MLB Umpire Chiefs To Wear Microphones in 2022

After years of idle speculation—and tmac's repeated calls for umpires to use microphones to explain Replay Review decisions and certain other complex calls over the public address system, MLB will finally outfit its umpire crew chiefs with mics during the 2022 season, joining the likes of the National Football League and National Hockey League, which have long utilized referee microphones to announce penalties and certain game situations, such as timeouts.

In tmac's 2017 Teachable Moments article "Let's Fix Replay," suggestion number one to fix MLB's communication problem was "Give the Crew Chief a microphone." Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball Organization has long provided microphones for its umpires to explain complex rulings.

Later that year, MLB began seriously discussing umpire microphones, but ultimately decided against the plan at the time. In 2020, with contract negotiations and a new CBA fresh in the mind of MLB and its umpires, baseball was finally set to embrace the technology, but that plan fell apart when COVID upended the 2020 regular season, as did our aspirations for hearing Joe West ramble on how games are taking too long.

With baseball looking to enter 2022 without pandemic-related restrictions experienced in 2020 and 2021, microphones look to finally be nearing implementation.

Procedure: Following initiation or request of the Manager's Challenge or Crew Chief Review, the Crew Chief (wearing a microphone) shall proceed toward a foul line and address the spectator area and press box regarding the team challenging (if applicable), and the specificity of their challenge (what is being challenged), and the original call. After a review decision has been made, the Crew Chief shall again speak via microphone and communicate the outcome of the review, including whether the call has been confirmed, overturned, or stands, and what the result of the review will be (e.g., the runner is out and the inning is over...Team A loses its challenge).

2022 MLB Umpire Crew List

Major League Baseball's 2022 umpire crews are listed in the following table. To review, five umpires retired (Fieldin Culbreth, Kerwin Danley, Gerry Davis, Brian Gorman, Joe West), five were hired (Ryan Additon, Sean Barber, John Libka, Ben May, Roberto Ortiz), and five were promoted to Crew Chief (Laz Diaz, Greg Gibson, Marvin Hudson, Ron Kulpa, Bill Welke).

Registration for the 2022 Umpire Ejection Fantasy League season, as well as the UEFL draft, will be announced in the coming days, and will conclude prior to Opening Day. Click here to see the rules changes for the 2022 UEFL season

Umpiring crews for the 2022 regular season appear below. The original posting on April 1, in which first names were modified in accordance with April Fool's Day, appears below the unaltered version. You can now update your website without crediting us, Steve:

2022 MLB Umpire Crews (by Seniority)

Crew #	Crew Chief	Umpire 2	Umpire 3	Umpire 4
Crew A	3 Welke, Bill	49 Fletcher, Andy	47 Morales, Gabe	96 Segal, Chris
Crew B	6 Carlson, Mark	68 Guccione, Chris	71 Baker, Jordan	67 Additon, Ryan
Crew C	51 Hudson, Marvin	80 Johnson, Adrian	74 Tumpane, John	36 Blakney, Ryan
Crew D	14 Wegner, Mark	64 Porter, Alan	81 Wolcott, Quinn	35 Rehak, Rehak
Crew E	50 Emmel, Paul	92 Hoye, James	1 Dreckman, Bruce	31 Hoberg, Pat
Crew F	34 Holbrook, Sam	5 Hernandez, Angel	28 Wolf, Jim	17 Reyburn, DJ
Crew G	58 Iassogna, Dan	11 Randazzo, Tony	87 Barry, Scott	97 May, Ben
Crew H	65 Barrett, Ted	23 Barksdale, Lance	83 Estabrook, Mike	59 Lentz, Nic
Crew I	27 Vanover, Larry	2 Bellino, Dan	86 Rackley, David	29 Barber, Sean
Crew J	45 Nelson, Jeff	54 Bucknor, CB	79 Gonzalez, Manny	85 Scheurwater, Stu
Crew K	63 Diaz, Laz	7 O’Nora, Brian	4 Fairchild, Chad	73 Gibson, Tripp
Crew L	77 Reynolds, Jim	13 Tichenor, Todd	76 Muchlinski, Mike	84 Libka, John
Crew M	72 Marquez, Alfonso	95 Timmons, Tim	16 Barrett, Lance	18 De Jesus, Ramon
Crew N	41 Meals, Jerry	15 Hickox, Ed	19 Carapazza, Vic	52 Visconti, Jansen
Crew O	20 Hallion, Tom	10 Cuzzi, Phil	89 Blaser, Cory	90 Ripperger, Mark
Crew P	46 Kulpa, Ron	60 Foster, Marty	98 Conroy, Chris	37 Torres, Carlos
Crew Q	24 Layne, Jerry	21 Wendelstedt, Hunter	78 Hamari, Adam	62 Whitson, Chad
Crew R	26 Miller, Bill	88 Eddings, Doug	91 Knight, Brian	40 Ortiz, Roberto
Crew S	53 Gibson, Greg	39 Nauert, Paul	30 Drake, Rob	93 Little, Will
IL	39 Nauert, Paul	-	CloseCallSports.com	March 2022

2022 MLB Umpire Crews (by Seniority)

Crew #	Crew Chief	Umpire 2	Umpire 3	Umpire 4
Crew A	3 Welke, Tim	49 Fletcher, Barelyknowher	47 Morales, Oreles	96 Segal, Duck
Crew B	6 Carlson, Brutananadilewski	68 Guccione, Tennis	71 Baker, Dozen	67 Additon, Multiply
Crew C	51 Hudson, River	80 Johnson, Pok	74 Tumpane, Rolaidane	36 Blakney, Liveney
Crew D	14 Wegner, Piniella	64 Porter, Inastormer	81 Wolcott, Alfuton	35 Rehak, Cough
Crew E	50 Emmel, Kayjay	92 Hoye, Matey	1 Dreckman, Recycling	31 Hoberg, Winslet
Crew F	34 Holbrook, Halfstream	5 Hernandez, Angel	28 Wolf, Blitzer	17 Reyburn, Icefreeze
Crew G	58 Iassogna, Tortellini	11 Randazzo, Aynuti	87 Barry, Bonds	97 May, June
Crew H	65 Barrett, Grinand	23 Barksdale, Meowscott	83 Estabrook, Thatalago	59 Lentz, Easterz
Crew I	27 Vanover, Doc	2 Bellino, Objection	86 Rackley, Shelfley	29 Barber, Pole
Crew J	45 Nelson, Full	54 Bucknor, Martineznor	79 Gonzalez, Kermitlez	85 Scheurwater, Iffyfire
Crew K	63 Diaz, Horaz	7 O’Nora, Whosnora	4 Fairchild, Fouladult	73 Gibson, Nextfall
Crew L	77 Reynolds, Wrap	13 Tichenor, Smidgenor	76 Muchlinski, Cowski	84 Libka, Conkhan
Crew M	72 Marquez, Potsie	95 Timmons, Ruler	16 Barrett, Notteddy	18 De Jesus, Iguessso
Crew N	41 Meals, Onwheels	15 Hickox, Educatedbison	19 Carapazza, Facedough	52 Visconti, Baroni
Crew O	20 Hallion, Unretired	10 Cuzzi, Can	89 Blaser, Platecoat	90 Ripperger, Taperdog
Crew P	46 Kulpa, Meamaxima	60 Foster, Lager	98 Conroy, Proray	37 Torres, Turris
Crew Q	24 Layne, Stayinyour	21 Wendelstedt, Igiveup	78 Hamari, Powerdrilli	62 Whitson, Dumdaughter
Crew R	26 Miller, Flour	88 Eddings, Cyyed	91 Knight, Nosun	40 Ortiz, Pedro
Crew S	53 Gibson, Homeplateumpire	39 Nauert, Ferrari	30 Drake, Eminem	93 Little, Big
IL	22 East, Klem	25 Battin, Downthehatches	- Ihatebaseball, Manfred	- Idotoo, Womanwilma