MLB Umps Agree To Work ’09 WBC To Get Colleagues Reinstated

MLB Umpires Agree To Work ’09 World Baseball Classic

MLB umpires have agreed to work the ’09 World Baseball Classic (WBC) and wear microphones during some games this season to “get two umpires who lost their jobs in a labor dispute reinstated,” according to Danielle Sessa of BLOOMBERG NEWS. MLB Exec VP/Labor Relations Rob Manfred said that Tom Hallion and Ed Hickox, who were among 22 umpires that were not rehired after 57 umps resigned during a labor dispute in ’99, were “made full-time umpires for this season.” The inaugural WBC last year was officiated by minor-league and fill-in umpires. Mets 2B Jose Valentin said of the WBC umpires, “There were a few guys in there who had no clue about the game, that type of game, the professional game.” Sessa noted MLB also announced last week that one umpire would wear a microphone during each ESPN and Fox broadcast this season. The nets “agreed not to air the comments live” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 3/23).