NYT article on minor league umpires

are on the verge of a walkout, and all levels of minor league ball may open with replacement umpires next month.

I'm not going to take a side on the strike issue--I like to limit this blog to what happens on the field rather than in the negotiating room (although you can probably figure out where my sympathies lie). It will be interesting to see what happens on the field if replacement umpires are used, especially in the upper minors. Worth keeping an eye on.

However, the New York Times' Bruce Weber has written a fine article (registration required) that gives a hint into the life of a minor league umpire.

It says he's working on a book about umpiring. I look forward to it.