Is it just me or does the umpiring seem to be getting progressively worse?

[penguin4]

And I'm not talking about the whole "instant replay" thing; I know that often is the source of conflict. I mean that I've noticed in the past 4 years since the infamous "Jeff Maier catch", there have been more and more controversial calls; it was only like one or two a season when I first started paying attention in '96, then it was like once a month in '97...; it's like twice a week now, at least. I understand the umps are only all too human, but they won't even ask for help from their fellow compadres if there's cause for argument, I noticed -- guys who might've had a better angle or view or whatever of the play. It just seems they're missing more and more calls these days; it's only all too often now that you'll hear Jim Kaat or John Sterling or whoever say "well the Yankees caught a break on that one" or "the Yankees were robbed". Does it have anything to do with last years walkout, that maybe their whole psyche was affected and now they're adjusting -- is that perhaps part of it? Do they just don't care? Your thoughts and feedback, please.

[Nome]

It is not you. One solution is to break the umpires union so we can fire the incompetand and reward the good umpires.