Oh, they are up there. My money would be on Drake to get the next job, but I wouldn't be surprised if it went to Johnson. Angle still has some time to wait, but he is ready, just getting innings in and making him that much better.
The funny thing is when I was younger I use to believe that the MLB guys were the best in the world, but now I know that like most things in life they are really good and they were in the right place a the right time and it worked out for each of them. There are probably 75-125 guys in the world that are good enough to work full time in MLB, but they just weren't in the right place at the right time.

oh for sure. talk to any MLB/NFL/NBA whatever and if they're honest, they'd agree with you

When statistics and certain comments bear it out, the answer is clear.

I do not see a lot of Black/African American baseball umpires at any level. So you would have to explain what statistics you are talking about. Then again, that would mean showing something other than hyperbole. ;)

Peace

It is not hyperbole when someone's ratings are poor, lower than a person above him, yet he is given a job when the person above him was next in line to receive said job. I doubt anyone would complain if both persons were white or black or Hispanic, etc., but when the higher-rated, higher performing individual is passed up in favor of someone who is a minority, it more than raises a few eyebrows.

Aren't ratings a subjective thing in the first place? If ratings meant everything, why do many umpires have a job at the Major League level know? I do not claim to know or care about these ratings and I sometimes wonder how anyone other than specific parties knows anything about everyone's ratings. And I certainly do not know how one person knows about another person's ratings.

And the claim that if this was a minority is rather silly too. First of all there are not many minorities in baseball period. I have gone seasons and not worked with a single Black or Hispanic umpire at any level. And I certainly do not know many (or any) personally working any pro ball or trying to get into pro ball. For one going to pro school is not something many Black umpires I come in contact with care much about at all. It is hard to find a single Black player play baseball, let alone umpire the sport.

It sounds to me like sour grapes when a person gets passed over for an assignment. And instead of taking responsibility for his actions and what he did not do, it has to be the system or the minorities taking all the spots. Even though the vast majority of umpires in this country are definitely not Black, I bet the overall percentage of Hispanics might be growing, but I doubt they dominate any level like you have tried to suggest.


Peace

I am all for more diversity in the ranks of baseball umpiring, especially since the players themselves represent such a melting pot. Where I draw the line is if someone is given a promotion to solely to make the ranks more diverse.

You must have been in on the promotion process to know why a promotion was made. Very interesting. :rolleyes:

Peace

Qualified people of color have been passed over for years and years, decade after decade. What's the difference? Why is it an issue now all of a sudden?

Hehe, you guys need to get out of IL, and come to where the sun shines. I work with Blacks, Whites, Mexicans, Asians, and Women every year, but not at every level. Currently not working with Women at the DI lvl, but all the colors yes.

Funny thing about this convo is my birth certificate says that I am Black (Dad) and Mexican American/Native American (Mom), but my bio-dad, never meet him is White, my Black dad was at the hospital when I was born and that is good enough for me, never meet or care to meet the other guy. In the school district I worked in the new superintendent said she was gonna brown up the district, because there were too many white teachers working in the intercity school district and they couldn't relate to where the kids came from. The problem was she couldn't find enough qualified candidates that wanted to work in her district and now she is gone.

BTW, to my knowledge noone has every carried what color i was on the ball field.

Better be wearing your HANS device
 

Like I was saying, Luciano..........

Do I wish he was still alive? Yes.

Were his books funny? Absolutely. I have them all and have read them each several times.

Could he get away with that stuff today? No way.

Thought I'd get that in just in case this thread gets locked. ;)

Of course his goofiness wouldn't work now, but I wish umpires were less robotic. I mean, y'all are concerned about a hammer as opposed to a point. Ron was lobbing gernades at guys. Who had more fun out there?

Lord knows I'm not in it for the money, nor fame, nor a stepping stone to "bigger games". I just like umpiring baseball games. And if it's not fun, why bother.

"Baseball is a game............."

Honestly, no I do not need to get out of Illinois, because it is common knowledge that the rate of Black kids playing baseball is dwindling across the country. And that is clear when schools like Florida A&M or Bethune-Cookman (both in Florida of all places) cannot field and entire team of African-American players at Traditionally Black Institutions. I do not think it would really matter; the rate of Black people involved in the game would not be that much greater. This is not basketball or football where this is not an issue.

Peace

What I would really like to see for the next 50 years at each of the 2 umpire schools every year would be to have 25 each of white, black and latino male students, and 25 each of white, black and latino female students. Then, hopefully many of these discussions could be put to rest.