They don't see professional umpires being that important at the minor league level.

We want to see minor league umpires working on the field rather than just warm bodies. Minor league umpires are the people that are trained to do the job and protect the integrity of the game. They're trained professionals.

We'll see how our roster shakes out, but Choi does have minor-league options if we want him to get everyday at-bats in Triple-A for a period of time.

Umpires, like players, are expected to show constant improvement each season and at each level. Inconsistent plate work and the inability to handle situations are probably the two biggest problems that minor league umpires face.

What bothered me is that I just got a memo from the (American) League stating that when (umpires) meet it has to be conclusive. When an umpire in the middle of the field overrules it, that word conclusive (comes to mind). That's a difficult call for me to swallow right there. That was kind of my point.

Anyone interested in becoming a professional umpire and becoming eligible to work in the minor leagues must attend one of the two umpire schools sanctioned by Major League Baseball.