[D-Man]

A group of fellow umpires, selected as superior in their respective umpire training academies, are sacrificing their liveihood to make things better for them and future umpires. Seems respectable to me, maybe downright virtuous, certainly selfless.

Credit those crossing the line, as well, as they are, voluntarily, putting themselves into potentially volatile situations, not only because they are crossing a picket line but the ball they are going to face is like nothing most of them have ever seen and the players and mangers will get impatient with this skill set difference sooner than later.

Let me present the situation in a different light. Once the smoke clears from this labor dispute, we'll all have to work together. Those that crossed will be assigned games with those that chose not to. Are you, as a hard line union guy going to trust that guy who you felt just "scabbed" half a dozen games in Altoona last month will have your back in a S%&thouse. Are you who crossed the line going to leave your "sympathizer" partner to hang on an extra inning whacker that you thought he may have missed?

Listen to the rhetoric. There will be lasting tensions long after this gets settled. Y'all gonna be brothers again or are you taking the Hatfield vs. McCoy route? You wear the blue, you have my respect. Anyone who straps on the pads and hears "both ways ump" can rest assured I have his or her back. I'm not getting the impression many of you feel the same.

Here's to this getting settled and everyone going back to work where they earned their spot.

D-MAN