AP: MLB to Use 7-Man Umpire Crews for LCS, World Series

MLB will assign seven-man umpire crews to the League Championship and World Series according to an AP source. The reason for this, according to the anonymous source, is to accommodate baseball's instant replay technology.

The seventh umpire will begin each series at New York's MLBAM Replay Review HQ, rotating onto the field for Games 3 to replace an on-field umpire, who will head to New York for the series' remainder. The seventh umpire's starting position upon joining the crew for Game 3 will be left field, setting up a potential plate job for Game 7 (the Crew Chief role, circa 1964-2013).

According to this new arrangement between the World Umpires Association and Major League Baseball (remember the Crew Chief series in New York this year?), MLB will assign a replay official to every postseason game with a second umpire serving in the role of assistant replay official. During the League Championship and World Series, the assistant will remain at the command center for the entire series.

This format is covered by UEFL Rule 4-3-c-5-b regarding Replacement Umpires: "The Replacement Umpire shall receive points equitable to those prescribed by 4-3-c-1 through 4-3-c-4.  Approved Ruling: A Postseason Replacement Umpire is defined as any umpire who officiates a postseason contest in the capacity as an on-field umpire at the RF, LF, 3B, 2B, 1B or HP positions."