MLB Sues Umpires Union, Slapping Ensues

MLB want to discipline John Hirschbeck for instructing another umpire on his crew not to discipline a pitcher automatically for throwing at (actually well over) a batter (Barry Bonds). Hirscbeck has headed the umpires bargaining with the owners ever since the previous rep., Richie Phillips, imploded incidentally.

The umpire's lawyer claimed that "the suit really was about management's reliance on a computerized evaluation system the union claims is inaccurate" and that the crew ump in the game in question did not warn the pitcher because he did not think that the pitch was thrown intentionally. Evidently, in a May 4 game the computerized system said that Hirschbeck called a number of balls and strikes inaccurately. And besides Bruce Froemming, a native Milwaukeean, was not chosen for the All-Star game. And what about Scarecrow's brain?!?

This one really seems like a really sorted, he-said-she-said affair. There's always trouble whenever you get two groups of people together who are as arrogant as the owners and the umps. Are they even sure what the lawsuit is about?

Two things are certain:

1) No one likes the owners very much right now. I bet at present Bud Selig's best friends are not even returning his phone calls.

2) As my friend Doug say, for my money any game without Enrico Polazzo behind the plate is just a little bit dull. Maybe Enrico could have figured out the All-Star game mess. I believe he was a Milwaukee-ite as well.