“We need to take this stand. It's been a long time coming for Minor League umpires. We all have a passion for umpiring. It'd be crazy to just go out there and get yelled at, but we love umpiring. Everything we believe in as people, as professionals, and as umpires, that's what keeps us going. We have integrity as umpires.”
“We want shorter contracts, because the times change. And we haven't had a pay raise since 1997. That's what this whole strike is about is unfair labor practices. We're asking for a livable wage.”
“I just want Minor League umpires to be respected. They tell us we're apprentices, but we feel like kids. A nine-year apprenticeship? Usually apprentices make at least 50 percent of their masters. We're not even making close to that if you look at the numbers.”
