What we know
What we know: 5 retired MLB umpires — including Joe West — sue benefit plan, alleging they are owed more money
Compiled Nov 5
What we know
- Five retired MLB umpires sued their retirement plan and its retirement committee
- The lawsuit was filed Sept. 29 in federal court in New York
- The umpires are Joe West, Tom Hallion, Gerry Davis, Larry Vanover and Jerry Layne
- They allege benefits were miscalculated and seek additional money under ERISA
- Their lawyer said the amount owed is in excess of $2 million
- The union, the Major League Baseball Umpires Association, is not a party to the suit
What we don’t know yet
- MLB declined comment, citing the pending lawsuit
- Lawyer Paul Holmes said some issues could be argued either way, suggesting dispute over specific calculations
Open questions
- How will MLB respond to the lawsuit now that it has declined comment?
- What specific calculation errors are being disputed?
- Will settlement talks resume before the Dec. 11 pretrial conference?
- Why did the umpires' union choose to stay out of the lawsuit?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.