:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/20423705/20130819_sng_su8_029.0.jpg)
LOS ANGELES -- Major League Baseball announced the umpiring assignments for the wild card games and all four division series on Monday, and John Hirschbeck is the crew chief for the Dodgers' NLDS against the Braves, beginning Thursday in Atlanta.
Hirschbeck is in his 30th season as a major league umpire, and this will be his 13th year umpiring in the postseason. He has umpired eight division series, four league championship series, and three World Series.
Hirschbeck will be joined by his regular season crew of Bill Miller (ninth year in playoffs), Laz Diaz (fifth year in playoffs), and Marvin Hudson (fourth year in playoffs). In addition, regular season crew chief Tim Welke (15th year in playoffs) and Hunter Wendelstedt (fourth year in playoffs).
Fortunately for Welke, Todd Helton has retired and won't be able to fool him with the classic "three feet off the bag play."
Here are the umpiring assignments for Game 1 in on Thursday in Atlanta:
- Home plate: Wendelstedt
- First base: Hudson
- Second base: Hirschbeck
- Third base: Miller
- Left field: Welke
- Right field: Diaz
Clayton Kershaw, starting Game 1 for the Dodgers, is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in three career starts with Wendelstedt behind the plate with 22 strikeouts and four walks in 21 innings, but hasn't pitched a game with Wendelstedt behind the plate since 2011. Kris Medlen, likely Braves starter on Thursday, hasn't started a game with Wendelstedt behind the plate but did pitch a scoreless inning relief back in 2009.