Scabs vs. Unions

[PWL]

I'm putting this out there for the people that were so anti-union during the MiLB strike. It has to do with the recent death of Cory Lidle. I not sure many of you know that Lidle was to be a "replacement" player with the Mets before management and the players' union came to an agreement. In what amounted to a nine year major league career for Lidle for which he played for seven teams he amassed a record of 82-72. In this amount of time, he appeared in a total of 277 games, 199 of which were starts. His career high in wins for a seasons was 13 which he did twice. So, almost 1/3 of his wins came in two seasons. For this he made untold millions as a journeyman pitcher. As far as I know, players who were "replacement" players have never, nor will ever, be allowed to join the MLBPA. This does not however exclude them from receiving benefits and grievance procedures provided for by the same basic agreement as all Major League baseball players. For never having paid a union due in his entire life, not excluding the huge salary he made in baseball, his widow and six year old son will receive a yearly pension or $165,000. That is much more than some of the greatest players of all time ever made in a season.

Now Cory will never reap the benefit for which others paid the price for, but his widow and young son will be taken care of for the rest of their life because of the sacrifice of those that came before them. I wonder if any of the "scabs" that crossed the pickets lines ever thought about giving the MiLB umpires a leg up so that maybe their families could be taken care in case of an untimely death of one of their loved ones. I suppose the lure of a little cash and celebrity for a short time was worth it. It wouldn't and never would for me.

I'm not saying the MiLB umpires would have gotten as sweet a deal as MLB umpires. Not ever remotely close. They just wouldn't have gotten as raw a deal as they received if not for the petty motives of a few. When you think about, you hurt the man, you hurt his family, also.

Cory Fulton Lidle 1972-2006
BTW-His middle name is Fulton because he is a direct descendant of Robert Fulton who invent the steamboat.