Quote:
Originally posted by mattmets
This "politicking" could be the explanation for John Hirschbeck not getting a WS, Joe Brinkman getting few playoff assignments, Tim Welke not getting a lot, and Jerry Crawford getting them every year.
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Well, the fact politics exists in umpire selection shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has had even the slightest involvement in umpiring.
But the argument doesn't really follow, or if it does, I can't see how. Hirschbeck and Brinkman were both anti-Phillips and in favour of the new union - so why are they allegedly being squeezed out now? Meanwhile, both Crawford and Froemming were strongly pro-Phillips. So there's no pattern. If there is a feud it's either about something else or has to do with the way the battle lines were redrawn following the union split.
We'll have to wait and see if Froemming gives anonymous briefings to any other newspapers.
Jacob