Umpire Jim joins pitcher Randy in the Major Leagues
By Ken Mandel / MLB.com
Jim Wolf, brother of Phils pitcher Randy Wolf, is a member of the crew umpiring the Phillies vs. Diamondbacks series this weekend. (Steve Mitchell/AP)
PHILADELPHIA -- Like a lot of brothers growing up, Jim and Randy Wolf enjoyed baseball more than any other sport, and played as often as possible.
Randy played his way to the Major Leagues, where he is the No. 2 man in the Phillies rotation. Jim, seven years older than Randy, took a different route after his baseball career stalled in junior college.
Jim Wolf became the archenemy of all pitchers -- an umpire. And, after 10 years of umpiring in the minor leagues and as a Major League alternate, Wolf has realized the same dream as his younger brother. He was named to Tim McClelland's crew, as a full-time umpire, on Friday.
Eventually, that rotation will find it's way to Philadelphia, as in a series against the
Diamondbacks set for April 30-May 2.
The brothers Wolf are a baseball oddity, and that Arizona series will be the fourth time their paths have crossed on the same field. Both made their Major League debuts during the 1999 season. Jim's first game came in San Francisco in 1999 -- and the Phillies happened to be playing the Giants -- and he subbed in at third base.
In 2001, he umpired first and third base, respectively, in a doubleheader in Chicago. Randy started the second game, with Jim at first. Last season, Jim umpired an Interleague series between the Phillies and Angels in Anaheim, though Randy didn't start any of the games.
Jim said he isn't allowed to call balls and strikes when Randy pitches, and both think it's for the best.
The Wolfs aren't the only brothers to take up the player and umpire roles. Tom Haller, a catcher for the Giants and Dodgers in the 1960s had to deal with his brother Bill occasionally calling balls and strikes. One such game happened on July 14, 1972. Former coach and manager Terry Bevington's brother Zach umpired in the minors.
Though Jim will never call balls and strikes for a game in which Randy starts, umping the bases is different. Randy said he could handle that.
"Honestly, it would be weird the first time," said Randy. "He'd umpire like he would any other game. The only thing that would happen is he would be more scrutinized. The microscope would be a little bit bigger on every call."
Randy Wolf / P
Born: 08/22/76
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 200 lbs
Bats: L / Throws: L
Randy vows that he wouldn't show up the ump.
"I've never shown up an umpire, so I don't think I'd start with him," he said.
Randy is relieved that his success as a pitcher hasn't hurt Jim's chances of becoming an ump.
"If he was a bad umpire it might have been an obstacle," said Randy. "He paved his own way by being consistent, and doing things right. He paid his dues. Ten years of professional
baseball, in the minors, that's paying your dues. That's a lot of time. You don't get paid a lot of money. It's tough. I have a lot of respect for what umpires do."
Madson drops his appeal: Rookie pitcher Ryan Madson dropped his appeal of a three-game suspension, and will begin serving it on Friday. He will miss the weekend series against the
Expos.
Madson, 23, was suspended for a incident that occurred in Spring Training, on April 1 against the Blue Jays. The timing is perfect, since Brett Myers, the fifth starter, will be
skipped because of rain, and can fill in for Madson in the bullpen.
Standing room only: With anticipated sellouts Saturday and Sunday, the Phillies will sell 500 standing room only tickets for each game. The $10 tickets may be purchased starting at 9 a.m. on both days for that day's game.
The tickets can be purchased at the tickets windows located near the first-base gate, at the corner of Darien Street and Pattison Avenue, and the left-field gate.
This policy will continue for the rest of the season for near capacity games.
Philling In: The Phillies vs. the Expos won't be the only game in town on Saturday, so the Phillies are encouraging fans to arrive earlier than usual.
The Flyers and New Jersey Devils play at 3 p.m. ET in the Wachovia Center, while the
Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus continues at the Wachovia Spectrum with 11 a.m., 3:30
p.m. and 7:00 p.m. shows.
Citizens Bank Park gates open at 11 a.m. on Saturday, while Ashburn Alley opens at 10
a.m.
Ken Mandel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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Randy Wolf / P
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