Notebook: Froemming ready to retire
Umpire Bruce Froemming, who has spent a half-century in pro ball and worked more than 5,000 games in the majors, is getting ready to call it a career.
The 68-year-old Froemming is set to retire at the end of this season. He will be the plate umpire at the All-Star game next month in San Francisco, and Major League Baseball planned to announce it then.
“It’s been a long time,” Froemming said by telephone on his way to Fenway Park for Thursday night’s game between Colorado and Boston. “It’s 50 years.”
The Rockies-Red Sox game was the 5,079th of Froemming’s major league career. Bill Klem holds the record with 5,368, working from 1905-40.
Froemming has worked five World Series, 10 league championship series and a record eight division series. He also did the All-Star game in 1975 and 1986.
Earlier in the day, Froemming was picked as the crew chief and home plate umpire for this year’s All-Star game.
At the July 10 game in San Francisco, Froemming will be joined by Charlie Reliford (first base), Mike Winters (second base), Kerwin Danley (third base), Ted Barrett (left field) and Bill Miller (right field). Reliford and Winters will work their second All-Star games, with the rest appearing for the first time.
Clearing the bases
Kansas City Royals second baseman Mark Grudzielanek will have surgery on his left knee for the second time since March, and the team doesn’t know how long he’ll be out. Team physician Dr. Steve Joyce will perform the procedure today. The Royals also said that right-hander Brandon Duckworth had joined Grudzielanek on the disabled list because of a strained muscle in his side. … Houston Astros shortstop Adam Everett fractured his right leg in a collision with teammate Carlos Lee in the fourth inning of the Astros’ loss to Oakland. Team officials said Everett will be out four to eight weeks. … The Los Angeles Dodgers fired Hall of Famer Eddie Murray as hitting coach after completing a three-game sweep of the N.L. East-leading New York Mets in which they got 31 hits and scored 18 runs. Bill Mueller, hired as special assistant to general manager Ned Colletti during the off-season, will serve as interim hitting coach.