[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Publius

Without assigners, umpires with ability work as often as they want, at as high a level as they want, provided they are willing to pursue the games.

Even if that remains true under an assigner, it is of no particular benefit to those umpires. They're simply no worse off than they were before.

Lots of guys don't like having to "sell" their services because it's such a tough sale.

All the leagues here use umpire groups or associations, no freelance going on here. Unfortunately.