[WhatWuzThatBlue]

And again Sal, how does every man for themself help amateur umpires?
I'm not Sal, but I'll ask you this...how does it hurt? Some amateur umpires are challenging themselves by accepting those replacement assignments. That is a good thing, as their skills will have to become finer. In most cases, amateur baseball is 'every man for himself'.

The AMLU issued a statement...but I think it is obvious that that doesn't mean everyone signed off on that statement.

Oh, come on... I received a half dozen pleas from individual AMLU members and was sent copies from friends of others. While I have long said that the union doesn't speak for everyone, many of them have the opportunity to dissent and not act like lemmings. This membership was almost completely on the same page in January and February. When the last minutes offers failed, a few started to sweat. Now, many others are seeing a sinking ship and trying to save some face.

Some of these guys have no ability to do anything else because they don't know how to do anything else.

What? These guys are typically under thirty and have had just a few years of professional ball under their belts. How can you possibly say that they can't do anything else. What do they do when they are released or choose to end the dream? Pack groceries, push a lawn mower, paint a wall, go to school and get a degree and act like an adult.

I think amateurs should still not work as replacements because there are fewer spots in pro ball every day than there are in every other kind of baseball in America on a daily basis.

This is not about amateurs assisting in the attainment of the dream. This is about guys abandoning that dream because they want more respect and money. Those games will still be played and the best available amateurs are seeing that they are handled to the best of their abilities. No one ever promised those pro school graduates a shot at the brass ring.

It is in everyones best interest to get those AMLU guys back to work.

No it is not...it is in the best interest of Andy and his brass to get them back out there. The replacements are losing nothing by filling in. The AMLU gang is taking the plums from the amateurs who are not working in their stead.

Then everyone can go back to working on their own goals and their own advancement.

That would be nice, but MiLB doesn't see it that way. They haven't brought a new offer to the table yet and the teams are getting ready to send their All Stars to the mid season showcase.

Like I said before, we need to stop pointing fingers at eachother. Everyone sit back and take notice that baseball doesn't care about the AMLU guys or the amateur guys.

Kindly separate the two...MiLB seems to be taking care of the replacements pretty well. They don't have any influence on local assoaciation management, so the comparison is futile.

They care about one entity, and one entity only...themselves. They are licking their chops at the thought of the common folk fighting with each other. In fact, they are banking on it.

That sounds like good business practice. Worry about the things you can control and forget about those you can't. The bottom line is the profit line and that is what all good business people know. Signing a contract for low wages is a poor business decision if your goal is to live comfortably.

And if only a few AMLU guys are working those playoff games, call them out individually. One thing is for sure, if they all agreed to work playoff games there would be a lot more of them working. So give most of those guys a little credit Sal.

Again, not every amateur is working as a replacement. If you insist on subjecting an entire group to ridicule and threats (yes, we recall those being tossed our way in March), then you have to accept that the same brush will be used to paint the AMLU gang.

Most of them have stayed true to their word. Just as you remain true to yours. I personally can't wait to see this thing get settled because I know a few guys very well and I care about them and their families. They are suffering in this more than anyone. More than someone who didn't recieve a playoff game and more than someone that has crossed a line. They are the ones that have to try to make ends meet any way possible because baseball doesn't care that a gallon of milk and a tank of gas costs more today than in 2000.

Please read what you wrote; no one forced those guys to sign a contract and no one forced them to go on strike. If they can't make ends meet, they can always ask to be released from their membership in the union and go another way. Further, a guy works his tail off all Spring - fifty games in the cold and rain - now it is time for him to get his due and an AMLU guy strolls in and takes the plum. You say that it is unimportant, but to many amateur umpires, those playoffs are their brass rings.

Seriously, lets try to look at both sides before casting stones. It sucks for every umpire out there right now. I would venture to say that even the replacements have a greater appreciation for the life style after working these games. A couple guys I know that are making $100/game are now talking to each other saying that they are underpaid for what they are doing.

I know of a couple that said that they work harder on a D1 game. A student of mine emailed me that he can't believe that he is getting paid to do this job. He gets to see some great ball and visit some cool parks.

See what I mean? Baseball is laughing at every umpire in america right now.

No, they are laughing at those who went on strike and are missing a nice season and throwing away their dreams.

Sal, you did what you believed was morally acceptable. If you are as talented as you say you are, then you did a disservice to every ball player, skipper and fan that may have enjoyed watching you work. I did not work games as a replacement either. But I know that if I gave my best effort to those people, I would have no problem sleeping at night. The game is bigger than any one participant.