Treatment of female umpire in Minor Leagues
 

I'm reading a book on professional umpiring (As They See'em- a really great read by the way), and it talks about how Ria Cortesio was treated in the minor leagues. Umpires said that she wasn't very good as a partner for example. They said she slept with players, and the players said she "chased the ball". On one occasion, her crew members stood in the outfield during the national anthem leaving her at home plate, an obvious sign of disrespect. The higher powers interpreted it as her inability to control her crew, and it reflected badly on her. She was kept in AA for an exceptionally long time, and even though she was next in line to be promoted to AAA, she somehow fell down the list in rankings and was later released. I felt that a lot of comments about her had to have been untrue. After all, how does someone get all the way to AA despite all these negatives? Then I came across this video: YouTube - Montgomery Biscuits Manager Billy Gardner Jr. Melts Down.

It appears that she doesn't do a good job of deciding whether she is going to intervene or not. It raises the question as to how PBUC treats females, and the quality of umpiring required in the minor leagues.

Ok, why did the 1b umpire, the one who EJ'd the manager, not turn and walk away. As a partner, I would have moved closer once the EJ took place, but I'm not going to get involved until my partner walks away. He didn't walk away, so it's apparent that he still wanted to have his say with the manager. This is poor game management by the crew, not just Ria. They let Gardner push them around big time.

It was handle the way that we are taught at umpire school. He held his ground, Ria came over, and the manager left shortly after. Nothing wrong with how this was handled.

Other then the manager ragged on over 2 minutes, unacceptable!!

This is professional baseball and this is how it works.

Did not look like he had much to say to me, just stood there and took the BS.

Well I think that's cause he (the umpire) is in control of his emotions. And is allowing the manager to look like an a$$ will he's still able to get his shots in without looking aggressive... Don't get me wrong I wasn't there so I could be way off on this one. You may be 100% right on this one.

Without ever working with Ria, I can only say she has made it farther than MOST on this board. In looking at the video, I felt either her or the HP umpire could have positioned themselves closer earlier. However, when she did get into positon to "rodeo the coach away", U1 walked the opposite direction taking the coach away from her. She did take him away eventually. Who knows if U1 wanted to get "his piece" or if the crew had a set signal when they had had enough. Regardless, we all shouldn't be judging another umpire without EVER working with that individual.

Your right man. Well put.

I agree about Ria making it really far in baseball and that we shouldn't judge her. It seems like the situation in this video was not handled well. There might have been signals going on though, so we can't know for sure. To spectators though, I think it would appear like a situation that got out of hand. I think the stuff minor league umpires said about Ria was slander.

And the facts you have to back up this statement are?

What signals? Certainly not covert, secret type signals.:confused:

Probably double super secret signals for boys only.:rolleyes:

Not relevant. The question is, where are the facts to back up the rumors?

Exactly. They're the ones making the claims about her. They have to back up their claims, she doesn't have to prove she didn't do the stuff they say she did. I got the feeling from reading that book that there was some resentment and jealousy because she was a woman in a "man's" game. Surely they wouldn't have kept her around that long if she wasn't a decent umpire.

With that said, I didn't think they handled the situation in the video very well.