DODGERS NOTEBOOK : DODGERS DISMAYED AFTER UMP ASKS FOR AUTOGRAPHS.Several Dodgers were disturbed that National League umpire Bruce Froemming Bruce Neal Froemming (born September 28 1939 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is the longest tenured umpire in the history of Major League Baseball in terms of the number of seasons umpired, finishing his 37th season in 2007 [1]. collected autographs in their clubhouse before Sunday afternoon's game against the Mets. Froemming, who worked behind home plate Saturday and at third base Sunday, asked manager Tom Lasorda to sign balls and photos. Froemming is a regular in the offseason at Dodgertown, not far from his home in Vero Beach Vero Beach (vēr`o), city (1990 pop. 17,350), seat of Indian River co., E Fla., on Indian River (a lagoon and part of the Intracoastal Waterway); founded c.1888, inc. 1919. , Fla. On at least one occasion this spring, Froemming asked players to sign items he provided. Players dutifully du·ti·ful adj. 1. Careful to fulfill obligations. 2. Expressing or filled with a sense of obligation. du signed, and later explained that they could not refuse and risk retribution. If the items were for charity, he did not inform the players at the time. There is no rule that bars umpires from collecting autographs, either for charitable or personal reasons. However, Dodgers players questioned the ethics of it Sunday, though not for the record, again, for fear of retribution. They also expressed shock that Froemming was comfortable enough with the organization to mingle in the clubhouse 90 minutes before game time. Froemming, 56, is in his 26th season as a major-league umpire. Just last season, Jerry Bergman Dr Gerald R. "Jerry" Bergman is an American young earth creationist. He is an active supporter of the (ACM) anti-cult movement. He is also known for his stance against Jehovah's Witnesses. Biography Dr. , an NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga referee, caused a stir for requesting an autograph from Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre <noinclude>  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. .
Froemming said he is not concerned that obtaining autographs undermines players' views of his impartiality. ``I don't even think of it,'' he said Sunday. ``We promote the game. We're here to promote baseball. When we want to accommodate someone, we try to accommodate someone. The best way we can is if I can help charities, which I do a lot of. ``If somebody didn't want to sign, I'd just let it go and get them next time. There's plenty of others who want to sign.'' Also: Dodgers cleanup hitter In baseball, the cleanup hitter is the hitter who bats fourth in the lineup. Strategy Cleanup hitters often have the most power on the team and are typically the team's best all-around hitter; their job is to "clean up the bases", hence the name. Eric Karros did not play Sunday. He has an upper-respiratory infection. Dave Hansen started in his place. . . . First-base coach Reggie Smith, who has a stomach virus, was not in the box until the second inning. ``I couldn't move,'' Smith said with a weak smile. Bench coach Bill Russell subbed at first for an inning. . . . Mets shortstop Rey Ordonez also did not play. He was suffering from food poisoning food poisoning, acute illness following the eating of foods contaminated by bacteria, bacterial toxins, natural poisons, or harmful chemical substances. It was once customary to classify all such illnesses as "ptomaine poisoning," but it was later discovered that . . . . Wilton Guerrero, who rose through the Dodgers' minor leagues as their shortstop of the future, has been moved to second base. He is back at Triple-A Albuquerque after receiving instruction at Campos Las Palmas in the Dominican Republic. Cliff Anderson is playing shortstop for the Dukes. |
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