................................................................................70 All-Time Division Series Umpire Roster ............................................................................... 71 All-Time League Championship Series Umpire Roster ...................................................... 72 All-Time World Series Umpire Roster ...................................................................................74 All-Time All-Star Game Umpire Roster ................................................................................76 Pace of Game ............................................................................................................................78 Historical Timeline of Major League Umpiring .................................................................. 82 Umpires Involved in No-Hitters and Perfect Games.......................................................... 82 Facts About Umpires and No-Hitters ...................................................................................84 Umpire Families ........................................................................................................................90 Instant Replay ............................................................................................................................91 Official Playing Rules................................................................................................................95 Elbow Pads ..............................................................................................................................100 MLB Ballpark Ground Rules ................................................................................................101 Retractable Roofs ....................................................................................................................110 Umpires Who Played and Managed in the Major Leagues...............................................111 Umpire Records ......................................................................................................................112 Historical Umpiring Statistics ................................................................................................113 MLB Strike Zone ....................................................................................................................115 2018 MLB Important Dates ..................................................................................................117 2 JOE TORRE CHIEF BASEBALL OFFICER Hall of Famer Joe Torre is Major League Baseball’s Chief Baseball Officer, over- seeing all baseball operations and reporting to Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. Since 2011, Torre has been the Office of the Commissioner’s primary liaison to the general managers and field managers of the 30 Major League Clubs and the Major League Umpires. Torre, a manager for 29 seasons, ranks fifth all-time with 2,326 managerial wins. He led the New York Yankees to four World Series Championships, six American League pennants and 12 Postseason appearances in his 12 years (1996-2007) as manager. The two-time AL Manager of the Year also led the New York Mets (1977-81), the At- lanta Braves (1982-84), the St. Louis Cardinals (1990-95) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2008-10), Torre made his managerial debut with the Mets on May 31, 1977, becoming the first player-manager in the Ma- jors since 1959. In 2013, he managed Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. In 2017, he served as the general manager for WBC Champion Team USA. During his 18-year playing career with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves (1960-68), the Cardinals (1969-74) and the Mets (1975-77), the nine-time All-Star compiled a .297 batting average, 2,342 hits and 252 home runs. He was the National League’s 1971 Most Valuable Player, batting .363 with 24 home runs and a league-leading 137 RBI. On December 9, 2013, the National Baseball Hall of Fame announced that its Expansion Era Committee had unanimously elected Torre to its Class of 2014. Torre was inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 27, 2014 in Cooperstown. On August 23, 2014, Torre’s number six was retired by the Yankees, making him the 17th individual to receive such an honor. Torre is the Chairman of the Joe Torre Safe At Home Founda- tion (joetorre.org), which he and his wife, Ali, launched in 2002. The Safe At Home Foundation’s mission is to develop educational programs that will end the cycle of domestic violence and save lives. Since its inception, the Foundation has educated thou- sands of students, parents, teachers and school faculty about the devastating effects of domestic violence. Torre is the co-author of three books: The Yankee Years (Doubleday 2009); Joe Torre’s Ground Rules for Winners (Hyperion 1999); and Chas- ing the Dream (Bantam, 1997, 1998). Torre was born on July 18, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York. He, Ali and their daughter, Andrea, live in New York. His three adult children are Michael, Cristina and Lauren. 3 PETER WOODFORK SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, BASEBALL OPERATIONS Peter Woodfork was named Major League Baseball’s Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations on March 8, 2011. In this capacity, Peter’s primary responsibilities include oversight of umpiring and instant replay, among other baseball operations functions. Prior to joining MLB, Woodfork spent five years as the Assistant General Manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he also served as a Vice President in 2010. While in Arizona, Peter primarily focused on the D-backs’ 40-man roster manage- ment as well as contract negotiations, scouting and Minor League player development. He came to Arizona by way of the Boston Red Sox, where he served for three seasons (2003-05) as Director of Baseball Operations and Assistant Director of Player Development. With Boston, Woodfork played a key role in signing players, salary arbitration, monitoring league rules and working on player development issues. Before working for the Red Sox, Woodfork spent three years in the Commissioner’s Office as a part of MLB’s Labor Relations Department. During his first stint with MLB, he worked with the baseball operations depart- ments of all teams, assisting them with the interpretation of the collective bargaining agreement, salary arbitra- tion and advising them of upcoming deadlines. Woodfork also took part in the creation of the 2003-06 Basic Agreement between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association. Woodfork is a 1999 graduate of Harvard University, where he earned a degree in psychology and was a starting infielder for the Crimson baseball team,