Laz Díaz
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Lazaro Antonio Díaz (born March 29, 1963 in Miami, Florida) is an umpire in Major League Baseball. He joined the American League's full-time staff in 1999, and has worked in both major leagues since 2000.
His professional umpiring career began after he attented the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in 1999. He worked his way up to the International League for the 1995 season. Díaz was one of the 22 umpires promoted to the major leagues in the wake of the Major League Umpires Association's mass-resignation strategy in July 1999. Prior to his professional umpiring career, he served in the Marine Corps Reserves. Díaz's hand-to-hand combat skills were displayed on the baseball diamond when he was attacked by an intoxicated fan while umpiring first base in a game at Chicago's Comiskey Park in April 2003. He easily stifled the attack, and the fan was later sentenced to jail time for aggravated battery.
He worked the 2002 and 2006 American League Division Series. He also umpired the All-Star Game in 2000.
For the 2006 season, Díaz has been assigned to Rick Reed's crew along with Tim Tschida and Ted Barrett.
