2016 World Series Umpires Features Retiring Hirschbeck

Here are the 2016 World Series umpires, with retiring umpire John Hirschbeck serving as Crew Chief amongst a crew containing four first-time Fall Classic umpires. These postseason umpires are listed by position as appearing in Game 1 of the World Series. Umpire crew rotation for the best-of-seven World Series is clockwise in the infield and counterclockwise in the outfield. The Replay Official joins the on-field crew for Game 3 and remains with the on-field crew for the remainder of the series. Game 1's home plate umpire becomes the Replay Official for Games 3, and beyond.

World Series Crew (WS / Chicago Cubs (NL Champion) vs Cleveland Indians (AL Champion)
HP: Larry Vanover*^ (Replay Official for Games 3+) (1st World Series)
1B: Chris Guccione^ (1st World Series)
2B: John Hirschbeck* -cc (5th World Series [1995, 2006, 10, 13])
3B: Marvin Hudson^ (1st World Series)
LF: Tony Randazzo^ (1st World Series)
RF: Joe West* (6th World Series [1992, 97, 2005, 09 12])
WS Replay Official: Sam Holbrook (Games 1-2, On-Field for 3+) (2nd World Series [2010])

World Series Series Replay Assistant (MLBAM): Todd Tichenor

As for crews of origin, Hirschbeck is the only member of his regular season crew to advance to the 2016 Fall Classic. Guccione and Vanover are from the Vanover crew, Holbrook represents Gerry Davis' crew, Hudson is from Jim Joyce's crew, Randazzo is the #2 on Bill Miller's crew, and West is the only member of his crew to officiate the 2016 World Series. Vanover and Hudson worked with Hirschbeck during the 2016 NLDS, while Guccione served on Jeff Kellogg's NLDS crew, Randazzo worked under his regular season crew chief Miller in the ALDS, and Holbrook worked with West on the ALDS Wild Card crew.

Hirschbeck's first and last World Series assignments (1995, 2016) both feature the local Cleveland Indians. He recalled that in October of '95, trash collectors in his Ohio neighborhood left him a piece of soiled cardboard wishing him good luck: "P.S....'Lofton likes to steal third base.'" When Lofton ended up trying to steal third base in that first game, 3B Umpire Hirschbeck was in great position to make the call: "I credit my trash men for the keen advice," Hirschbeck said.

Hirschbeck gave an early exit interview to his hometown Vindicator, which also provided the World Series crew. The crew has not yet been officially announced by Major League Baseball and is presented as public source information (see the CCS Best Practices).

-cc denotes Game/Series Crew Chief, * denotes regular season Crew Chief, BOLD TEXT denotes first postseason assignment, ^ denotes first assignment for that specific round of the playoffs. Per UEFL Rule 4-3-c, all umpires selected to appear in the Wild Card games shall receive one bonus point for this appearance. Umpires assigned to the Division Series shall receive two bonus points for this appearance. Umpires assigned to the League Championship Series receive three bonus points for this appearance and umpires assigned to the World Series receive four bonus points for this appearance. Umpires assigned as Crew Chief to any round shall receive one additional bonus point for this role (e.g., two points total for the Wild Card Game, three points total for Division Series, etc.). Officials assigned to replay review only do not receive points for this role.