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Davidson takes Brinkman’s spot

Major League Baseball has announced that umpire Bob Davidson has replaced Joe Brinkman, who retired effective December 31. Davidson’s hire took effect January 1.

Davidson has thus signed a full time Major League contract for the second time in his career. He became a member of the National League staff in 1982 and worked into the 1999 season, when he lost his job while taking part in a failed mass resignation union strategy.

After losing an arbitration case to get his job back, Davidson re-entered the minor league system in 2003. He worked the Northwest League in 2003 and the Midwest League in 2004. In 2005 he was assigned to the Florida State League but did not work any games in the league because of fill-in work at the Major League level. In 2006 he was promoted to the Texas League but again worked only MLB games. Tom Hallion and Ed Hickox are now the only umpires who are working their way toward regaining a contract after losing their jobs in 1999.

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