quote:Originally posted by bsballfan:quote:Originally posted by piaa_ump:quote:Originally posted by bsballfan:
Just because there are less jobs doesn't mean that it is more difficult to get one of those jobs when there are FAAAAAAAAAAR more kids who dream of playing in the MLB than umpiring there (more competition for jobs.
There is another aspect to this for umpires.....umpires at the MLB level can have lengthy careers........some 30+ years....there are years when at best the can be 1-2 openings at the MLB level...and other years when there are none.....
Maybe that is a problem? What if they evaluated them obvjectively and the top 45 got to stay each year and the last 20ish were replenished with the top minor league guys
I don't believe a system that would eliminate 20 umpires or any number automatically, regardless of ability and performance record, would be any better than keeping every umpires automatically, regardless of performance record.
It takes three or four years to adjust to MLB. Under your suggestion, at least 75% of the 20 eliminated would be the most recent ones that came in.