Blame umpiring on injuries

[widac]

This is from ESPN's Rob Neyer:

According to Tracy Ringolsby, there's a hidden reason for the apparently subpar umpiring we've seen this month ...

The quality of the umpiring has taken a hit because at least a dozen umpires, including seven crew chiefs, were left out of postseason assignments this year due to injuries.--snip--

While federal laws prohibit Major League Baseball from discussing injuries of employees, FOXsports.com has learned that the sidelined umpires include crew chiefs John Hirschbeck (testicular cancer), Charlie Reliford (back), Jerry Crawford (back), Tim Welke (concussion), Ed Montague (concussion and neck), Gary Darling (ankle and foot) and Rick Reed (stroke).

Other umpires who are sidelined by injuries include Kerwin Danley (concussion), Alfonso Marquez (back), Brian Runge (details unknown), Bill Hohn (back) and Ed Hickok (concussion).

Several of them did return from the injuries in September, but given their limited time on the field this year they were not included in the list of postseason candidates.

The situation makes me wonder about MLB's retirement policy for umpires. You get the impression that veteran umpires are like Supreme Court justices or Bud Seligs: they'll quit when they think it's time, not when anyone else does. I understand the rational with the judges; the notion is that they should not be subject to political pressures. But, should umpires be allowed to umpire forever?

The rest of the story is here:

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/869/blame-umpiring-on-injuries