Jon Miller on Minor League Umpires

[mattmets]

Originally Posted by Grail

My question is, why would MLB assign two minor league umpires to the same game? I realize that Drake logs as many or more MLB games as a full-time ump, but common sense says that you spread out the "part-timers" amongst several crews so that they have the "full-timers" to help them out.

Why does it matter? If MLB thinks you're qualified to work MLB games, you can do it no matter what. Are you saying if Tim Welke (or any other "full-timer") was at first base there's no way that situation happens? Piniella's a rat, always has been, and I'm sure Rob and Chad can both defend their actions well.

[zebra2955]

I just think it was chicken s**t to heave him with his backed turned. Be a man and at least wait for him to turn around and look in his eyes when you dump him.

[Grail]

Originally Posted by mattmets

Why does it matter? If MLB thinks you're qualified to work MLB games, you can do it no matter what. Are you saying if Tim Welke (or any other "full-timer") was at first base there's no way that situation happens? Piniella's a rat, always has been, and I'm sure Rob and Chad can both defend their actions well.

I'm not saying that at all. The same situation could have occurred with anyone on the game.

What I'm saying is, why not mix in the so-called "lesser umps" with the "more experienced" umps. It's makes sense as a means of mentoring the up and comers.

If you were scheduling 2 varsity HS games with 2-man crews, would it make sense to put 2 up and coming umps on the same game, and 2 veterans on the other game? It might work out that way, but it makes more sense to pair 1 vet with 1 new guy, and the other vet with the other new guy.

Baseball had 15 games yesterday. Surely they could spread out the "minor" umps throughout baseball, instead of putting them together.

Would the outcome have been different? Probably not. Should Lou have been tossed? Absolutely. Should it come from the guy behind his back, that he isn't talking to? I've seen some say yes, but personally, I want to take care of my own business, and if I don't choose to lower the boom, I should live with the consequences.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by Grail

I'm not saying that at all. The same situation could have occurred with anyone on the game.

What I'm saying is, why not mix in the so-called "lesser umps" with the "more experienced" umps. It's makes sense as a means of mentoring the up and comers.

If you were scheduling 2 varsity HS games with 2-man crews, would it make sense to put 2 up and coming umps on the same game, and 2 veterans on the other game? It might work out that way, but it makes more sense to pair 1 vet with 1 new guy, and the other vet with the other new guy.

Baseball had 15 games yesterday. Surely they could spread out the "minor" umps throughout baseball, instead of putting them together.

Would the outcome have been different? Probably not. Should Lou have been tossed? Absolutely. Should it come from the guy behind his back, that he isn't talking to? I've seen some say yes, but personally, I want to take care of my own business, and if I don't choose to lower the boom, I should live with the consequences.

You don't seem to understand the "fill-in" situation. Some of these Minor Leaguers you refer to as "lesser umpires" have been working MLB games for ten years or longer. Guccione, a "lesser umpire" to you, worked the most plate games of ANY umpire in MLB last season.

Only by the stubborness and cheapness of MLB management are they still fill-ins and not full time contracted MLB umpires.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Grail

I'm not saying that at all. The same situation could have occurred with anyone on the game.

What I'm saying is, why not mix in the so-called "lesser umps" with the "more experienced" umps. It's makes sense as a means of mentoring the up and comers.

If you were scheduling 2 varsity HS games with 2-man crews, would it make sense to put 2 up and coming umps on the same game, and 2 veterans on the other game? It might work out that way, but it makes more sense to pair 1 vet with 1 new guy, and the other vet with the other new guy.

Baseball had 15 games yesterday. Surely they could spread out the "minor" umps throughout baseball, instead of putting them together.

Someone who follows this more closely than I will have to check for specifics, but it's possible that nearly every other crew also had a "replacement" umpire already on it, given vacations and injuries. Also, MLB doesn't like to split apart the "regular" crews once they are set, and travel, the length of the replacement assignment and the time between the "notice" and the next game all come into play.

[ericgreggsghost]

nobody should be down on drake it was fairchild who blew this one ... fairchild has been in the bigs all season and should have known better ... since when does a manager come running out of the dugout to argue a check swing call and NOT get tossed? drake had to clean up his mess and he looks badly for it.