MLB umpire Chris Guccione wants Josh Cordova to know he is in his corner.
Guccione will host Cordova, his parents and siblings Sunday at Coors Field, where the Rockies will play the Dodgers. Cordova is the 13-year-old umpire who was at the center of a brawl involving adults at a game between 7-year-olds in Lakewood, Colo., on June 15.
"This is my state, this is where my heart is," Guccione, a Colorado native, told The Denver Post on Thursday. "So when I saw the incident that happened, I was concerned. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is in my backyard.'"
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Guccione is part of the umpiring crew for the weekend series in Denver between NL West rivals. He is on track to work at third base on Sunday.
A call by Cordova sparked violence that spilled onto the field and resulted in multiple injuries. Video of the brawl quickly went viral. The Post reported that Lakewood police later issued citations to a dozen people for disorderly conduct.
"It is embarrassing. It’s a 7-year-old game with a 13-year-old umpire? Come on," Guccione told the Post.
Guccione contacted Cordova's family to offer an invitation to Coors. UMPS CARE charities, MLB umpires' non-profit organization devoted to aiding needy children and families, helped to arrange the visit, the Post reported.
Guccione told the Post that Cordova wants to continue umpiring.
