Bad Form, MiLB umpires should have more Class

[MrB]

I think that your assessment is a very good one. Anyone that works, no matter how good they are, needs to realize that they are just going to work until this gets settled one way or the other, but big league dreams? probably not!

[kraine27]

Originally Posted by JIGGY

Have you asked your assignor why he would chose a guy with professional experience and training over one who states "(I)...am very happy to be where I am." and "...I have not attended umpire school, nor do I desire to attend." ? What did you do to "earn" your college games that an ex- MiLB umpire hasn't?

First of all, don't assume that because I am happy to stay at my current level that I don't constantly strive to get better.

Second, the assignor (who has never been to umpire school himself) operates on the assumption that because a guy has gone through umpire school, regardless of if he is hired in the minors or not, he is a better umpire than the next guy. With that being said, I do respect a guy who has taken the oppertunity to make himself better buy spending the money and attending pro school. But, I don't think that attandance places that guy above the rest of us.

Third, I have worked my way into college ball through hard work and my reputation. I have worked several years of non-conference games and put in my time to get in. This particular guy has not "earned his stripes" in the college level. Much the same as you are stating that I wouldn't qualify to work a minor league game (not that I'm would or would have the oppertunity, I'm just using that as an example).

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Thatballzlow

Yes, Mr. Yeast did work in Indianapolis, in fact, there is a photo on the AMLU website. He crossed the picket line in the MLB strike years ago, so it really shouldn't be a surprise that he did it here. I won't criticize him. He has experienced crossing before, so he knows what he's getting into. The bad part is he isn't a bad umpire at all, but he has no friends in professional baseball. Now, is he crying about that...probably not.

I've gotten mixed signals from my contacts in and out of pro ball in the past few days about college associations. The ECAC supervisor has told his guys that this may be their opportunity to get to the major leagues. The only fear I have in that rationale is that the guys who are in charge of supervising MLB umpires, i.e., the guys who hire you to work in MLB are all the old union guys from the Richie Phillips era...Richie Garcia, Frank Pulli, Palermo, Rieker...so tell me do you think this may be the shot at the big leagues? I've heard these guys talk in the past, and they're STILL loyal to Phillips, even though he cost them their jobs.

Thoughts?

Yes. I do not think that these "replacement" umpires believe for one minute that they have a chance in hell of ever seeing the Show. That sounds like somebody blowing smoke up their rear ends.

As far as the people who are crossing the picket lines, here it is:

These games are going to be played, and umpires are going to work them. The only people using harsh rhetoric like the word 'scab' are the union backers. The majority of the people in the U.S. are non-union people. Many of them are extremely anti-union as well. They see nothing wrong with crossing an imaginery line made up by people with strong beliefs of the opposite kind.

Guys like BigUmp56 (who, God bless him, is admittedly my buddy) and JIGGY are die-hard union folks, who see the replacements as 'scabs.' The rest of the world does not see it exactly the same way.

[kraine27]

If a guy is a vacation fill-in umpire in the minor leagues is he still a "Scab" if he works the games during a "strike"?

[JIGGY]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Yes. I do not think that these "replacement" umpires believe for one minute that they have a chance in hell of ever seeing the Show. That sounds like somebody blowing smoke up their rear ends.

As far as the people who are crossing the picket lines, here it is:

These games are going to be played, and umpires are going to work them. The only people using harsh rhetoric like the word 'scab' are the union backers. The majority of the people in the U.S. are non-union people. Many of them are extremely anti-union as well. They see nothing wrong with crossing an imaginery line made up by people with strong beliefs of the opposite kind.

Guys like BigUmp56 (who, God bless him, is admittedly my buddy) and JIGGY are die-hard union folks, who see the replacements as 'scabs.' The rest of the world does not see it exactly the same way.

I am not and never have been a "union" person. I have never belonged to a union. I simply don't understand why some people would get involved in a situation that has nothing to do with them and which they stand to gain nothing in the end.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by JIGGY

I am not and never have been a "union" person. I have never belonged to a union. I simply don't understand why some people would get involved in a situation that has nothing to do with them and which they stand to gain nothing in the end.

Yet you call the replacements "scabs," and can't seem to get through a sentence without using the word. That is perhaps why I mistook you for a union person. Usually, that word is reserved for use by people involved in situations that have something to do with them, so I thought you were one of those people.

Regardless of whether or not you belong to a union, you are definitely pro-union based upon your remarks.

[socalblue1]

Originally Posted by kraine27

If a guy is a vacation fill-in umpire in the minor leagues is he still a "Scab" if he works the games during a "strike"?

Kraine27, very good question. The answer is no - AMLU has agreed with MLB that the AAA umpires currently assigned as MLB fill-in's may work as requested.

Neither AMLU nor MLB sees any sense in holding back the few umpires with a realistic opportunity to gain a full time job this year or next.

[kraine27]

What if a guy is a vacation fill-in for the minor league umpires? In other words, this buddy of mine went to umpire school, didn't get offered a job but gets called every summer to work AA for a vactioning umpire. Is this guy considered a "Scab" if he works the games?

[WhatWuzThatBlue]

Correct me if I'm mistaken, but aren't some games being worked by the nw graduates of the two professional schools? Since the strike was imminent, the PBUC boys knew that they could grab a few guys here and have no issue.

Remember, by their own admission, you have to earn the right to work those games thorugh completion of pro school and to be asked by PBUC to continue. Do you still call those guys 'scabs'?

[JIGGY]

Originally Posted by WhatWuzThatBlue

Correct me if I'm mistaken, but aren't some games being worked by the nw graduates of the two professional schools? Since the strike was imminent, the PBUC boys knew that they could grab a few guys here and have no issue.

Remember, by their own admission, you have to earn the right to work those games thorugh completion of pro school and to be asked by PBUC to continue. Do you still call those guys 'scabs'?

Fact Vs. Fiction

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NONE and I repeat NONE of the 2006 PBUC grads are working as Scabs!

There are a couple of guys who went to umpire school and washed out (literally did not attend enough classes to graduate and got certificates of "participation" instead) who have chosen to Scab.

WhatWuz again decided to spread misinformation regarding these facts, hope this clears things up.

[WhatWuzThatBlue]

In the game of credibility, your mistakes and missteps have caused many to wonder. I cite two pro school instructors and the PBUC guru's gang as my evidence. You are still holding a pair of twos and want to go all in. Your bluff has been called and you have lost the pot...again.

('Evergreen' in the background)

You writing that no D1 officials would work as replacements - wrong on so many fields, it isn't even funny.

You writing that the calamity caused by Litle League umpires would cause the league to beg the AMLU guys to come back - two weeks, less ejections and the same controversy that the regulars had.

Your insistence that these guys survive on an $8-$15,000 a year salary - their press releases told that they are prepared to whether a long strike since all of them make more at their other jobs.

You writing that the AMLU boys aren't apprentices - even the league considers them students!

You wrote that there was no way the league would support the replacements - the league issued a terse warning about behavior and said that fines will be levied against anyone who acts reklessly.

What did happen to the recent graduates? Oh, I forgot...you also wrote that former MiLB umpires wouldn't cross the picket line. I seem to have seen otherwise. It's okay, take an aspirin and the pain will go away for a little while.

[JIGGY]

Originally Posted by WhatWuzThatBlue

In the game of credibility, your mistakes and missteps have caused many to wonder. I cite two pro school instructors and the PBUC guru's gang as my evidence. You are still holding a pair of twos and want to go all in. Your bluff has been called and you have lost the pot...again.

('Evergreen' in the background)

You writing that no D1 officials would work as replacements - wrong on so many fields, it isn't even funny.

You writing that the calamity caused by Litle League umpires would cause the league to beg the AMLU guys to come back - two weeks, less ejections and the same controversy that the regulars had.

Your insistence that these guys survive on an $8-$15,000 a year salary - their press releases told that they are prepared to whether a long strike since all of them make more at their other jobs.

You writing that the AMLU boys aren't apprentices - even the league considers them students!

You wrote that there was no way the league would support the replacements - the league issued a terse warning about behavior and said that fines will be levied against anyone who acts reklessly.

What did happen to the recent graduates? Oh, I forgot...you also wrote that former MiLB umpires wouldn't cross the picket line. I seem to have seen otherwise. It's okay, take an aspirin and the pain will go away for a little while.

Don't know who you are talking to. I hope it isn't me as I said none of those things. If you are truely siting AMLU umpires and PBUC staff, then site specifically who you are talking about and what specifically they have said on the issue. Fitz has wisely kept his mouth shut on this issue, so who is it you are talking about? I think you are just talking, trying to make people believe you are in some way important and a privy to "inside" information. You aren't in the game now, and unless you site who it is that you say is giving you information I am saying (having first hand information on the situation) that you are full of $h!T.

[Peruvian]

Originally Posted by JIGGY

I think the message may have been communicated in slightly different ways from league to league, but overall it is the same general message: "Don't get into arguments on the field, and don't comment on the umpires off of it."

I don't know how it is across the rest of the country, but at the few SL games I've attended, there seems to be all the normal jabbering that you'd see with the regular guys. The same disputed calls, pitches, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary, it seems. I would agree, however, as some have already stated, that the honeymoon for these guys is about over and it will be ON shortly.

[DG]

I saw a AAA game today, 6-0 final. The game was well offiiciated. Umpires worked 3 man rotation very well. No arguments whatsoever.

[socalblue1]

Originally Posted by kraine27

What if a guy is a vacation fill-in for the minor league umpires? In other words, this buddy of mine went to umpire school, didn't get offered a job but gets called every summer to work AA for a vactioning umpire. Is this guy considered a "Scab" if he works the games?

Not at all. I work as a fill-in for CAL when an umpire is injured, ill, or on leave.

The difference is that NO PICKET LINE IS CROSSED.