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Those who go to professional umpire school--I'm a graduate of one myself--know full well what they're getting into and what to expect if they choose to attend pro school for a chance to become a professional umpire. If they're fortunate enough to (a) desire to become a pro, and (b) are selected to PBUC and on to the minors, they do so willingly. No one is forcing them to take a job that pays so little and demands so much.
There is, of course, nothing wrong with striving to improve one's working conditions (pay, benefits, etc.), but to whine about it when one willingly accepted such conditions is disingenuous and stupid. The conditions of a Minor League Umpire are well-known. Among these conditions, one that they share with Major League Umpires, is a background check of some sort. At the Major League level, such checks should be more thorough and scrutinizing. MLB umpires should be watched more closely. Heck, many moons ago in umpire school current MLB umps and MLB officials visited us reminding us of how professional umpires, especially MLB ones, lived their lives in a fish bowl. Since that's the case, they should expect nothing less than intense scrutiny. After all, much is at stake at the level at which they work.
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