The Guys That Steve Palermo Will Defend on National TV in the Next Round

Here is the World Series umpiring crew. It includes Tim Tschida who once ejected Angel Orlando Plameiro for dropping his bat after striking out. Palmeiro happened to be leaving the bat for the next hitter-this was part of an attempt by the hitting coach Rod Carew to break the team out of a batting slump by sharing one bat. Tschida did reverse his decision after then-manager Terry Collins explained the situation. Tschida once admitted that, ''I didn't make the right call,'' in a 1999 ALCS game when he called a runner out even though the fielder clearly missed the tag. The runner was the potential tying run in the eighth, but the play ended the inning.

Angel Hernandez caused a small stir in August 2001. He called Cub Ron Coomer, trying to score on a wild pitch, out on a close play at home that would have tied the score in the sixth. Steve McMichael, former football player and pro wrestler, had been enlisted to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch, which he decided to introduce by promising to talk to Hernandez after the game. Hernandez promptly ejected McMichael, perhaps the first time that an individual not involved in the game has been ejected by an ump. He once called Brave Michael Tucker safe at home on a sac fly to win an 11-inning game even though the throw clearly beat Tucker. In 2001 he changed a home run to a long foul fly-ball strike after the batter had rounded the bases and had taken a seat in the dugout. Also, in 1996 Kenny Lofton left his bat at home in a sort of protest of Hernandez calling him out on strikes. Hernandez kicked the bat away in an act called the most unprofessional thing that manager Mike Hargrove ever had seen on a ball field.

Battle Creek-native Mike Reilly has his own webpage. Sorry, no email, but here's an enlarged photo of Mike.

Tim McClelland was the arbiter in the famous George Brett/pine tar incident and has this Q&A page on MLB.com.

The crew chief is Jerry Crawford, who once had an altercation with Bill Madlock. Crawford called Madlock out with the bases loaded in a 1980 game, and Madlock responded by poking Crawford in the face with his glove. Well, fair is fair. Madlock was fined $5K and suspended 15 games but remained in uniform during his requisite appeal. Mad Dog dropped the appeal after the entire NL umpiring staff threatened to eject him for every game he played. Crawford did receive top grades in the umpiring report cards issued in 1999. His parents posted it on the fridge. He also headed the failed Richie Phillips umpiring union and its hunger strike attempt.