According to the Associated Press, Major League Baseball’s umpires are stewing over the increased background checks following NBA referee Tom Donaghy was caught betting on games by the FBI.

According to the article, investigators have been asking the neighbors of the umpires a series of questions about their behavior. John Hirschback, president of the World Umpires Association, spoke regarding the investigations,

“The questions that we found out are being asked are about beating wives, marijuana use and extravagant parties[...]And then finally with this whole thing about the Ku Klux Klan.”

All I can say is, I hope this doesn’t continue into the season because we don’t need those umpires thinking about anything but the game. I, for one, can’t believe they are taking to that level and asking those questions. Background and credit checks are one thing, but this is going a little far.

added by Anthony De Rosa

There is a code of ethics in any business, and baseball is a business. If these umpires cannot uphold those ethics, they don’t belong in the game.

That isn’t to say this should be a witch hunt of McCarthian proportions but an umpire is suspected of breaking the codes of conduct, he should be investigated.