Futures Game Umpire
 

Without invoking any AMLU discussion, what do you think about Ria Cortesio working third base in the Futures Game? Is this just a publicity stunt by MLB? In case you didn't see, here's the crew:

HP: Christopher Conroy (Eastern League)
1B: Jeffrey Latter (Southern League)
2B: Jason Stein (Texas League)
3B: Ria Cortesio (Southern League)

Personally, I think Ria is a good umpire and I'm happy for her to get this chance. I just wanted to see what the common thought was.

if shes good enough to get the spot, then give it to her. thats how it should be, and im guessing thats how it is. MLB doesnt just give out spots as far as i know.

Can somebody fill me in on why Ria Cortesio did not get promoted to AAA this season? She is now in her 4th year of AA, and that is normally one year longer than you get before being released. Are they giving her one more year to showcase her talent before making a decision? I have been rooting for her to be the first female MLB umpire, but she needs to get to AAA soon.

She deserves as much of an opportunity as any other umpire...no special treatment, just the same treatment...

And I know of at least three other AA umpires who are well qualified for AAA and have not been moved up and are probably in their last year of pro-umpiring. Does one umpire's gender or race tip the scales in his/her favor?

Unfortunately, the answer is probably, "yes."

Probably does. I am just rooting for her to break through, but not if she isn't good enough. What I'm more concerned is that she will be "good old boyed" out of it just because she is a woman.

Her problem is: if she moves up, many will say that it's only because she's a woman. If she's released, many will think she was "good old boyed" out - which is to say, only because she's a woman.

It's possible that the decision to release or promote her will depend on her performance, but many people will not accept that.

MLB has been serious about getting more black and latino umpires into the big leagues, and we're all familiar with the rationale for that. The same rationale does not support promoting women, so I don't know why gender would play the same role in this kind of decision as race or ethnicity.

Steve,

Simple: Promotions are driven by ranking. All MiLB umpires are ranked twice perseason (Once this year). From that ranking come promotions as spots open up.

It's not uncommon for higher ranked AA umpires to be retained when few spots have opened at AAA, as MLB doesn't want to lose the opportunity to 'look at' these umpires.

I have no details regarding actual rankings, though it would not surprise me at all to have one or two AA umpires pulled up to AAA by the end of the year.