MLB Crew Chiefs Mike Everitt, Jeff Kellogg Retire

Longtime MLB crew chiefs Mike Everitt and Jeff Kellogg retired from on-field service prior to Spring Training, creating two additional vacancies on the umpire staff.

Everitt steps off the field after 24 American and Major League seasons at the age of 55 after a recent bout of injuries, most recently during the Wild Card round of the 2019 postseason.

In 2018, the UEFL invoked an injury replacement rule after Everitt sustained a concussion on Opening Day; after attempting a return to baseball from April 25 - May 2, Everitt took the rest of the season off; he subsequently suffered a head injury on July 7, 2019.
Related Post: UEFL Invokes Injury Replacement Rule for Everitt (6/5/18).

Everitt's career featured three Wild Card games, nine Division Series, seven League Championship Series, and three World Series, in addition to the 2006 All-Star Game. He ejected 81 players, coaches, and managers over his 2,633 regular season games officiated.

Kellogg, who is the brother in law of Tim and Bill Welke, similarly suffered from the injury bug in recent years, officiating 87 regular season contests in 2018 and 54 in 2019; a flying bat in September 2017 cost him the rest of the 2017 season (including playoffs).

Having graduated with a Ferris State University degree in Criminal Justice, Kellogg famously tackled a fan-turned-field intruder around the home plate area in Baltimore back in 2012.
Related Post: Umpire Jeff Kellogg Tackles Fan in Baltimore Field Intrusion (4/28/12).

The 58-year-old Coldwater, Michigan native's on-field NL and MLB career spanned 29 years and 3,275 regular season games to go alongside the 2012 Wild Card Game, nine Division Series, six League Championship Series, five World Series, and two All-Star Games.

It has been reported that the two veteran umpires will take jobs in the league office's umpiring department. The retirement news brings total Crew Chief vacancies to four this 2019-2020 offseason. Congratulations, Mike and Jeff!

We'll have an article on MLB's umpire new-hires in the coming days.