Scab Umpires

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Yesterday was a dark day in Toledo Mud Hens baseball. The Mud Hens opened defense of their 2005 International League Championship yesterday evening losing at home to the Charlotte Knights, 1-0. But that is not what made it a dark day. It was dark because scab umpires officiated the game. The umpires names were not announced or shown in the box score, but an article in today The (Toledo) Blade stated that the umpires were amatuer umpires hired by the IL. The scabs should be ashamed of themselves.

MTD, Sr.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who throws the word SCAB around is just trying to be inflammatory.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who throws the word SCAB around is just trying to be inflammatory.

You might be right, but like it or not that is the terminology that is being used. I know for a fact that is the terminology that many Minor League Umpires are currently using.

Peace

[big]

If the rest of the country is getting the quality of umpiring that the Texas League is getting the AMLU is in trouble! I haven't heard much out of the Western (Southern) Division but the Eastern (Northern) Division is doing just fine. I also hear that the Oklahoma Redhawks (AAA) are getting some really great D1 umps too.

[WhatWuzThatBlue]

Originally Posted by big

If the rest of the country is getting the quality of umpiring that the Texas League is getting the AMLU is in trouble! I haven't heard much out of the Western (Southern) Division but the Eastern (Northern) Division is doing just fine. I also hear that the Oklahoma Redhawks (AAA) are getting some really great D1 umps too.

That simply can' be true...I mean, two months ago when I suggested that this would happen, the AMLU guys said that I was crazy. It seems that water does seek its' level. Most D1 umpires live for the challenge of the best athletes performing in front of them. This is not as difficult a transition as some would imply. The proof is in the press clippings.

[JRutledge]

Of course everything is going OK, the season only started last night. What is going to happen when all these D1 guys are not available and the guy that cannot get a varsity game has to work their games? Then come to me and tell me how great everything is. It is too early to think anything has happened.

Peace

[GerryB]

I'm I college umpire, and no I'm not working minor league games. And I sympathize completely with the MiLB umpires plight.

I've been involved in two umpire strikes, one in high school (before I was college) that essentially ended my doing extensive HS ball and a three year strike against high-level college summer ball, during which time I worked no summer ball, period.

Characteristic to both were that they were able to find replacements. Quality varied but management put on happy face releases, gagged the field personnel and tolerated the goings on. Casual fans think we're all bad anyway.

Both strikes ended when the field people had had enough and complained. But that takes a long time. Sadly, I see a generation of MiLB guys lost.

Assuming this goes on for a while, Major LB has a vested interest here since their system of developing umpires is in jeopardy. Remember the current system was put in place to change the local guys doing games-getting promoted-political system that existed prior to the 60s. I'm not looking to start a college guy can-do-it-as-well debate. I'm saying that simply promoting a local guy doing AAA to a bigs schedule is an adjustment. If they start to do that how will the entire MLB system adjust?

[JIGGY]

Contrary to popular belief, time is on the side of the AMLU. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you're not gonna fool anyone at some point!

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/...325/1007/RSS02

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pb...91/1003/SPORTS

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Tim C

pdx is at the AAA level and NO D1 guy is working.

Just informational post.

Thank you for the informations.

Peace

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Tim C

pdx is at the AAA level and NO D1 guy is working.

Just informational post.

Tim, I wonder if you can provide some more information. Are you saying:

A. You know all of the umpires working PDX, and none of them (so far?) is a D1 umpire.
B. You know all of the D1 umpires in Portland, and none of them is working PDX.
C. You know all of the D1 umpires in Oregon, and none of them is working PDX.
D. You know all of the D1 umpires in the Pacific Northwest, and none of them is working PDX.
E. You know all of the D1 umpires in the world, and none of them is working PDX.

I'm really not trying to bust your balls (well, maybe a little ). I'm interested to see how far MiLB will go to get qualified umpires up there: will they fly in D1 umpires from CA, for example? From TX? From WI?

They might regard the expense of that as an investment in breaking the union, and as a preliminary to introducing a new system of umpiring. On the other hand, if they do not do that, then that would be good news for the union, I think: they're not willing to invest in breaking the union, and they plan to get the pro umpires back on the field ASAP.

I would think that this info would be valuable to observers and participants alike.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Tim C

I know the names of "qualified" umpires that have allowed their names to be placed on the list.

[snip]

This post is informational only and should not be construed to have any value other than that.

Regards,

Thanks, Tee.

[Ump2323]

Come on people lets get real.... Did we really think that Minor League Baseball was going to cancel the season. I mean come on, the only Diff. between a Minor league Ump. and the umps that are now scabs is.... well nothing. I guess u can argue that the minor league umps know section 3/a 103 of the rule book better than the scabs, but the fans dont care, nor does minor league baseball. That is a developmental league.

[WhatWuzThatBlue]

I've read some beautys from his fingertips, but this one is right at the top.

The AMLU boys are calling them 'scabs'. Wow! The MiLB administration and most news reporters are calling them 'replacements'. They are replacing the boys that are getting fired for job abandonment. 'Scabs' implies that they are filling in temporarily until the AMLU boys get their rightful jobs back. PBUC already said that ain't so.

Do you want to know what some rednecks refer to African Americans as? That's about as stupid as the statement you made. Of course those boys will besmirch the good name of the replacements and use hateful terms. They are now on the outside looking in and like asking a scorned wife what she thinks of her ex-husband, you get only one side of the issue.

In reference to how they replacements are performing, even the skipper of the losing team acknowledged that the plays were tough to call and any umpire would be put to a test. I've seen dozens of calls by MLB umpires that were incorrect when reviewed by videotape. I guess those AMLU guys forgot about the League Championship and World Series calls. According to their way of thinking, the guys making those calls are light years ahead of them because of their training and commitment. Hmmmm...maybe we should use replay if the best can't get them right either.

The idea that those working as replacements will be jeopardizing their amateur careers is ridiculous. If a local assignor chooses to blacklist an umpire good enough to work as a replacement, then he deserves to make those 11pm calls begging for fill ins for his contests. If you don't want to work them don't; that other guy may really need to work them for the money and you are going to judge him?

Finally, this thread was started by a union member and sympathizer. Enough said...

[MichaelVA2000]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser
As far as I'm concerned, anyone who throws the word SCAB around is just trying to be inflammatory.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You might be right, but like it or not that is the terminology that is being used. I know for a fact that is the terminology that many Minor League Umpires are currently using.

Peace

Peace,

Kinda like the correct terminology for the striking umpires is "unemployed" being used by many of the club owners.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who throws the word SCAB around is just trying to be inflammatory.

Rich:

I was not being inflammatory. But that is just what the "replacement" umpires are: scabs.

MTD, Sr.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Rich:

I was not being inflammatory. But that is just what the "replacement" umpires are: scabs.

MTD, Sr.

They are scabs just as much as the AMLU members are apprentice umpires.