Sooooooo....today was the first day...

[BenedictArnold]

Looks like I struck a nerve here...whats the matter SCUMP? To answer your questions, those AMLU guys probably worked the indy leagues to stay sharp. But I guess you are wondering why they left the indy leagues when the strike was over. According to your argument, it should be another way to the Majors. Get a clue. Weaver was a bonus baby that played there until he signed a contract. I'm sure his talent was hidden until he emerged into a big league player in the indy leagues. Ricky Henderson is absolutely a side show. Canseco is also a side show. What else you got? Here is a news flash...just like the professional baseball players don't consider indy players equal, they don't throw it in their face. But when one of them pops off and tries to say that they belong in AA, AAA or MLB, I promise you they put them in their place. COnsider this your umpiring education. I guess you didn't get the memo at umpire school. The school will select you for the minor league evaluation course "IF YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH." If not, then they try to place you in indy leagues to help you get better, BECOME GOOD ENOUGH, and go back to umpire school.

As for the umpires for the Atlantic league, their supervisor has one tie to minor league baseball. When someone gets selected from school and attends the eval course, they MIGHT get a phone call from the MiLB supervisors to see how his time there went. That is all. Brent Rice was a great umpire that got released way too soon. Depending on his personal situation, he should go back through. Maybe that is why he is where he is. Speaking of Brent, why don't you ask him his opinion of indy leagues. I believe Brent is an instructor down at Wendelstadt. I would guess that he recognizes the difference between the two and would not try to hide that indy leagues are not minor league baseball. A final note on Brent, I hear he is a great instructor. My friends say that he got in the game when he was very young. He was in AA by the time he was 21. That is an awesome accomplishment. Maybe he got there too soon. But he is still young enough to give it another shot if he can affors it. I wish him well. I will also venture to say that he is the best umpire the Atlantic league will ever see.

So SCUMP, it appears as though you are rattled. Keep defending your resume and try to tell people that you were a minor league umpire. You are a liar and a joke. Not that I agree with this term, but in this case SCUMP you truly are a Charlie. You think you belong somewhere you have no business being. You give amateur umpires a bad name. I have worked several clinics and attended even more. I have yet to see someone advertise that their instructors/clinicians are minor league umpires in the indy leagues. But these same clinics will send out mailings and have people come because the real minor league guys will be there and know what they are talking about.

I am exhausted talking abou this. I will take your advice Bluelawyer, I will no longer continue in this thread. SCUMP is bitter and doesn't have a clue. To put it in words he might understand...So long Charlie...