[WhatWuzThatBlue]

Whatever the reasoning or motivation that drives you to that decision and gets you on the field is, it will have driven you to be labeled for life as someone who crossed a picket line and worked somewhere that you did not earn the right to be.

If you have accepted an assignment and plan to work on opening day, be prepared to be face to face with the men you are crossing. The minor league umpires, their family, and other supporters (including myself) will be there at the games. They will be holding signs, and they will be distributing informational flyers. There won't be a soul on the field or in the stands that doesn't know who you are and what you are doing. With that said, enjoy your game, and maybe I'll see you there!

Good Lord, I had never actually considered working one of these games, but I may now feel compelled. I'm freezing my *** off, watching my games get cancelled and praying for a break in the weather so that I can get out there and do some games. I'm old enough to appreciate the warmer climates now, so maybe I should head on over to your state. Which backasswards town are you calling home? I hope someone like you approaches a guy like me or better yet one who is trying to feed his family on even less than what those MiLB guys make. You can tell him that you think he is a scab for taking those games and he can tell you to kiss his ***. Those watching will laugh at you drag your sorry behind to the nearest reporter to whine about mistreatment. No one forced them to take the job. If they don't like the wages, let them flip burgers, wash cars or drive a taxi. Those guys are rolling in the bucks.

I can't imagine anyone being dumb enough to think that MiLB umpires are bigger than the game. If you ever had a chance to work in some of those small town ballparks (I did) you would know that some of those dirt sweepers, ditch diggers and laundry keepers make less than the poverty line. To go to the ball park for 25 cent beer night takes a big chunk of their income. They want to see a ball game and don't care who umpires it. Your blinders forget the fact that the small ballpark employs vendors, ticket takers, groundscrew, announcers, local administration among others. If those games go unplayed, those others take it up the kiester because of a poor business decision on the part of 230 guys. Yes, the umpires deserve more, but if they abandon their dreams, they deserve to be replaced. I don't know too many workers that can tell their boss that they want more or they will quit and expect to have a job after they do; see ya' dumb ***- don't let the door hit you on the way out!

Screw you and your inflated sense of importance. Guys who talk like you find there face on the pavement more often than not. Even the MiLB attorney came out and said that they have long held that MiLB umpire stewardship is akin to an educational program. Replacing the guys at AAA will be difficult and they have the most to lose. We all saw what one of the best AAA umpires looked like recently. I saw a college game last week that had a better crew than what I see on many A fields.

So go ahead and stand there - all 230 of you at over fifty ballparks. That'll be a hell of a picket line. Did you notice the big unions jumping in to back you? Even they are laughing at the fools that put themselves into this position.

By the way, the guys from school who just signed on, if they go on strike, they can be fired. So, like I said, open your eyes before engaging your mouth. You are an embarassment to logical thinking.

"Hey, it's more important for those guys to feed their families, then it is for you." I rarely swear here, but you are a f-ing hypocrite! Most of us agree that MiLB umpires should make more, we all should for what we do. But if I turn back my schedule, someone else is going to take it and quickly. I won't be so presumptuous as to think that others should honor my commitment and stay away from them. What a bunch of crap!