Crawford, DeMuth, Hirschbeck & Tim Welke crew chiefs for 1st round of playoffs

Crew chiefs announced for playoff openers

NEW YORK — Jerry Crawford, Dana DeMuth, John Hirschbeck and Tim Welke will be the umpire crew chiefs for the first round of the playoffs.

Major League Baseball said Tuesday that Crawford will work the Minnesota Twins-New York Yankees series with Hunter Wendelstedt, Greg Gibson, Brian O’Nora, Gary Darling and Chris Guccione.

Welke was assigned to the Tampa Bay Rays-Texas Rangers series with Jim Wolf, Jerry Meals, Bill Miller, Jeff Kellogg and Mike DiMuro.

In the NL, Hirschbeck will work the Philadelphia Phillies-Cincinnati Reds series with Bruce Dreckman, Sam Holbrook, Ed Rapuano, Gary Cederstrom and Rob Drake.

DeMuth will work the San Francisco Giants-Atlanta Braves series with Paul Nauert, Paul Emmel, Mike Winters, Jerry Layne and Ed Hickox.

Drake and Guccione will be umpiring in the postseason for the first time.