Sunday, March 4, 2012

Spring Training Day III: Crew Chiefs on the Bases

In our first day of Spring Training, we welcomed back Jim Joyce from his injury shortened 2011 season. Today, we make note of a not too common occurrence. In today's Oakland A's-Chicago Cubs Cactus League game, three Major League crew chiefs worked the bases together: Dale Scott (who worked last year's All-Star game and Divisional Series) at 1st base, Gerry Davis (who worked last year's Divisional Series) at 2nd base, and Brian Gorman (who worked last year's Divisional Series) at 3rd base. The three were working along side Bill Miller, who was behind the plate. Miller, a 13 year veteran, was on Tom Hallion's crew last year.

Major League Baseball has yet to release this year's crew list or any official umpiring changes through press release or official announcements. However, we confirmed that in late January, Todd Tichenor was hired by Major League Baseball to replace the retiring Bill Hohn.

Whether Scott, Davis, Gorman and Miller umpiring together was due to logistics or another reason, it is rare to see three crew chiefs working the same game together. Even during the postseason, we only see two crew chiefs paired together. Barring any surprising and unknown changes, there are no vacant crew chief positions. Could MLB be grooming Miller to become the next crew chief when a position opens by working with multiple crew chiefs? Or was this merely an opportunity to give them a chance to work together? Either way, it is not everyday we get to see the game's best crew chiefs work together on the same field.

5 comments :

Anonymous said...

Getting closer to the season! Can't wait!

Anonymous said...

when do we find out who is on what crews?

Lindsay said...

As of now, we still don't have that list unfortunately. Because that list isn't yet available, the Crew Draft will open as scheduled on March 10, but will remain open indefinitely (likely until the end of the Secondary Draft, when the list is hopefully released). For more information, click here.

tmac said...

i wouldn't get too wrapped up in what umpires work what spring training games.... Every spring some wierd stuff happens.... Happy new year everyone!!

Anonymous said...

looked like the same today- Demuth, Darling, and Gorman on the bases with Danley in the CLE/LAA game.

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