Introducing UEFL Digest, Final Days to Register

As the 2015 season approaches, the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League introduces the UEFL Digest, a week-in-review e-mail newsletter capturing the week that was. To sign up for the UEFL Digest, fill out the following form:

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Registration for the 2015 UEFL season closes this Tuesday, March 10. Don't miss out on your chance to join the league and draft your umpiring crew. Click here for more information on registration procedures and to sign up (you'll also be able to sign up for Communications during league registration). The draft will begin shortly after registrations close.

Dale Scott Exits with Injury, Joyce Umps Behind Mound

HP Umpire Dale Scott was injured on a pitch to the hand during the first inning of Thursday's Cubs-Giants split-squad game and left the field as a precaution. With none out and none on, Giants batter Nori Aoki took a 0-0 pitch from Cubs pitcher Jacob Turner for a called ball. The pitch evaded catcher Welington Castillo and struck Scott's hand.

As 3B Umpire Mark Ripperger retreated to the umpire's dressing room in order to change into his plate gear, 1B Umpire Jim Joyce stepped behind the mound to call balls and strikes with 2B Umpire Ron Kulpa filling in at first base, recalling memories of Spring Training 2013, when veteran Tim McClelland served as umpire-in-chief from behind the pitcher after plate umpire Seth Buckminster broke his hand on an errant Wily Peralta fastball that also struck batter Albert Pujols.

Information on Scott's condition was not immediately available, though we later confirmed Scott suffered a "bruise" and was placed in a temporary sling (he returned to the field on Saturday); Having recovered from his hand injury, Buckminster worked 66 games during the 2014 MLB season. Ripperger returned to the field as the plate umpire in the bottom of the second inning.

Wrap: Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants, 3/5/15
Video: Scott leaves with wrist injury, leaving Joyce to call balls and strikes from behind the mound (MLBAM)

Hirschbeck Returns, Gibson Changes Official Name to 'Tripp'

Umpire John Hirschbeck returned to baseball during Spring Training action in Florida's Grapefruit League after nearly one year each on umpiring's extended bereavement list.

Hirschbeck, whose second son Michael passed away in early April 2014, made his 2015 comeback during Wednesday's Phillies-Yankees game. Hirschbeck, whose last MLB contest worked was April 6, 2014, served as a field umpire, starting the game at first base, alongside Tim Welke, Sean Barber and home plate umpire Adam Hamari. Hirschbeck had made appearances at the New York Replay Operations Center in September 2014.

Hal 'Tripp' Gibson, whom MLB hired full-time this January, officially changed his name as appears in the box score from "Hal Gibson III" to "Tripp Gibson III." Gibson's first Spring Training game as a freshly minted MLBU was Wednesday's White Sox-Dodgers game at Camelback Ranch.

Co-hires Will Little (TOR-PIT) and Mark Ripperger (ARI-COL) have kept their pre-promotion names.