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WWTB,
I don't support many of the things that AMLU did and said about amateur umpires working as replacements and I've told a couple of them how I felt. I did support thier belief, as I think you do, that they needed better pay and treatment for the job they do. With all of that said, I'd have to say your friend should have thought about the consequences before he took an MiLB game as a replacement.
The people I knew who worked those games did them for a few reasons 1) To see if they were good enough in their own mind to be a PRO umpire 2) Because either they or their assignor had an established relationship with the GM and they felt like it was just another assignment 3) I can't really put it into words but one guy had a reason about an umpire that had been released and treatly unfairly (still don't get all of the logic on this one). At any rate, none of them were looking to be professional umpires in the future.
Whether it's right or not, it's likely that most AMLU guys aren't going to want a replacement to join their ranks even if he goes through all of the legitimate steps to get to PRO ball. Since the instructors at schools have wide latitude over who they recommend/reject for PBUC, if they don't like a guy because he is a replacement, then that's they way it will go. I also think (based on the chronology I read into your post) it was suicide for him to go meet up with a couple of current umpires after he had recently been a replacement.
I do not question anyone's motives who served as a replacement. I was not asked to serve but would have declined and I have my reasons. All I have said is like anything else, choices have consequences. If you are prepared to live with those consequences, then how you choose is up to you ....
Lawrence
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