A different perspective...
 

A group of fellow umpires, selected as superior in their respective umpire training academies, are sacrificing their liveihood to make things better for them and future umpires. Seems respectable to me, maybe downright virtuous, certainly selfless.

Credit those crossing the line, as well, as they are, voluntarily, putting themselves into potentially volatile situations, not only because they are crossing a picket line but the ball they are going to face is like nothing most of them have ever seen and the players and mangers will get impatient with this skill set difference sooner than later.

Let me present the situation in a different light. Once the smoke clears from this labor dispute, we'll all have to work together. Those that crossed will be assigned games with those that chose not to. Are you, as a hard line union guy going to trust that guy who you felt just "scabbed" half a dozen games in Altoona last month will have your back in a S%&thouse. Are you who crossed the line going to leave your "sympathizer" partner to hang on an extra inning whacker that you thought he may have missed?

Listen to the rhetoric. There will be lasting tensions long after this gets settled. Y'all gonna be brothers again or are you taking the Hatfield vs. McCoy route? You wear the blue, you have my respect. Anyone who straps on the pads and hears "both ways ump" can rest assured I have his or her back. I'm not getting the impression many of you feel the same.

Here's to this getting settled and everyone going back to work where they earned their spot.

D-MAN

D-Man:

The last sentence in your post says it all for me. It's my opinion that the umpires who crossed that line didn't earn a darn thing. They're taking advantage of a situation that really shouldn't be there for them to take advantage of.


Tim.

i can't believe that new threads keep getting started on this, but somebody has to work the games. I'm don't hold nearly enough experience, skills, or umpiring expertise to work a AAA game. But if i get a call, i have no reasons to not go.

I agree that most of these umps haven't earned there spot in the minors. But could this be their time? Any good d-1 umpire should be able to do minor league ball. The best thing for the sport would be for the best of the guys filling in to stay alongside the best of the umpires on strike.

That being said, let's stop making new threads already....maybe once an agreement is reached, you can start one that says "last new thread on the strike!"

Back up, buddy. Just as I can't tell you if you should work or not, don't tell me what I can or can't post. I gave you an "on the fence" interpretation and the concerns those on either side of the fence may have when we all go back to work in our local fields.

Hey stop starting new threads on the balk rule while your at it, too. They bore me.

D

Is this how you felt about the 25 guys in 1999? Or did you think that because they were in AAA they had (mostly) earned their promotions?

Serious question BTW, not being a smartass.

No, they don't. That's the whole point of a strike, to put pressure on the company your striking against, so they will be willing to bargain, by removing a critical service point, and causing them to loose revenue or market share.

I am not a union sympathizer or union member, but I do believe certain industries do still need unions, because the companies are operating in a 1930 mindset. And from what I have read, I personally feel MiLB umpires deserve a better system to work in.

I will never say anything to the members of my association who crossed, nor will I treat them any differently. Although, my respect level for them has diminished. Especially the hypocrites who are union members. Don't forget, they crossed a union picket line. That is the backbone of union brotherhood, being stabbed in the back. How about if their union went on strike, and the MiLB umpires stepped in during the off-season and did their jobs ? I bet they would see it in a whole different light.

I had the opportunity to talk with an MiLB umpire last week. Since he is not working, he was home, and decided to watch some of the local HS games. Young kid, very respectful, bright, lives for baseball. This would be his second year, if he was working. He knows many of the umpires in our association, and has seen them working the local Minor League games on TV. I told him that I did not agree with them crossing the line. I also told him that I had not been approached, nor did I expect to be approached, but if I were, I would turn it down. His face lit up, he shook my hand and said, that no matter how this thing turns out, he really appreciates my support. That felt better than I imagine working a minor league game as a scab ever would.

Like you, I hear a lot of talk on this site about this, but I don't hear enough talk about supporting our brother umpires, union or not. So in my eyes, WE are killing them off, not MLB !

Please remember to think about the concessions workers, ticket takers, and all the other people making "peanuts" working at minor league games. For them, the games have to go on as well.

Here are a couple of other issues...
 

Rich,

Your compassion is well placed. And I am sure those people deserve it. But MLB doesn't give a crap about them either. They are just another necessary evil to keep fans in the stands happy.

Lets look at it this way;

Historically, if XYZ manufacturing company was faced with a striking workforce, who fills in for the striking workers ? Different workers ? No, MANAGEMENT ! I know, I've been there. Still am. If any one of the several labor groups were to strike at the company I work for, all non-union Salaried employees have to fill in. I would love to see the MLB brass don some gear and fill in ! This strike would be over in about a week ! Unfortunately, these days, in many industries, it is too easy to get replacement workers who are willing to do the job for less compensation.

The umpires can't base their decision to strike on whether it will effect the other labor groups involved. If unions did that, there would never be any strikes, and there would never be any improvement.

Another issue that hasn't come up yet...How is it going to be handled if one of the Replacements gets seriously injured. If they can't work, their full time employers are under no obligation to hold their position for them until they return. They could find themselves in a real bad position, since their personal health insurance is also not required to cover their work related injury. If they are not covered by an MiLB Workers Health / Compensation policy, they could also find themselves paying for their own medical bills. I bet nobody has been thinking about that.

Strikes are a terrible thing, both sides suffer irreparable damage. Lets hope this thing can end fairly, and quickly.