4 umps to work World Series for first time thanks to strong replay results

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Hunter Wendelstedt is working his first Fall Classic. (USATSI)

According to the Associated Press, four umpires will work the World Series for the first time this year thanks in part to their strong results on instant replace challenges during the regular season. Hunter Wendelstedt, Eric Cooper, Jim Reynolds and Jerry Meals are all heading to the Fall Classic for the first time.

newsandtalking.blogspot.com says 20 umpires had at least 10 calls changed by replay this season, but Wendelstedt and Cooper had only two and three changed, respectively. Reynolds had seven calls changed and Meals had 10 changed. Wendelstedt, Reynolds and Cooper have been in the league since 1999, Meals since 1998.

'An umpire's entire body of work is evaluated when assigning postseason series, and we always strive to have the most deserving umpires working postseason games,' said MLB spokesman Michael Teevan to the Associated Press. 'This year, instant replay also became another facet of performance.'

Among the other factors considered when selecting umpires for the World Series are ball-strike ratings, ability to handle on-field situations, and experience. MLB tries to include at least one umpire who is working the World Series for the first time each year. The last time four first-timers were selected was 1996.

Jeff Kellogg will be the crew chief for the World Series. It will be his fifth Fall Classic. Ted Barrett and Jeff Nelson fill out the umpire crew and will both be working their third World Series. One of the seven umpires will start the series as the replay ump in New York before rotating back onto the field.