Umpires Derryl Cousins, Ron Kulpa & Jim Wolf took time out of their pre-game routine to share their umpiring knowledge with prospect Malachi Moore; their visit—which also featured Triple-A call-up Alan Porter—took place about 60 minutes prior to first pitch of an April Braves-Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium. Originally reported by UEFL'er Russ and published online just recently,
Moore asks the veteran crew about the home plate umpire's ability to decipher whether a batted ball has hit the batter and whether this contact results in a foul ball or an interference out. (
Video)
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| Aspiring Umpire Malachi Moore |
Malachi Moore is a 22-year-old Compton native,
who attended MLB's first Urban Youth Academy (UYA) in Southern California. With previous dreams of becoming a professional baseball player, Moore changed course in late 2010 before his sophomore season at El Camino College, squaring his sights on becoming the UYA's first alum to reach the Major League level as an umpire.
After missing the PBUC cut at the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in early 2011, Moore attended MLB's one-week November Umpire Camp later that year and returned to Florida. With a UYA umpiring school sponsorship in hand, Moore made the most of his second go-around and was selected for the PBUC evaluation course following the month-long course. Moore was also a 2011 umpire in the
Northwoods League.
Back to the Dodger Stadium umpires' dressing room and the umpires are discussing mechanics on a fairly difficult play. Moore's question comes just days after Tim Welke and his crew of Paul Schrieber and Mikes Estabrook and Everitt
incorrectly determined a bunted ball did not strike the batter during a Tigers-Rangers game. The resulting RBI bunt single proved to be decisive in the outcome of that particular contest.
As previously reported by the UEFL,
Rules 6.05(g) and (h) govern batter's interference.
retrosheet.com now has every ejection listed for every umpire with the reason (if known) attached.
ReplyDeleteWhere do I go on retrosheet.com to find that?
ReplyDeleteMy fault
ReplyDeleteIt is retrosheet.org
Good for Malachi. Nice kid, I really hope he makes it.
ReplyDeleteI went to HWSU with malachi, hes a great kid and good umpire
ReplyDeleteWow. I love this story and others like it. It's wonderful hearing about the uplifting journey of youngsters like Malachi and great to hear the veteran MLB guys sitting down for a fireside chat. Great to see Al Porter also sitting back and taking it all in. Shows that we're all learning, no matter what level or how long we've been there.
ReplyDeleteI think this is the 2nd video I have seen on MLB.com profiling him.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see how he has become somewhat of a posterchild for MiLB guys, even though he seems to be struggling to get out of the gate (cut from Harry's first time around, send back by MLB (through the MLBUC) and then made it "all the way" Northwoods.
Sure he is a great kid but I bet this is the first and only time he sees a MLB locker room!
he is getting a lot of publicity because he comes from a poor family that lives in the hood.
ReplyDelete