Terry Craft Retires; Barksdale Replaces Him
 

Terry Craft has retired due to medical reasons. Press release posted below.

-JimP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2006

BARKSDALE ADDED TO MAJOR LEAGUE STAFF

Major League Baseball announced today that umpire Lance Barksdale has recently been added to the roster of full-time Major League Umpires.

Barksdale, 39, is in his 15th season of professional baseball and has worked in the Appalachian League, the South Atlantic League, the Florida State League, the Southern League, the Pacific Coast League and, most recently, the International League. The Mississippi native has been a Minor League call-up umpire at the Major League level since the 2000 season. Barksdale also has worked Major League Spring Training since 2000.

Barksdale, who wears number 67, will be assigned to Crew Q, whose Crew Chief is Dale Scott.

Q's a good looking crew with Scott, Kulpa, Iassogna and now Barksdale.

Anybody know what Terry Craft's medical conditions were to prompt his retirement?

I thought I read he was having back problems.


Tim.

I'm shocked
 

At the lack of sniping this has brought.

Godspeed, Terry.

Live long and prosper, Lance.

Strikes and outs!

Shhhh! Don't jinx it!!

And yes, Q is a good-looking crew. Young, but very solid nonetheless.

No attack
 

This is not an attack of anyone...especially since my memory may be very suspect on this issue...but didn't some posters on this site say awhile back that one of the three former MLB umpires (Davidson, Hickox, etc.) would get the first, third and fifth openings under some deal? And isn't this the first opening since those posts and that supposed agreement with MLB was announced?

Am I remembering wrong? Or was there some misinformation being posted on this site? Or has something happened since those posts were made to change that information?

Just wondering since so many people here claim to have contacts on the MLB staff. (And, Oh yeah, I don't feel like asking my MLB contact).;)

That information, I believe, came directly from MLB and the WUA- Davidson, Hallion, and Hickox got the first, third, and fifth openings on the staff. Why they didn't now is anyone's guess.

You're remembering right....I'll leave it to someone else to better explain why.