MLB assigning veteran umpires to World Series
ANAHEIM, Calif. - An exceptionally experienced group of umpires will officiate the World Series, reflecting baseball's desire to shift the conversation elsewhere in a postseason that has featured a slew of controversial calls.
As first reported by The Associated Press, the Fall Classic crew, which should be announced shortly, includes longtime crew chiefs Joe West, Dana DeMuth and Gerry Davis, as well as Brian Gorman, Jeff Nelson and Mike Everitt. All have worked the World Series.
In 24 of the past 25 World Series, as the AP noted, the crew featured at least one umpire working his first Series.
An industry official confirmed the report, and noted that baseball higher-ups took special notice of the eligible umpires' work in the Division Series.
For instance, neither Phil Cuzzi nor CB Bucknor received the honor. In Game 2 between the Yankees and Twins, Cuzzi incorrectly ruled that Joe Mauer's ground-rule double to leftfield had landed foul. Bucknor made several bad calls against the Red Sox in the other ALDS between Boston and the Angels.
The unwanted attention has carried into the Championship Series. In Tuesday night's ALCS Game 4, crew chief Tim McClelland made two terrible calls at third base and Dale Scott erred on a call at second base. Neither McClelland nor Scott was eligible to work the World Series because, as per the umpires' collective-bargaining agreement, officials can't work consecutive postseason series.
Commissioner Bud Selig is very unhappy with the umpires' work, the official confirmed, but for now, Selig remains opposed to increasing the use of instant replay beyond the current rulings on home runs. Instead, Selig wants to form a committee to see what can be done to improve umpires' performances.
