Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Major League Umpiring Debut: Gabe Morales (47)

Umpire Gabe Morales made his MLB debut during Wednesday's Indians-Athletics doubleheader, working the bases for both billings. Morales joined Mike Winters crew for the set, officiating from the third base position during Game 1 with 2B Umpire Winters, 1B Umpire Mike Muchlinski and HP Umpire Mark Wegner. During Game 2, Morales occupied second base with U3 Muchlinski, U1 Winters and UIC Andy Fletcher.

Hooked: Morales handles a situation in 2012.
Morales is on the International League umpire roster for the 2014 season, which is his third season in the IL and AAA. Morales is a 2009 graduate of the Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring and was placed in the Rookie-level Arizona League following a successful PBUC evaluation course. He was then promoted to the New York-Penn, South Atlantic, Arizona Instructional, Texas, International and, presently, Pacific Coast League. He was also assigned to the 2013 Arizona Fall League and officiated that summer's XM All-Star Futures Game with Pat Hoberg in Queens, New York.

In 2010, Morales vowed to keep working hard: "keep my nose down and do what I'm told, then I'll be rewarded...We're all looking to make it, but at the same time, you never know what could happen."

PHOTO: After being given the boot by Morales in 2012, Corpus Christi Hooks Manager Keith Bodie remarked, "It was the worst call I've ever seen in 38 years of professional baseball [referring to an out call on a stolen base attempt]...It was the most blatantly irresponsible call I've ever seen in my life."

The 6-0, 185-pound Morales makes his MLB debut at the age of 29 and resides in Livermore, California. He wears the sleeve number 47, previously worn by his Game 1 Umpire-in-Chief Wegner, who had a call upheld via Instant Replay Review during the game.

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