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Originally Posted by WhatWuzThatBlue
Better pitchers mean it is easier to call strikes, not the opposite. Better fielding means you have to anticipate closer plays. The batters are all able to hit and want to swing the bat. A kid straight out of pro school is less proficient than a guy with ten years of college and high school varsity under his belt. Pro umpires don't work every night by the way, but I know many amateurs who do.
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Exactly right.
The arguement that the strike zones will be horribly inconsistent just doesn't wash. I would put my strike zone up against any umpire straight out of pro school. It seemed pretty damn good when I was calling pitches for Prior, Zito, Loiza, Silva, Harang, Mitre, and many other pro prospects. They could bring it and bend it just as good then as today, and I rarely heard any complaining about my zone.
Also, a banger is a banger at any level. If you have solid mechanics, positioning, judgement, timing, hustle, and game management skills, then filling in for A or AA guys shouldn't be that big of a problem.
I don't want the job, and personally would not cross the line, but to think there aren't capable replacements out here is foolish. There are many pro school and PBUC grads, as well as some just flat out good umpires out there that could do just fine, despite what some of these MiLB guys think.
But what do I know, I'm just a "Charlie."
