What is going to happen to MiLB now?
 

I think it is very apparent what Windy thinks is going to happen at this point in the game, but what do some of the rest of you think? I am not talking about should a person work or not, but how do you see the rest of the season playing out?

I think more ex-pro guys and DI guys will come out and work. Many I have talked to say that they have given the union a chance and the writing is on the wall. We all know that not all will work, but it seems like a large number will come out at or around Memorial Day weekend.

A few of the leagues have even asked some guys to consider traveling as crews.

Each umpire is going to have to make a personal decision and they might suffer the consequences for their actions. Of course there will be some umpires that come out, but I do not think that is going to hurt the union. First of all there has to be a system to train, evaluate and hopefully progress these umpires to the next level. If management and the union do not come to some agreement, then who are going to be the umpires that will years down the road replace the Major League Umpires? The issue is never been from my point of view the money or the specifics of the contract. The issue is there going to be a system that will encourage umpires to work for a realistic future in pro umpiring. I made more money working a single JUCO game then these guys get for working a 9 inning pro game. I do not see guys giving up the opportunity to work D1 to become a full time umpire. Also in many cases D1 umpires are older, make more money in their real jobs than they could umpiring a few games, so I do not see these guys as a whole crossing over and working MiLB ball. Now all of this is speculation and we will not see who won or lost until these issues is resolved either way.

Peace

It will hurt the union.

MiLB will simply fire all the current umpires, and start over.

What's the union going to do about it ?

They can either be part of the re-build, or not. MiLB won't care. They will end up with a system, no matter what.

I talked to a striking MiLB guy on Monday night. He is pretty sure they will all be fired in the next 6 weeks. MiLB will finish the season with scabs, and have a new system in place by next season.

If you don't think MiLB has been prepared for this, your not using your noodle.

Just because the MiLB is prepared, does not mean this is the best decision. If they fire everyone, who is going to replace trained umpires? There was a game where 3 fights in one game and no one was ejected. They are going to have to train umpires to what pro ball is about. I hope their plan is a good one.

Peace

I believed from the very beginning that the strike was doomed because:
(1) there was enough talent in the other umpire ranks to fill in for the MiLB umpires.
(2) as the strike continued the replacement umpires would become more able to fill in for the strikers.
(4) supply and demand was against the strikers. Why pay these 220 guys more money when there are hundreds of others waiting to take their place?
(5) no one outside of the union really cared that much about their cause.

Agree with the strikers or not the facts are the facts....MiLB/MLB will:
(1) survive just fine without the striking umpires
(2) probably restructure their entire umpire training/selection program possibly causing the demise of the current union.

Nick:

Unless the AMLU is decertified as a recognized union, by law the NLRB will not allow the members to be fired . Management can opt to no longer bargain with the AMLU, but they cannot fire anyone.


Tim.

Please don't write about things you clearly don't know much about.

The umpire's union is a recent occurence - MiLB and MLB did just fine for a long time without the union. If AMLU disappears, the PBUC system will still be in place and the umpires will still receive training and promotion. Candidates will still have to attend professional school and be evaluated before signing on. They just won't have to pay dues and be embarrassed by a joker at the helm.

My best guess is that the membership will become disheartened soon and start talking about forming a new alliance. If this hasn't happened already, ;), it will be the death of AMLU. Some of the old guard will retire or be pushed out. Others will try to regain their dream and get back out on the field. Some of the replacements will be encouraged to enter the system and others will be hired on as local support crew. MiLB will make some small concessions but not what the union has bargained for all along. In the end, there will be former AMLU guys out there doing the job and that is where they should have been all along.

Windbag, some of us actually talk to umpires that work Minor League Ball. When you get the balls to put your actual name behind your words, then talk to me then about what I know or do not know.

Peace

Tim,
The Minor League system will start over and all of the leagues from Rookie to AA will be turned over to Regional Assignors throughout the country. They will work with the League Presidents to provide umpires as independent contractors (similar to the assignments we get for college baseball).

The AMLU will eventually dissolve and the guys will come back individually, working games at all levels (except AAA) according to what's available around where you live. They will have to go through their regional assignor to get games but I'm sure they will get first crack at whatever they want since they are the most experienced/qualified to work those games. The big jump will probably be from A/AA to AAA, or when you go from being an independent contractor working within a certain geographical area to being a full time AAA umpire with an outside chance at working in the bigs.

As for AAA, I think that will be handled under the MLB umbrella since they are trying to develop them to eventually become big league umpires. All the current AAA umpires will be offered their jobs back, however, at MiLB terms, not AMLU terms. Most of them will probably take it since they are so close to the bigs - they'd be dumb not to come back.

This is just my opinion - I have no inside info but it seems like this is the most logical solution since MiLB just doesn't want to spend the money on umpring. Moreover, with the next five slots in the bigs are going to Hallion, Davidson, Hickox and then probably Barksdale, Guccione and/or Drake, there just isn't enough room for movement in the next 5 - 10 yrs.

Sal:

If the advancement potential is going to be limited to 5 years or more, do you think that MiLB will start cleaning house in one or two years to bring other umpires up to AAA?


Tim.

I don't know what's going to happen with that. There's still a possiblity that AAA will be handled by Regional Assignors just like the other leagues. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. I wonder how this will effect the umpiring schools - maybe MiLB will require that anyone who works MiLB must have attended one of the schools. I guess there just won't be that competition to see who gets a job since once you complete the course, you will have to try and get games as an independent contractor through the Regional Assignors. Again, this is all speculation - I'm just giving my opinion on how this whole thing will end up.

$90 or LIFE
 

PBUC will have to find umpires that want to work one 9 inning game for $70 a day, sleep in a lousy hotel, travel from ballpark to ballpark, eat crappy weiners, and miss HOME for 5 months a year with very little to do each day. It must be aweful boring working 3 hours a day so far away from anyone who means anything. I guess playing cards with the crew {until the penny and nickel pots wipes one out}, watching soap operas in a quaint hotel room, and getting toiletries or a refreshment at the local stop-n-shop fill up a LONG day of BORDEM.

That same umpire can find two 7 inning games at a local baseball league for $100 and minutes from HOME. Oh did I mention that he can work for a decent living each day, rather than driving across the state on 25 cents a mile and $20 a day. He can maintain a relationship with people who share the same household and establish a daily routine in a familiar setting. He can actually learn to enjoy his life, seek relationships, employment or education opportunities. Hell, spend a summer day on the lake fishing. It sure sounds a lot better than staring at the beautiful Appalachian Mountains all day.

SAUmp,

You hit is right on the nail. The current system just doesn't work anymore. The AMLU knows it and PBUC knows it. MiLB has been getting away with murder the last 10 years - basically having high quality officiating and paying next to nothing for it.

Now that it's time to annie up, they just don't feel that umpiring is worth any more of an investment. After all, why put more money into something that doesn't generate more revenue for the owners. Remember, MiLB is all about filling stadiums and the quality of umpiring really doesn't have anything to do with putting fans in the seats.

With that said, if the AMLU doesn't want to supply the umpires, then they will "outsource" the work. That's where the Regional Assignors come in - they will negotiate a game fee with the League Presidents just like the NCAA Umpire Supervisors negotiate with the indivual Conferences. The current MiLB umpires will now become individual contractors just like the rest of us. They can move back home and have real jobs and umpire as an advocation rather than a career.

MiLB will probably pay more money per game to individual contractors - perhaps $100 for A, $125 for AA and $150 per game at AAA but will save money in the end becuase they won't have "employee" costs, ie. insurance. In turn, umpires will get to have their own lives back and don't have to be away from family and eat cold hot dogs for six months of the year anymore. All in all, this will work out best for everyone involved.

Again, this is just my opinion - none of this is factual but rather just speculation.

Relax, its just a strike!
 

QUOTE=WhatWuzThatBlue "If AMLU disappears, the PBUC system will still be in place and the umpires will still receive training and promotion. Candidates will still have to attend professional school and be evaluated before signing on."

WOW, THIS MAY BE THE ONLY INTELLIGENT INSIGHT ON THE ISSUE YOU HAVE EVER HAD!
Let me address these issues, and specifically JUSTME's list:


Gentlemen, lets be honest with ourselves here:

First of all lets understand that the job the Scabs are doing now, is not the same job as the AMLU umpires do season after season. An AMLU umpire doesn't get to hide his identity, refuse the press, or have MiLB threatening doom and gloom to those players and managers who argue on the field or speak badly about the umpires off of it. An AMLU umpire doesn't get to work when it is convenient for him, in the same park night after night, in his home town where he gets to go home to his family at night. The AMLU umpire makes less money per game, and has to try to eat on $20-$25 per day. His job is in jeopardy every time he steps onto the field, because unlike the Scab umpire who can make glaring mistakes in rules applications, basic mechanics, or handling on field situations on a nightly basis without any fear of being released (because MiLB is going to and has said the scabs are doing fine regardless, not to mention if they boot the Scabs, who would work then?) An AMLU umpire is a professional who is held accountable for his mistakes and is personally responsible for not making such mistakes; if AMLU umpires made many of the same mistakes that are being made on Minor League fields this season with great frequency, they would be out of jobs (I'm not saying there aren't mistakes made by AMLU umpires, just that they are held accountable, the scabs aren't).

Acknowledging that fact, one would logically ask the question:

If the Scabs aren't able to hit the mark in the situation they are in now, a "kinder-care" version of the real job, what makes anyone think they would be able to do the job for real?

The simple fact is, there aren't 220 "other" guys out there right now who could step in and do the job as well as the AMLU umpires. There may be 220 guys who could be trained to reach that level, but that is a developmental process and one that would be impossible without significantly compromising the quality of umpiring overall in the Minor Leagues for many seasons to come. There aren't 220 Rookie and Short A slots open any season, and putting an umpire in over his head doesn't make him any better at it- just look at the scabs who are working now! They have been working all season and still aren't even close to being "up to the level of the game". While you may improve on what you are doing with experience, umpires do not learn what to do by just going out on a field night after night. The statement that "as the strike continued the replacement umpires would become more able to fill in for the strikers" is asinine at best and has clearly been proven wrong.

There also seems to be a misunderstanding as to the roles of PBUC and the AMLU. The AMLU is a union charged with representing the umpires as a group of workers. To make statements like "(MiLB will)...probably restructure their entire umpire training/selection program possibly causing the demise of the current union." makes no sense whatsoever. One doesn't really have anything to do with the other. PBUC is a MiLB program, not an AMLU one, and as such PBUC on MiLB's direction has set the standards for hiring, training, developing, and releasing Minor League umpires, not the AMLU. Why would MiLB scrap their own program which they created and continue to run? This argument implies that MiLB will simply say "let's lower our expectations of Minor League Umpires by scrapping PBUC and letting local High School and College guys to take over." That is not even a remote possibility, and a really ridiculous speculation at best.

For those of you who insist on entertaining the idea that the AMLU will be "broken", that is your uninformed opinion. But to think that this labor dispute will somehow result in a change in how Minor League Umpires are hired,trained, developed, and released, or what level they are expected to perform at is just plain ignorant and one would be a fool to try to convince others of this nonsense. (hint- the group of guys who suddenly think that at 45 years old, 15lbs overweight, and without umpire school training that they will be given "a shot" because of the strike are very very sadly not in touch with reality.)

Jiggy,
When it comes down to it, it's all about the almighty dollar. Umpires are an expense, not an investment to MiLB. Why should they dump any more money than they have to - afterall, they are not the ones that reap the benefits of umpire development.

I think they have made it pretty clear as to where umpires are on the priority list (MiLB said they have the money but don't want to spend it on umpiring). I think they crunched the numbers and figured out that they could cut down on expenses by busting the union and then rehiring them as independent contractors. They can also save money by getting rid of PBUC and letting MLB worry about ultimately developing umpires for the big leagues.

Will the quality of officiating suffer by "outsourcing" the umpiring in MiLB? Absolutely. But you know what... they probably don't care as long as they're saving money, not adversely effecting the game and ofcourse, not losing any fans in the seats.

...
 

I agree that there are dollars and sense at work here, I disagree that MiLB doesn't care at all about the quality of umpires they put on their fields long term. They care because the players care, the managers care, and most importantly the Farm Directors care. This is the very essence of the ambiguous relationship between MLB and MiLB. It could be argued that MiLB is holding out and allowing this circus of scabs not just to break the AMLU but also MLB, a sort of backdoor way to press the issue of funding from MLB for umpire development. (for all of you who will want to chime in and give a history of the UDP and MLB's funding of it, please don't. I am well aware, that's my point.) If MLB again began dumping money into umpire development, MiLB and more specifically PBUC and the AMLU wouldn't seem so far opposed.

They will not care until there is a play, a series or a playoff opportunity that is totally screwed up and it might in their mind cost someone a win of a series or a playoff spot. Now one of the issues here, on this site and other places on the internet is the only place this is even being talked about. The national media does not care about this issue right now either way. I have been saying for years that most people do not have an emotional attachment to baseball in the Minor Leagues. Unless you live in right next to a Minor League Park this might never be something you would even talk about or hear about with people face to face. I live about 20 minutes from a Minor League park and I cannot tell you anything concrete about the team but the fact that Dontrell Willis and Josh Beckett once played there. This is not like any other type of strike; no one knows most of the names or faces to this story. I think when people try to make this all gloom and doom, they are not being very realistic if you ask me.

Once again we will not know what happens until this situation is over. This can last all season and we still will not know. Just because some replacements are working (BTW many are paid more than the regular umpires and the same umpires are working all the games) does not mean the union is not going to get what they want in the end.

Peace

I didn't know that MLB was funding UDP. Did they stop when UDP became PBUC?? MLB is ultimately the one that benefits from umpire development so I think they should be the ones to kick in the "few extra dollars" it takes to keep the umpiring system going at the MiLB level. The problem is, according to one big league umpire who I spoke to regarding this, MLB is yet to realize the importance of umpire development - even at the big league level they are reluctant to fund the resources necessary to make more improvements

Wow, you took all that time to address just my issues......very flattering thank you:)

I'm not against the strike. I hope that the striking umpires get the deal that they want BUT, they aren't in a very good position. Like it or not that's the facts.

In the job market supply and demand dictates how much a position pays. Just like the supply and demand of gas dictates how much we pay for it. The MiLB umpires are not a big demand item, due to the fact that there are many umpires out there waiting to take their place. Plus the job that the MiLB umpires isn't that important in the overall scope of the country's needs (in fact not even MLB's needs it seems). Bottom line is low need equals low pay and when there are many people waiting for one position then the employers can get away with offering less money.

It might not be fair, while some believe that the MiLB umpires are deserving of more money, they are not to the people that matter. No matter what you and I think is fair the games will go on, with or without the striking umpires.

Some of us actually were assigned to Minor League Baseball. Lah me!

You'd be surprised who I talk to in the MiLB and PBUC offices. So far, everything I said would happen did. Thus far, the guys who said they knew more were proven wrong. Since last October I've weighed in with insight and experience.

You just made a major blunder regarding the demise of the union. MiLB umpires existed for many years without the union. AMLU was conceived to protect the rights of the umpire. How has that worked so far?

The WBC couldn't get the best umpires available - WUA members. They played the games, they counted and a champion was declared. The same will go for the Minor Leagues this season. In a few weeks, the season will be half over and the D1 guys will come in to shore up some weak spots.

By the way, you made another rookie mistake in a later post; umpires don't cost teams games. I can't recall a game that was won or lost because of an umpire's actions. Nine innings and hundreds of pitches account for the score. Umpires react to the action, not cause it.

Good for you. When the rest of us care, I will tell you.

I think you need to read what I actually wrote. I did not say umpires actually cost teams games. I did say that until the teams feel they cost them games there might not be much of a change. Remember Steinbrenner complained about a "rookie" umpire working a big game and making a call or two that cost his team a game. You also have Mark Cuban every other game complain the Mavs are hurt by calls in the NBA and he has been fined multiple times for complaining about the official. If you listen to a lot of the comments after the Super Bowl, many people feel the officials had a major impact on the outcome of the game. Now the reaction will not be so dramatic, but when the perception is that the umpires are making calls they should not whether this is true or untrue. I think I have been around the block enough to know how one call or one situation gets turned into a bigger deal by a team, coach, player and fans. I guess you do not read the paper or watch SportsCenter.

Peace

I think the quality of umpiring would improve over the current system

IMO, the Minor League Umpire union is not what I call a "true" union to begin with and frankly I do not understand why a Minor league Umpire would want to join such a Union.

Under the Current system, when an umpire makes it to Triple "A" they have maybe 2/3 yrs. tops to make it to the "show" If they don't they receive a letter in the mail that states "major league baseballl no longer requires your services".

Now what happens to these guys? For all their hard work and sacrifices they are told to go home. No Severance package No nothing. What kind of Union is that. If you want to know what a "true" union is look at the Teamsters who have been around a long time. You pay dues but you get something out of it.

Therefore, if the Minor League Umpires unions folds, perhpas you will see the Triple A guys who have been told to go home in the past re-surface and they will probably have a better chance to make it to the "show" under a new structure then they did under the old one.

Don't you think that there were Talented umpires who made it to triple A that were told to go home?

In Summary: IMO, The quality of umpiring should improve because the talented umpires in Triple A will who did not make it to the "Show" in the time alotted will now have a better chance by being independent contractors.

Therefore, I would not be surprised if these types of umpires are already working.

There's plenty of talent out there, they just need a chance. In addition, the MLB Umpire Union should hire some "old vets" ala Steve Palermo to be mentors for these young guys.

A new structure is needed.

Pete Booth

I remember being pulled aside by older umpires and told not to worry about UDP changing to PBUC. That it was only being done so that they could get rid of Ed Lawrence without being accused of (racially) discriminating. That the only thing this change would do is get rid of Ed and bring in Fitzy.

I think they were wrong about that being the "only thing".

Pete,
I think that's an interesting statement regarding an improvement in the umpiring if they go to independent contractors. As far as ex guys getting a shot in the bigs - I really don't see that happening. Here's why...

If you look at the numbers - three of the next five big league jobs are already accounted for (Davidson, Hallion and Hickox have slots #1, #3 & #5). I think Barksdale is a lock for the #2 spot and Gooch or Drake will probably get #5 slot.

So five current MLB umpires will have to retire for these five guys to move up. Let's just guess that Froemming, Brinkman, Young, West & Montague are the next to go. After that, Marsh, Cousins, Crawford, Reilly and maybe MCClelland are the only ones left that are near retirement. I think those 22 guys that came up in '99 really caused a back log and thus, there really won't be a need to replace many MLB umpires in the next 10 yrs.

I could be wrong but I'm just looking at it from a numbers standpoint.

[I][QUOTE=Sal Giaco]Pete,
I think that's an interesting statement regarding an improvement in the umpiring if they go to independent contractors. As far as ex guys getting a shot in the bigs - I really don't see that happening.

Sal my main point was that under a new structure ala independent contractors, Triple A Umpires who were told to go home in the past could still work Minor League games. You are probably right in that they have little if no chance to make it to the Bigs.

IMO , the major improvement would be in the fact that Triple "A" Umpires who did not make it to the "show" could still umpire professional baseball under a new structure. They wouldn't simply have to go home and try and find "other" work.

I guess we will have to wait and see.


Pete Booth

So Sal,
 

Have you heard anything such as the following:

MLB is structuring the MLB umpire system so that the process will automatically retire an umpire when he completes his 25th year of MLB service no matter what his age.

Regards,

No - I did not hear that

Tim,

I know this is true for most unions, but why then are AMLU memebers released every year?

Sounds something like what airline pilots have. There is a 'hard' max age limit (age 60). You are retired when you turn 60.

Jiggy, can you answer this?
 

Jiggy,

Ok, for get about the high school umpire, and the older ncaa guys that you classified as 15 lbs overweight. Could you work? Not would you work, but could you work? Are you still good enough? Are there more former pro guys than current ones that could work, not would, but could? Now lets consider the top level DI guys, the 100 or so regional guys and the evn larger number that are good enough just haven't broken through yet. Like someone pointed out, there are some weak spots, areas where either guys aren't working or there aren't guys good enough, but if it is the first, then could it be improved by a new system. Like Sal said, it is probably best for all to have a system where guys don't have to give up their life if the can work regionally until it is time to get a look for the bigs. Different yes, but maybe better?

I have no idea why the AMLU members would have allowed such a clause to be included in their contract unless they simply had no choice. I suppose we could compare it to similar union contracts that provide for mandatory early retirement, but that might be a stretch.


Tim.

It's more than D1 and ex-pros that are doing games. Lower level college guys and even high school umpires are currently working. A manager from Clearwater FL was quoted the other day as saying that he had not seen all that much difference between the replacement umpires and the striking guys. True, that isn't AAA but still.....

It doesn't look like the gate has been hurt by the strike. So................. what does MiLB have to gain by further talks?

I did spring traing MiLB game here in FL and asked a number of players from rookie to AAA what was the biggest difference thay saw. You may be surprised that the comment I heard most was that we were "more approachable". For the most part we were all older guys - more mature - but maybe more importantly, having a ball doing these games. No attitudes, no having anything to prove. I've heard from guys doing the FL State League that they hear the "approachable" thing there as well.

At this time MiLB baseball does not "need" the striking umpires. These young men need to be carefull. This could carry on for some time (a year or more) or the union could find itself with no authority. Trust me, there will always be umpires that will call ball in the minor leagues. Their skill will improve as they do more games. As they do more games, MiLB will be less inclined to do ANYTHING for the striking umpires.

Tim,
The Minor League system will start over and all of the leagues from Rookie to AA will be turned over to Regional Assignors throughout the country. They will work with the League Presidents to provide umpires as independent contractors (similar to the assignments we get for college baseball).

The AMLU will eventually dissolve and the guys will come back individually, working games at all levels (except AAA) according to what's available around where you live. They will have to go through their regional assignor to get games but I'm sure they will get first crack at whatever they want since they are the most experienced/qualified to work those games. The big jump will probably be from A/AA to AAA, or when you go from being an independent contractor working within a certain geographical area to being a full time AAA umpire with an outside chance at working in the bigs.
For what it's worth...oh, God, why I am responding to this...there is one problem about the regional assignors...

If you think the assignors will be college assignors, you are very, very wrong. I have been contacted to be one of these regional assignors, with my decade-plus experience. There seems to be this feeling that this is going to open the door to anyone and everyone. The big problem is, if I take this job in a league that I can't mention under penalty of death :), I will not hire people based on how well they kiss my ***. If you think it was hard to get into professional baseball before...haha...you better be very, very, very good to get any kind of schedule.

I would suggest if you'd like to work in this league...and suffice it to say it's above A ball, you might consider umpire school this winter. Also, if the union is broken, I have permission, should I take the job, to rehire those umpires, with exceptions based on attitude, as I see fit.

So, MiLB is looking to get these guys back, but, like you said, at their terms.

Good luck to all

I understand your argument. And the answer is YES there are guys out there that are qualified (ex pro guys for instance) and would be able to do the job (do understand that most of them have "moved on" with their lives and would not really want to come back).

The problem with assigning professional umpires in essentially the same way high school or college umpires are assigned is this: THE BEST UMPIRES AREN'T NECESSARILY THE ONES PUT ON THE FIELD. There is a huge problem nationwide pertaining to the "politics" of high school and college assigning (not to say there aren't "politics" in pro ball, just that the playing field is much more level for a guy who isn't "connected" to get in). Assignors at the high school and college levels are not necessarily those who have the most expertise either as an official or as an evaluator of umpiring talent. Decisions are made far more often based on "who you know" vs. "what you know" and guys who are qualified get left out every year while others who aren't get full schedules because of the friends they keep. There tends to be a significantly higher average age of umpires in high school and college ball due to that reason- the "inner circle" in whatever league or conference will never be forced to make way for younger qualified (sometimes more qualified) umpires. This is a problem in a system like the minor leagues, where umpires are supposed to be getting groomed for MLB (imagine a minor league system with an average starting age near 40- those aren't good MLB candidates- not to say older umpires aren't good umpires, just that how many years do you have left to be athletic in the minors? It takes usually 8-10 years to develop a minor league umpire into a major league one.Is it worth hiring a guy in MLB who is going to retire in 10 years? ).

There also is an issue of maintaining a minimum standard of quality of umpiring, meaning:

PBUC is a nationwide minor league-wide program with the purpose of making sure every minor league umpire has been taught the same thing, and performs the same way. This is very much not the case at the high school and college levels, as even basic mechanics and terminology vary greatly from league to league conference to conference assignor to assignor. You get people who have no business teaching others anything giving their opinion on mechanics, rules interpretation, etc and guys must pay attention because they won't get games otherwise.

As appealing as the idea of going to work minor league ball in the evenings and coming back home every night is, there are far too many reasons why it would not work very well (or would work but at the detriment of the quality of umpiring or at least consistency of umpiring from area to area).

The PBUC system isn't perfect, but its not all bad either, and it has been and still is a far better way to do things compared to high school and college baseball.

You are absolutely correct the PBUC system isn't all bad.

You and I and many others got to go through it, learn from it, and become better umpires for it. But life in a new system will go on, and not at the expense of throwing away an entire life, we both know true career minor league umpires that the system chewed up and spit out and after 20 years in, then out, are working games again, b/c that is what they know and what they have.

As for politics, there is politics in everything we do, and the game taught us both, that we could only control how hard we work and how well we do. The guys that are going to work in MLB are going to get there one way or another.

The road was great, but like you stated, how nice would it be to sleep in your own bed and hold your girl and see your kid after a night out with the boys, working at the yard.

Mr Approachable
 

I resemble that. I get the same comments doing JV ball. I'm approachable.
----------------------
"(hint- the group of guys who suddenly think that at 45 years old, 15lbs overweight, and without umpire school training that they will be given "a shot" because of the strike are very very sadly not in touch with reality.)"
----------------------
This ARGUMENT (US not being qualified) is about as DRY AS TOAST by NOW.
----------------------
I resemble that 15 lbs UP at a healthy 250. Add another 20 lbs loss and I may bottom at 215 (NAH). I keep passing UP on taking a SHOT because it isn't a very good one (LOW PAY). Let me find an OPENING for an assist.

Why don't YOU AMLU-types try to REFOCUS on REAL (T)ISSUES. I cannot think of a VALID REASON for you to consistently slam on HS, JV and LL UMPS. It must make you feel better to slam US and to get that off your chest. I hope you feel better at our expense. You're either too damn scared to focus on yourself and your own problems, or to damn stupid to contribute to anything like a valid opinion or solution. I hope this advice helps you straighten out some of your personal feelings.
----------------------

Where have you been kept?
 

You paint with a BROAD brush.
-------------
There also is an issue of maintaining a minimum standard of quality of umpiring, meaning:

The good umpires want more money. Every league/level faces this problem and does the best with what they have.
-------------
PBUC is a nationwide minor league-wide program with the purpose of making sure every minor league umpire has been taught the same thing, and performs the same way.

Most good umpires go through PRO-level training programs and pay $$$ for the opportunity to do it. Every league/level faces this problem and does the best with what they have.
-------------
This is very much not the case at the high school and college levels, as even basic mechanics and terminology vary greatly from league to league conference to conference assignor to assignor.

That is a stretch. We all start with the basics and only get BETTER. I suppose it wouldn't hurt if the top dogs meet every so often to iron out those differences. Oh, they DO!
-------------
You get people who have no business teaching others anything giving their opinion on mechanics, rules interpretation, etc and guys must pay attention because they won't get games otherwise.

BIGUMP56 felt the same way about a BABE RUTH clinic. Every league/level faces this problem and does the best with what they have.
-------------
As appealing as the idea of going to work minor league ball in the evenings and coming back home every night is, there are far too many reasons why it would not work very well (or would work but at the detriment of the quality of umpiring or at least consistency of umpiring from area to area).

Chain gangs are very productive, but experience has a PRICE. Every league/level faces this problem and does the best with what they have.
-------------
The PBUC system isn't perfect, but its not all bad either, and it has been and still is a far better way to do things compared to high school and college baseball.

You must not read very WELL. Don't you read the threads.
Headline NEWS: MLB UMP KICKS ANOTHER CALL, PRO UMP reacts like a DUCK out of water.
Things are better now than 20 years ago. That doesn't mean things are so great.
Every league/level faces this problem and does the best with what they have.