Major League Baseball umpire supervisor
By Leslie Gibson McCarthy
Rich Rieker has had a behind-the-plate view of baseball history. The 44-year-old South St. Louis native is one of Major League Baseball’s five umpire supervisors—the umpires for the umpires. Rieker first spent 10 years as a field umpire, where he encountered such colorful characters as Marge Schott, Tommy Lasorda and Jim Fregosi. Rieker was behind the plate when Rick Ankiel fell apart in the playoffs and when Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run. In 2002, a herniated disk in his neck forced him off the field and into his current job. He lives in Orlando, Fla., but was home for the holidays with his wife, Kathleen, and sons Jacob and Michael. We caught up with him at Shrewsbury’s Sunset Lanes as he watched his boys enjoy a post-Christmas game with friends.
Was umpiring something you always wanted to do? I started umpiring when I was 11. That’s how I met my wife—we were both Khoury League umpires. When I was 21, I went to Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School and graduated first in my class. I started at the lowest levels of baseball and worked my way up. I worked my first Major League game on June 22, 1992, as a sub on Wendelstedt’s crew.
And your duties now? Basically we’re the buffer between league management and umpires. We hear the umpires’ problems and try to be counselors. I’m also the coordinator for MLB’s umpire camps. I’m very proud of it. It’s a two-week camp at the Urban Youth Academy in Los Angeles. We’re not trying to replace the traditional umpire schools, but we train umpires for all levels, and then eight of those students win scholarships to one of the two umpire schools that begin in January.
What were some of your most memorable moments as a field umpire? Being behind the plate for McGwire’s 69th and 70th homers—that and the playoffs. I had the divisionals in 1999 and 2000. Mets-Diamondbacks, Braves-Cardinals. I was behind the plate when Rick Ankiel had his playoff meltdown against the Braves.
What was going on in Ankiel’s head? I have no idea. I was looking at a comfortable [6-0] lead. You always want to be on guard, especially in the playoffs, but it makes your job a little easier when there’s a spread in the score. People ask me who my favorite pitcher is, and I say, “Anyone who throws strikes.” I don’t know what was up with him, and I really don’t care. All I know is, he made my job harder that day.
Did you have to duck behind the plate? No. His pitches were 15 feet over my head.
What did you think of the Kenny Rogers incident in the World Series? The teams took care of it before the umpires could get involved. When Rogers came back out, whatever he had on his hand was gone, and there was nothing for the umpires to do. Steve Palermo was the supervisor on-site, and he handled what he had to handle. Perception is everything. Every-body watching knew, because Tim McCarver or some producer saw it. I think Tony La Russa did the smart thing by downplaying it. The Cardinals knew they had to focus on winning games, and that’s what they did.
Do you think Don Denkinger is off the hook now that the Cardinals have won a World Series? Hopefully. Let me tell you something about Don Denkinger. He was a fabulous, top-performing umpire for 30-plus years in the American League. He had all the big games. He never got his just due in this city because fans never saw him. It’s unfortunate that he’s remembered for one call—one of tens of thousands. But with one call he put a monkey on his back, and St. Louis didn’t let him up. Don simply made a mistake.
You grew up a Cardinals fan. How do you separate being a fan from doing your job? When you first start, you’re working 150 to 200 games a year, so that stuff is bred out of you. You want to be as fair and unbiased as possible. By the time you’ve worked your way up—10 or 15 years later—you really don’t care who’s winning or losing. All you want to do is walk off that field knowing in your heart you did a good job. You go out there, work your butt off and try to do the best, most fair job you can.
All In The Family
Rich Rieker’s brother Stephen is also a sports official. Steve Rieker completed his first full season as a Big 12 college-football official and was the umpire on the field at the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn., in December
“We have an officiating connection in the family,” Rich Rieker says. “Steve and I refereed football years ago together. Stevie’s worked his way up through the ranks, too.”
