[Cub42]

I have read many different views of the incident that took place between Mike Winters and Milton Bradley. The most important thing to remember in reading these accounts is this: They are 100% opinions, not based on the facts, or the majority of posters, bloggers, or media reps, speaking from having any experience in professional baseball in any capacity other than being a paying fan. Now, everyone is entitled to their opinion of the unfortunant result of the situation that occured. However, most of you who offer your insight on this site, many who have extensive experience umpiring at high levels of baseball, need to understand that those of us who work in professional baseball, as our main job, who travel and work in front of anywhere between 5000 to 10,000 people every night, and many games on live TV, have a better insight as to what is acceptable behavior, and what crosses the line into the area of unacceptable behavior. My point here is not to talk down to, or humiliate any umpires here who work at the HS level or strictly on an amature level of ball, but to open up your ideas of what game management skills it takes to handle situations on a very public stage.
From what we can take from the suspension of Mike Winters is that the League Officials felt he crossed the line into an area of unacceptable behavior. What we can also assume is that Player Bradley, who came completely unglued at a time when his team is in a crucial run for the playoffs, has a reputation that has been earned over time ofr unprofessional behavior, lack of respect for the game, his teammates, and for the umpires, and most importantly, the fans who pay his salary. To offer up a defense of " He baited me" is on the same level of schoolyard talk as " He started it". Not consistent with a Major League Veteran.
The bottom line here is that as umpires, always remember, someone is always watching you, and you must live up to your responsibilities.