won't be the last
 

Long-time umpire Montague hangs up the mask - Chicago Breaking Sports

This won't be the last, IMO. With the new collective bargaining agreement that gives a much larger financial incentive for veterans to retire, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this won't be the last this year. Just a guess...no inside information on this.

I guess I get a little excited because my former colleagues and classmates are now near the top of the list for promotion. It'll be cool to see what happens.

One...

I heard there were a few guys considering retiring this year. Apparently, yesterday (February 18) was the last day for them to decide whether to take retirement under the new agreement.

I would say Drake or Hoye get the first shot.

Has Montague ever been involved in anything really controversial? 34 years, the last 14 as a crew chief. And the last guy to wear the penis-hat beanie.

Drake showed humility and that he could take re-direction last year. I believe it salvaged his career after some issues threatened it in 2008. It put him back in the good graces of those in charge and probably in the number one slot.

Although rumors persist that AJ is two or three, there are those at the ML level who believe some performance issues last year as a call-up killed his chances for this year.

Hoye is a possibility for number two.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see two more retirements. It could depend on the final wording of the buy-out clause intended to help (encourgage?) some older umpires retire.

I always liked watching Ed work. Best wishes for a happy retirement to him.

I said it wouldn't be the last.
 

Misplays force shakeup of umpire supervisors - ESPN

Bye-bye Randy Marsh and Charlie Reliford...we hardly knew thee.

I hear that Rick Reed also retired.

...two, three, four...

New crew chiefs: Kellogg, Layne, Gorman, Hallion.

So close...
 

The story was going along so well, but then..."McClelland also missed a double play..." I remember both runners standing on 3rd - wouldn't have been a double play. If memory serves correctly, he called the wrong runner out, but he did not miss a double play. Correct me if my memory has failed me.

Both runners were tagged off the base in the brief confusion.

Both runners were tagged off the base.

http://i.usatoday.net/sports/_photos...opo-topper.jpg

It was the single worst high-profile missed call of my lifetime. Denkinger's was pretty bad for a couple of reasons, but this one was extreme.

There are plenty of young umpires waiting for a shot. You had a great career, to a point. And your pension plan's out of this world. What do you say, Tim?