Larry Poncino

[Dave Davies]

Prior to the strike a few years ago, Rob upset the powers that be, by not supporting his peers. Instead of worrying about the future of his profession by professing solidarity for his broterhood, he was whining about how was HE going to survive; about how was he going to feed his family, etc.

It appeared that Rob was NOT going to support the union. This did not sit well with the decision makers.

Frankly, I have been surprised that he is still around.

Dave
****

[SethPDX]

Tim,

I read one of the threads you were alluding to and understood what you were saying then. Thanks for elaborating.

[MrUmpire]

What Timc C reports coincides with what I have heard from MLB and MiLB umires: Gucce is in, Drake is out.

But, bear in mind, this comes from active umpires. Not umpire supervisors. It doesn't take long for umpire supervisors to begin acting and thinking quite differently from how they did as active umpires. Witness that the MLB umpire camp in Compton will be instructed only by umpire supervisors and a scab or two, while the active MLB and MiLB umpires sit this year out.

[canadaump6]

I'd like to see Rob's site back up again.

[GerryB]

Axe fallen? I didn't see Drake's name in any box scores from last night (although I could have missed it).

Have to admit when his website went up my first thought was that he just killed his promotion chances.

And suddenly developing game management issues and inconsistency after ten or so years gets you dumped instead of the guy(s) who have been like that for twenty years?

[mrm21711]

Originally Posted by GerryB

Axe fallen? I didn't see Drake's name in any box scores from last night (although I could have missed it).

Have to admit when his website went up my first thought was that he just killed his promotion chances.

And suddenly developing game management issues and inconsistency after ten or so years gets you dumped instead of the guy(s) who have been like that for twenty years?

What were these prior threads Tee and others are referring to? Id like to check them out but cant find them.

If you look at the box scores from last night - a few guys (Kevin Causey, Shawn Rakos, Mike Muchlinski) who havent worked a whole lot this year are up - and Rob isnt working.

[Tim C]

"What were these prior threads Tee and others are referring to? Id like to check them out but cant find them."

I deleted them as I was trying to be too "cute" and not saying the obvious facts about Rob and the threads went an unintended direction.

Sorry they are gone.

Regards,

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

I'd like to see Rob's site back up again.

Don't be surprised if you see it, along with some posts of his sharing his days as a major league umpire/fill-in. At least by that time he'd legally be able to discuss them.

[tballump]

Tim_C

Thanks for all the advice over the years. I'm trying to read all your old posts. As a slow reader, I'm sure it will take a while.

I'm confused.

When you said,

"From the time the website was discovered until today, Rob's MLB evaluations have slowly eroded. Terms such as "game management issues" and "inconsistency of strike zone" have slipped into his evaluations.

"I have no more information than any of you. I don't have ties to MLB umpires or (the MLB offices) since Selig reorganized MLB offices".

It would seem to me that you would definitely have more inside information than the rest of us from someone inside MLB, if you know about terms being used in confidential umpires evaluations?

I'm not complaining. It just did not make sense.

[Tim C]

"It would seem to me that you would definitely have more inside information than the rest of us from someone inside MLB, if you know about terms being used in confidential umpires evaluations?"

My sources are no more official than Ump25, bobbybanaduck, and other ex-professional umpires.

Regards,