Jeff Nelson (umpire)

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45 – Jeff Nelson

Nelson in 2011.
Born: (1965-06-01) June 1, 1965
St. Paul, Minnesota
MLB debut
1999
Umpiring crew
I
Crew members
  Jim Joyce (crew chief)
  Jeff Nelson
  Jim Wolf
  Ed Hickox
Career highlights and awards
Special Assignments

Jeffrey Brian Nelson (born on June 1, 1965) is an umpire in Major League Baseball who was named to the National League staff prior to the 1999 season, and has worked throughout both major leagues since 2000. Nelson, a graduate of Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, wears uniform number 45.

Umpiring career

Nelson was named Top Prospect at the Joe Brinkman Umpiring School in 1989. He was promoted to the National League prior to the 1999 season along with Paul Nauert to fill vacancies left by the retirements of Jim Quick and Harry Wendelstedt.

While in the minor leagues, Nelson was the chief rules instructor at the former Brinkman-Froemming umpire school in Cocoa, Florida from 1997 until the school's closing in 1998. He continues to teach at umpire clinics in the off-season. Additionally, Nelson is currently the secretary/treasurer of the major league umpires' union, the World Umpires Association.

During his career, Nelson has received several postseason assignments, including the 2005 World Series and 2009 World Series. He also worked the League Championship Series in 2002, 2004, 2010, 2011 and 2012; and the Division Series in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2008 and 2009. He umpired in the 2006 All-Star Game.

In 2010 he was assigned to Crew G with crew chief Jeff Kellogg, Larry Vanover and Mark Carlson.

Controversy

During Game 2 of the 2012 American League Championship Series, Nelson ejected New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi for arguing a missed call at second base after Nelson incorrectly ruled that Detroit Tiger Omar Infante was safe. Nelson later acknowledged his safe call was wrong.[1]

Notable games

Nelson was behind home plate when Mark McGwire hit his 500th home run, and worked the game in which Rickey Henderson made his 3000th hit.

He served as the second base umpire when Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano threw a no-hitter against the Houston Astros at Miller Park on September 14, 2008.[2]

Nelson was the plate umpire for a Detroit TigersKansas City Royals game on September 27, 2012 when Tigers pitcher Doug Fister set an American League record by striking out nine consecutive batters.[3]

He was chosen as one of the umpires for the one-game Wild Card playoff between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals on October 5, 2012.[4]

See also

References

External links

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