Question re: MLB umpiring

[gibson]

Need help answering a question, please.

How are stations determined for a series of games in MLB? How do they determine who the plate umpire is and who the field umpires are? How are these umpires rotated? Who makes those decisions?

Have looked in the MLB Rulesbook, but I couldn't find anything about umpire stations being rotated. I told a friend that they do because I can point to any number of games I've been to where this will happen from one game to the next, but I have no idea what rhyme or reason is behind this.

Please help.

Thanks very much.

[Marty Rogers]

The way MLB umpires rotate is as follows:

After a game as PU, he goes to 3B in the
next game, and they rotate clockwise.
Thus, last night's 1B ump becomes
tonight's PU.

I don't know how they determine who starts
where, or how they choose crews, etc.
I think the guy at 3B has to
buy the beer, though.

[gibson]

Thank you.

[johnSandlin]

gibson,

I am aquainted with Mike Reilly(#31 MLB Umpire). We had this question come up during a rain delay of a LL majors final I was working. He said that MLB assigns the positions based years of service at the start of each season. The league first hands out its crew chief assignments, and then assigns the crews. The crew chief will start the season as the PU, and then rotate to 3rd, to 2nd, to 1st, and then back to PU. During the season they just keep rotating. Crew chief does always start each series as the PU.
In the playoffs..it goes PU, to RF line, to LF line, to 3rd, to 2nd, to 1st, to back to PU. I hope that helps out a little bit.

[johnSandlin]

gibson,

my last message should have stated that the crew chief does not always start each series as the PU. Sorry for the typo error.

Also, if you want more info on the umpires, go http://www.mlb.com and there is a whole page on the umpires and other umpiring information.