MLB Withdraws Complaint Against Umps Calling Few Strikes

Baseball Execs Withdraw Edict Forcing Umps to Call More Strikes

Action comes after union filed grievance

New York, July 18, 2001 -- A grievance filed by Major League Baseball umpires against the Commissioner's office, in a dispute over pitch counts as well as balls and strikes, has been withdrawn.

The withdrawal came after baseball officials have abruptly ended the practice of counting the total number of pitches during games as a means to evaluate the performance of home plate umpires. The switch comes immediately following an edict from the commissioners office stipulating that umpires call more strikes during major league games. Umpires Union lawyers, Larry Gibson and Joel Smith, in reaction to the mandate, had faxed a three-page letter to Rob Manfred, baseball's chief labor executive, claiming it was a "threat to the integrity of the game," according to a report by the Associated Press.

Umpires said they would have felt pressured to reduce the average number of pitches per game to approximately 270, as had been ordered. They were prepared to charge the Commissioner's office with violating their new labor contract, negotiated with the newly formed World Umpires Association. Former longtime umpire and now supervisor of umpires, Larry Barnett, resigned this past week, citing the dispute as a prime reason. The labor contract had required the two sides to meet on the issue. If a resolution had not been agreed upon, the case would have proceeded to an impartial arbitrator.

Sandy Alderson, Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations, who felt the issue was blown out of proportion, had issued an edict earlier this spring calling for umpires to call balls and strikes as defined in the rulebook. Specifically, more "high" strikes were expected to be enforced this season.

Sources :   Associated Press, July 16, 2001.
                 USA Today, July 19, 2001.
                 New York Times, July 16, 2001.

                                                                                                                David Burkey
                                                                                                                daveywriter@hotmail.com