Winter Leagues Baseball Ejections, December 2014

Here is baseball's December 2014 Winter Leagues ejections update, including the Caribbean Winter & Australian Baseball Leagues:

HP Umpire Vincent Morales: Criollos de Caguas RF Henry Ramos for arguing a strike call (RC, 12/1)
HP Umpire Santo Castillo: Tigres del Licey DH Jose Ruiz for arguing a strike 3 call (D, 12/4)
3B Umpire Stewart Howe: Melbourne Aces 3B Josh Davies for arguing an out call (ABL, 12/6)
HP Umpire Richard Mason: Melbourne Aces Manager Tommy Thompson, same out call (ABL, 12/6)
HP Umpire Verman Mejia: Toros del Este 1B Allan Dykstra for arguing a strike 3 call (D, 12/6)
HP Umpire Jair Fernandez: Aguilas de Mexicali 1B Josh Whitesell for arguing a strike 3 call (M, 12/7)
HP Umpire Nate White: Tiburones de La Guaira C Miguel Gonzalez for arguing a strike 2 call (V, 12/7)
HP Umpire Manuel Araiza: Yaquis de Obregon DH Donald Lutz for arguing a strike 3 call (M, 12/9)
HP Umpire Ryan Harder: Perth Heat LF Tim Smith for arguing a strike 3 call (ABL, 12/11)
HP Umpire Charlie Rivera: Indios de Mayaguez SS Luis Figueroa for Unsportsmanlike-NEC (RC, 12/13)
HP Umpire Edwin Moscoso: Aguilas del Zulia Manager Eddie Perez, batter's interference call (V, 12/13)
HP Umpire Riley Barrington: Adelaide Bite Manager Brooke Knight, strike 3 call (ABL, 12/14) [Video]
HP Umpire Ron Teague: Tigres del Licey Manager Wally Backman, batter's interference call (D, 12/14)
1B Umpire Orlando Lopez: Venados de Mazatlan Manager Miguel Ojeda, check swing call (M, 12/17)
HP Umpire Kelvin Bultron: Cangrejeros de Santurce C A.J. Jimenez, ball call (RC, 12/17)
3B Umpire Nate White: Bravos de Margarita Manager Henry Blanco, check swing K3 (V, 12/19)
HP Umpire Carlos Velez: Indios de Mayaguez 2B Jesmuel Valentin, strike three call (RC, 12/22)
HP Umpire Carlos Torres: Caribes de Anzoategui Manager Omar Lopez, ball call (V, 12/22)
HP Umpire Tom West: Brisbane Bandits Manager Dave Nillson, ball calls (ABL, 12/22) [Video]
HP Umpire Kelvin Bultron: Criollos de Caguas Manager Alex Cora, ball calls (RC, 12/22)
HP Umpire Jairo Martinez: Leones del Caracas P Loiger Padron, balls and strikes (V, 12/22)
HP Umpire Jairo Martinez: Leones del Caracas DH Bobby Abreu, strike 3 call (V, 12/22)
3B Umpire Socrates Marin: Caneros de los Mochis SS Emmanuel Avila, check swing (M, 12/23)
HP Umpire Carlos Torres: Tigres de Aragua P Ramon Garcia, balls and strikes (V, 12/30)
3B Umpire Brett Robson: Melbourne Aces SS Brad Harman, 3B Josh Davies, NEC (ABL, 12/30) [Video]
HP Umpire Peter Bowie: Melbourne Aces C Kellin Deglan, strike 3 call (ABL, 12/30) [Video]
HP Umpire Carlos Velez: Senadores de San Juan P Miguel Martinez, ball call (RC, 12/30)

*ABL = Australian, CS = Caribbean Series (Begins February 2015), D = Dominican, M = Mexicana del Pacifico, RC = Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico), V = Venezuelan*

John Hirschbeck Announces 2015 Return After Son's Death

MLB umpire John Hirschbeck announced his return to baseball in 2015, describing the great importance umpiring and baseball played throughout his and his late son Michael's life. After working MLB's opening week, John Hirschbeck took to umpiring's bereavement list with the death of son Michael at age 27. In 1993, 8-year-old John Drew Hirschbeck died of the rare inherited brain disease ALD.

2015 will be Hirschbeck's fourth return to baseball since missing the entire 2008 season recuperating from back surgery and, in his words, "much more important."

Hirschbeck was the UEFL's 2014 Honorable Umpire of the Year alongside veteran Ted Barrett.

Video: Hirschbeck announces his return to the game and remembers his son Michael (MLBAM)