Men in blue brighten days of young patients at Johns Hopkins Childrens Center

Men in blue brighten days of young patients at Johns Hopkins Childrens Center
Before calling balls and strikes at tonight's game between the Angels and Orioles at Camden Yards, home plate umpire Fieldin "Cubby" Culbreth made sure a baseball season tradition wouldn't be swept away because of COVID-19 precautions at the Johns Hopkins Childrens Center in Baltimore. Culbreth and Ryan Blakney, another of the men in blue assigned to tonight's game, participated in a special question-and-answer session over Zoom with young patients undergoing treatment at the hospital....

Men in blue brighten days of young patients at Johns Hopkins Childrens Center

Men in blue brighten days of young patients at Johns Hopkins Childrens Center
Before calling balls and strikes at tonight's game between the Angels and Orioles at Camden Yards, home plate umpire Fielden "Cubby" Culbreth made sure a baseball season tradition wouldn't be swept away because of COVID-19 precautions at the Johns Hopkins Childrens Center in Baltimore. Culbreth and Ryan Blakney, another of the men in blue assigned to tonight's game, participated in a special question-and-answer session over Zoom with young patients undergoing treatment at the hospital....

Umpires' call brightens day for patients at Johns Hopkins Children's Center

Umpires' call brightens day for patients at Johns Hopkins Children's Center
Before they handled balls and strikes, fair or foul, and safe and out calls for the conclusion of a two-game interleague series between the Nationals and Orioles on Wednesday, baseball's men in blue brought some happiness to youth patients at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. Umpires Alfonzo Marquez, Mike Estabrook and Ryan Blakeney - part of the umpiring crew for the Nats-O's series this week at Camden Yards - visited patients at Johns Hopkins, offering words of encouragement and...

Umpires brighten patients' day at Johns Hopkins Children's Center

Umpires brighten patients' day at Johns Hopkins Children's Center
The men who decide whether a pitch is a ball or strike, whether a player is safe or out (and, more recently, who pore over video replays to determine the status of contested plays) have a whole bunch of new fans in Baltimore. The four major league umpires - Cory Blaser, Laz Diaz, Chris Guccione and Jeff Nelson - working tonight's Orioles game spent part of Wednesday morning at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center as part of UMPS CARE Charities' Blue for Kids program. The men in blue ditched...

Umpires visit Johns Hopkins Children's Center

Umpires visit Johns Hopkins Children's Center
You've no doubt heard the old expression, "Nobody loves the umps." (Check out this clip from "I Love Lucy" with Bob Hope.) Well, that's not necessarily true. After a visit from the men in blue earlier today, a bunch of kids at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center think the oft-criticized arbiters are some of their favorite people. Scott Barry, Laz Diaz, Pat Holberg and Jeff Nelson - the crew assigned to tonight's Rays-Orioles game at Camden Yards - spent part of Wednesday at the hospital...