The AMLU's Birmingham Folly

[DIV2ump]

Originally Posted by BlueLawyer

4. $15,000 is PLENTY of money for 5 months of work. The fact that the umpires have experienced a net pay cut over the life of the contract with inflation (in particular, health care costs and gasoline) is irrelevant. Any adult can live on $20 a day eating out and maintain a non-Froemming-like physique.

Don't want to get into the middle of this fine lawyer talk but I understood from talking to some umps that MiLB has absorbed all of the health care premium increases and the gasoline charge is reimbursed at the IRS rate. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong. So MiLB would be paying those inflationary costs. Also, in some leagues (Double A maybe) the leagues provide and pay for vans.

Some current or former umps can elaborate but I've also heard that umps will often get special perqs like discounted or free golf and health club memberships because of minor league club's deals. I'm sure the IRS would consider this income, not that anyone in america would report it as such. And from what I understand the umps load up on the free hotel breakfast and get fed at the park, so often it's one meal a day and snacks that we're talking about with per diem.

Don't have the energy (or courtroom skills!) to tackle the other points. I'll leave that to the perry masons on the board.

[BlueLawyer]

Originally Posted by DIV2ump

Don't want to get into the middle of this fine lawyer talk but I understood from talking to some umps that MiLB has absorbed all of the health care premium increases and the gasoline charge is reimbursed at the IRS rate. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong. So MiLB would be paying those inflationary costs. Also, in some leagues (Double A maybe) the leagues provide and pay for vans.

Some current or former umps can elaborate but I've also heard that umps will often get special perqs like discounted or free golf and health club memberships because of minor league club's deals. I'm sure the IRS would consider this income, not that anyone in america would report it as such. And from what I understand the umps load up on the free hotel breakfast and get fed at the park, so often it's one meal a day and snacks that we're talking about with per diem.

Don't have the energy (or courtroom skills!) to tackle the other points. I'll leave that to the perry masons on the board.

What I have come to understand in my visits with my AMLU friends is that MiLB is seeking to raise the heath insurance deductible by $500 per year (from whatever it is now), effectively wiping out most of the proposed "raise." I could be wrong. I have been before. And when I'm talking about gas prices I'm talking about what they (or their significant others) pay to put in their personal vehicles- not that they get to drive them around during the season.

I'm sorry, but I just can't get there with you on the Hampton Inn breakfast bar or the dressing room fridge stocked with Snickers. $22 a day doesn't buy much in the way of healthy food in a restuarant in most markets. And forget it if you want to have (gasp!) a beer.

Strikes and outs!

[lawump]

Originally Posted by BlueLawyer

I'm sorry, but I just can't get there with you on the Hampton Inn breakfast bar or the dressing room fridge stocked with Snickers. $22 a day doesn't buy much in the way of healthy food in a restuarant in most markets. And forget it if you want to have (gasp!) a beer.

I know that there are a lot more hotels offering free breakfast today than 8 years ago...However, many of the hotels I stayed in during my first year in the game were mom and pop hotels (or the only hotel in town) that did not offer a free breakfast. Its ironic, but it is during the first year that an umpire could really use that free breakfast the most as his salary and per diem is at their lowest point for his entire career. (And yes I used the word "career")

As for free food at the ballpark? On the Single "A" level, that is not guaranteed. Far from it. When I did get a free meal, 95% of the time it was hot dogs and a drink. I got sick of damn hot dogs. (In fact, I still haven't eaten one in years). Props to Charleston, SC, though, who served us shrimp!!!

So what did we do? We slept through breakfast (admittedly not hard to do). Ate a cheap lunch (fast food) and then went out to eat at a chain-type place for supper (applebee's, etc.).

Not the healthiest lifestyle.

I found it ironic at the time that they (PBUC) were harping on our physical fitness (we were the first class after John McSherry's death, so there was a heightened awareness) but then gave us enough money to make eating healthy very difficult.

[bobbybanaduck]

if it is a minority horse i hope it's a US resident OR in the game already, cuz they won't being paying for it to get to work from overseas...

[WhatWuzThatBlue]

Admittedly, it is difficult to eat healthy on $22 a day. I lived on five dollar breakfasts and lunch at Hardees and McDonalds while coming up. Yeah, those hotdogs get tiresome - so do nachos and local sponsor fare. My partner drove that first year and he packed a cooler full of stuff for us. We would take the cracker packets, individual ketchup and mustards, salt and pepper shakers and whatever we could get our hands on at the park, friends' places or restaurants. We ate tons of cup o' noodles and figured out fifty ways to make mac n' cheese better. We grumbled and got by without getting fat.

That said, NO ONE FORCED US TO SIGN ON AND TAKE THE JOB! We knew going in that it would be tough. Hell, most of had just finished college and knew what it was like to live that way. I ironed my clothes on the floor of the locker room. I took plenty of cold showers, slept in the car and learned to say, "Shhh, you'll wake my partner." when in a flea bag somewhere. That is part of the deal. That first season is rough - the pressure is intense and the lifestyle lacking. Anyone who signs up for the next season and complains is just a joke. Did you think things would change going to the next level?

What's the adage - "Fool me once...

[briancurtin]

Originally Posted by WhatWuzThatBlue

We ate tons of cup o' noodles and figured out fifty ways to make mac n' cheese better.

nothing beats mixing one pack of 'easy mac' with one pack of 'ragu express' - its delectable.