Non-Injury: Joe West Struck by Ball in Crew Chief Series

1B Umpire Joe West was drilled by a foul ball in the top of the 6th inning of the A's-Mets game. He was ok.

Joe strikes a country pose to show his toughness.

With two out and none on in the top of the 6th inning, Athletics batter Stephen Vogt lined a 2-2 fastball from Mets pitcher Bartolo Colon down the first base line and off West, who was positioned in foul territory and correctly ruled the ball foul.

Cowboy Joe remained in the game until its completion, serving alongside what may otherwise have been deemed a playoff-caliber umpiring lineup featuring three crew chiefs: Jerry Layne served as home plate umpire, West at first and Fieldin Culbreth at second base. Culbreth's regular crewmate Manny Gonzalez umpired at third.

The coalition of crew chiefs has left Paul Emmel in command of West's crew in Baltimore and Hunter Wendelstedt serving as acting crew chief for Layne in Kansas City.

The collection of captains at Citi Field also provides MLB with the opportunity to schedule, if they choose to do so, this hybrid crew for the weekend's Red Sox-Yankees rivalry series at New York's other Stadium. Nationally televised plate jobs for the weekend series would include Jerry Layne on Saturday (FOX) and Joe West for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball... If they are so inclined...

Alternately, West (President), Culbreth (Vice President) and Layne (Secretary Treasurer) comprise the World Umpires Association union's executive board.

Video: NY camera crew visits the umpires and managers for the pre-game ground rules conference (NYM)
Video: West takes a lined shot at first, barely flinches and flexes, laughs to show his tenacity (NYM)