Last year, after a bunch of missed calls in the early rounds, Major League Baseball made sure that the World Series was populated with experienced umpires. This year, not so much: the crew will include World Series first timers Sam Holbrook and Bill Miller, along with vets John Hirschbeck, Gary Darling, Mike Winters and Jeff Kellogg.
Using a highly scientific method (i.e. searching the HardballTalk archives) I can’t find any instances of Holbrook engaging in any poor umpiring-related shenanigans. Miller shows up once last season after he allegedly called Yorvit Torrealba a bad word. Inasmuch as Yorvit Torrealba is not in the World Series, I think we’re cool here.
Ultimately, though, the “only experienced umps in the World Series” thing last year is a kind of dumb. Joe West has all kinds of experience and he stinks on ice. Whether they’re pups or graybeards, just make sure they’re the ones most likely to get the calls right, cool? I mean, at least until we have replay and don’t have to cross our fingers and make a wish in order to ensure that important stuff isn’t blown in big games.
