MiLB Double-A, Triple-A to Adopt 20-Second Pitch Clock

Double- and Triple-A will likely use a 20-second pitch clock in 2015, according to MiLB.com. Taking place at the January Arizona meetings is a negotiation with the players' union over pace-of-game concerns. Minor League Baseball's higher levels will also reportedly implement other methods tested during 2014's Arizona Fall League.

The Pitch Clock. Photo: Arizona Fall League

These include a modification of OBR Rule 6.02(d) regarding a batter keeping at least one foot in the batter's box throughout his at-bat (with limited exception), the manager's ability to request an intentional walk as opposed to his pitcher throwing four times, and a limit of three non-substitutive defensive conferences/mound visits per game.

During the 2013 Winter Meetings, MLB Chief Baseball Officer (then Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations) Joe Torre said, "There is a chance that will happen."

MLB Hires Tripp Gibson, Mark Ripperger, Will Little

MLB hired umpires Tripp Gibson and Mark Ripperger to the full-time staff, according to the Wendelstedt Umpire School; Will Little is the third umpire hired. Gibson, Ripperger, and Little officiated the most MLB games of all umpires in 2014 (149, 142, and 141, respectively). Gibson, who has been working the Dominican Winter League, purportedly left the Dominican Republic in order to return to the United States to complete the hiring process. Gibson's hire to the MLB staff was first reported on January 9 by George Torres of the Dominican's Radio Universal.

Umpire retirement information will be forthcoming when available.

MLB Umpire Tripp Gibson

Hal 'Tripp' Gibson III: With just 173 games of Major League experience over two seasons (24 in 2013, 149 in 2014), Mayfield, Kentucky native Hal Howard Gibson III joins MLB's umpiring roster with the fewest games officiated of any of the 9 umpires hired over the past two seasons. Gibson worked as a AAA call-up while in the Pacific Coast League. A 2006 graduate of the Wendelstedt School, the 33-year-old Gibson has worked the Gulf Coast, New York-Penn, South Atlantic, California, Florida State, Eastern and Southern Leagues before his PCL promotion. Gibson was the 2014 UEFL Fill-In Umpire of the Year award winner and served as crew chief for the 2013 Arizona Fall League experiment with expanded instant replay review.
> MLB Debut: July 8, 2013
> First and Most Recent MLB Ejection: June 14, 2014 (OAK Athletics 3B Josh Donaldson).

MLB Umpire Will Little (left)

Will Little: William Max Little III from Fall Branch, Tennessee, joins the full-time staff with 197 games of big league experience over two seasons (56 in 2013, 141 in 2014). The 30-year-old Little graduated from the Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring in 2006 and since officiated in the Gulf Coast, Appalachian, South Atlantic, Carolina, Southern and International Leagues.
> MLB Debut: June 24, 2013
> First MLB Ejection: June 27, 2013 (BAL Orioles 3B Manny Machado)
> Most Recent MLB Ejection: August 26, 2014 (LA Dodgers PH Andre Ethier).

MLB Umpire Mark Ripperger

Mark Ripperger: Mark Anthony Ripperger promotes to full-time status with 211 big league games over five seasons under his belt (4 in 2010, 41 in 2011, 12 in 2012, 12 in 2013, 142 in 2014). The 34-year-old Ripperger, from Escondido California, is a 2003 graduate of the Wendelstedt School and has worked the Arizona, Northwest, Midwest, California, Eastern, Hawaii Winter and Pacific Coast Leagues.
> MLB Debut: September 30, 2010
> First MLB Ejection: August 13, 2011 (BOS Red Sox Manager Terry Francona)
> Most Recent MLB Ejection: August 27, 2014 (MIL Brewers Manager Ron Roenicke).

Most Games Officiated During the 2014 Regular Season (bold denotes umpires hired since 04/14)
1) Tripp Gibson - 149
2) Mark Ripperger - 142
3) Will Little - 141
4) John Tumpane - 138
5) Quinn Wolcott - 132
6) Marvin Hudson, Paul Emmel, Vic Carapazza, Adam Hamari - 127
10) Mark Carlson - 126