Ask an Ump at majorleagueumps.com
Comish4lif
http://www.majorleagueumps.com
They also have a section where you can ask an ump at:
http://www.majorleagueumps.com/faq/faq.html
I encourage everyone to ask they umpires if we care that they want to quit. Ask
them if they think that should not be evaluated by anyone; ask them if they
think they should be allowed to interpret the rules as they see fit; ask them
if they think they should be allowed to bump players and escalate arguments.
Here's the text of what I sent (let's let them have it!):
First off, I want to state that I am not anti-umpire. You guys do a difficult
job really well. But you are not irreplaceable.
Do you really think that resigning is the best way to handle your labor dispute
with MLB?
Why do you insist on not being held accountable? Umpiring is a job like any
other. I have someone that evaluates my performance.
No one goes to a game to see the umpires. The best games are when the umpires
are not even noticed (that means to me that they did their job in a
professional and non-contentious manner).
I look forward to seeing you guys come back begging for you jobs next spring
when you realize that there are not a lot of employers willing to pay you 6
figure incomes for 9 months of work. Maybe I'll see you on the field with my
Adult Baseball League working behind the plate for $40/game!
--------------------------------
Mark Wolven ----comis...@aol.com
Beloved Commissioner-for-Life
David Brazeal
Comish4lif wrote in message
<19990715115329...@ng-ch1.aol.com>...
>Did you know that the Umpires have a website? They do at:
>
>http://www.majorleagueumps.com
>
>They also have a section where you can ask an ump at:
>
>http://www.majorleagueumps.com/faq/faq.html
>
>I encourage everyone to ask they umpires if we care that they want to quit.
Ask
>them if they think that should not be evaluated by anyone; ask them if they
>think they should be allowed to interpret the rules as they see fit; ask
them
>if they think they should be allowed to bump players and escalate
arguments.
I think you all should check out this FAQ for a good laugh. Here's a
sample, regarding the selection of umpires for post-season games. Notice
the way the answer is phrased to subtly indicate the leagues select the
umpires based on performance....
How are umpires selected for the All Star Game, Playoffs and the World
Series?
Umpiring crews for special events are chosen by the League presidents and
umpire supervisors. The only restriction on the Leagues' ability to select
an umpire for a special event is that an umpire cannot work the World Series
for consecutive years. A younger umpire's first special event assignment is
usually the All Star Game. All Star and World Series umpiring crews have
representatives from both Leagues.
The FAQ also mentions that the umpires are supervised--but fails to mention
that they get angry when the leagues try to assert some control over them.
davidb
Brian McAllister
David Brazeal wrote in message <93206722...@news.remarQ.com>...
>
>Comish4lif wrote in message
><19990715115329...@ng-ch1.aol.com>...
>>Did you know that the Umpires have a website? They do at:
>>
>>http://www.majorleagueumps.com
>>
>>They also have a section where you can ask an ump at:
>>
>>http://www.majorleagueumps.com/faq/faq.html
>>
>>I encourage everyone to ask they umpires if we care that they want to
quit.
>Ask
>>them if they think that should not be evaluated by anyone; ask them if
they
>>think they should be allowed to interpret the rules as they see fit; ask
>them
>>if they think they should be allowed to bump players and escalate
>arguments.
>
>
>I think you all should check out this FAQ for a good laugh.
I like how the first question asks whether the strike zone is different than
it was, and the answer doesn't even try to respond to that issue. After
all, it's the one question every one wants an answer to...AND IT'S THEIR
FAQ.
Brian McAllister
Derek
That isn't even the worst example in the FAQ about the strike zone.
Scroll down and you'll see this beauty:
Can you explain the boundaries of the strike zone and how it
is interpreted?
The strike zone covers the width of home plate, from the batter's
lower kneecap to the armpit. Because every player's stance is
different, the top of the strike zone can vary.
Armpit? Last time I checked there wasn't anything in the rule book about
the strike zone and armpits. In fact, section 2.00, Definition of Terms,
clearly explains what constitutes the strike zone.
The STRIKE ZONE is that area over home plate the upper limit of which is
a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and
the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the
hallow beneath the knee cap. The Strike Zone shall be determined from
the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched
ball.
Even in their own FAQ they can't even look up the definition of a strike
zone, as it's written in the rule book, to give the "official" answer?
Even if that is their interpretation, when was the last time you saw a
batter look at an armpit high fastball go by and the umpire calls it a
strike? Let those bums quit!
Derek