Umpires Take Shot at Phillips

More than a dozen major league umpires plan to release a statement today accusing union counsel Richie Phillips of “flawed and doomed strategy” that will apparently lead to a widespread loss of jobs.

“The major league umpires have been seriously harmed because union leadership adopted a flawed strategy . . . doomed to fail from the beginning,” said the statement obtained by The Times Wednesday night.

“The advice to quit jobs in order to keep them made no sense at all,” it continues, “especially under a collective bargaining contract that not only ruled out strikes, but also ruled out ‘other concerted work stoppage.’

“It grieves us that more than 20 umpires will apparently lose their jobs as a result of this . . . strategy. We have been able to save some of our colleagues by convincing them not to resign or to quickly rescind their resignations. If we had not taken a stand, all major league umpires could be facing the end of their careers.”

Sources familiar with the drafting of the statement said it was composed essentially by American League umpires Joe Brinkman, Davey Phillips, John Hirschbeck, Dale Scott and Rocky Roe, but that National League umpires Wally Bell and Jeff Nelson have also endorsed it.

At least 22 umpires are expected to lose their jobs as result of the union’s initial decision to submit resignations, effective Sept. 2.

Forty-two umpires on Monday joined the 14 who had previously rescinded their resignations, but the two leagues have already hired 25 replacements.

Nine American League umpires were notified Tuesday that their resignations are being accepted, while National League officials, sources said, spent most of Wednesday attempting to decide which 19 umpires to retain and which 13 to let go.

Phillips did not return calls Wednesday.