Game 3 of the day

[ZebraStripes]

Saturday I was scheduled for 6 games in a Grand Slam tournament.  My partner was going to do the first three behind the plate but got caught up in traffic so I was taking the first three games behind the dish.  The only "issue" in the first game was a HBP that I waited to call a second because it was a cheap one, jersey sleeve only.  Two run rule games and all is sailing along.  Game three, time is running out so it looks like the 6th inning will be the last one in this 13U game.  One out and then a lefty steps in and hits a foul ball...into my forearm.  It hurt.  It hurt bad.  "Are you ok blue?"  I will need a moment.  I get my wits back and head back behind the plate and try to record the strike on my indicator.  I can't turn it.  So I put it in with my right hand.  Manage to get the other two outs in the top of the 6th and the VTHC brings out a bag of ice.  Walk over to my partner and the HTHC asks to look at my arm.  "That's broke, man!"  VTHC then comes over and looks at it.  "That's broken!"  Field supervisor comes over and takes me off the field and calls the paramedics.  Fire truck arrives and they believe it to be broken as well and splint it up.  I refuse transport to the hospital since I'm an hour away from home and was not about to leave my vehicle there.  Drive home and my wife takes me to the Emergency Room.  They suggest taking my wedding ring off which was not easy, but I finally got it squeezed off. I had pushed down and felt bone on one side of my finger, and bone on the other side of my finger.  They take me back for X-Rays and can't find anything. 

I can not longer stick my finger in the bone.  My arm is not drooping in the location where it had been 20 minutes earlier.  They gave me a splint and said that the hemorrhage will leak down into my hand and eventually be absorbed back into the body.  

I was asked if I could still do the plate yesterday.  I said only if I have to, but I would prefer to take a few days off from back there.  I was going to do two games but we were rained out after 2.5 innings.  This was after some of the swelling had went down in the arm.

[Thunderheads]

First of all .......... 6 games in one day!?  Three in a row behind the plate ?!? ZOIKS!

ouch!!!!

ALWAYS work games without your ring just for this reason ........not worth it.........

Edited May 18, 2015 by Thunderheads

[TheRockawayKid]

SWMNBN may not like it, but don't wear the ring. 

Had a partner in a 13U game whose catcher miss the ball completely... hit him right on the ring finger. He got a nasty cut on it, and the ring got seriously deformed. 

[ZebraStripes]

I don't wear it in football because of my finger whistle.  I think I just got a good reason not to wear it in baseball too.  

I've done 4 in a row behind the plate.  I even had a partner who did 10 FP softball games in a row because we got behind.  I was checking with him about swapping but he said he was good and he stayed consistent so we never made the switch and got out of there at around 11 before the 2:30 hour drive home.  Using the legs instead of the back in the crouch really helps.

I've also done 8 football games in a day.  8 basketball games and then went and played in another one.  I'm still in my 30's so I can still pull it off regularly.  

[ZebraStripes]

Sunday was also supposed to be 6 games and I was contemplating doing all 6 behind the plate due to a newbie as a partner on Sunday.  Speaking of which, I wonder how yesterday went for him.

[JHSump]

@ZebraStripes that looks and sounds exactly like what I had a few weeks ago. A varsity F2 let a far inside pitch go by. My forearm/wrist area swelled up immediately and I could not work the indicator. X-rays the next day showed no break, and, it's funny, I felt immediately better! Then my arm turned many colors over the next week or so. As I look at it now, there is still a little bit of a bump there.

So, I know what you are going through, brother. I hope you feel better soon.

[ElkOil]

That's NOT broken?!? Holy cow, you're a tough cookie.  Respect!

[MadMax]

I hear ya, @ZebraStripes, I'm one of our league's Tournament Horses, and will get slated for 6-7 games a day. Often, I'll get the lesser-mobile partners, or the less experienced newbies, so that means extended plate duty.

Your hand(s) will feel arthritic in a few days. I've recently taken shots to both wrists (with not quite the swollen results you're experiencing) that caused me to look like I was wearing purple bracelets or sweatbands. It's going to drain into your hands, eventually, so I would recommend daily doses of an anti-inflammatory or ibuprofen, and get one of those squeeze-toys or finger putty. I keep rock climber's finger putty in my car, and work my hands while I'm driving. That helps significantly, but my hands feel more sore than normal, and it's from the fluid draining into them.

I'm only curious and not criticizing – how did a LHB foul one off onto-into your left forearm?

[ZebraStripes]

I was in the slot, hands on my thighs.  Catcher moved a little to the outer half and the pitch came inside but the batter got the bat pulled in and straight into my arm.

[LRZ]

Routine part of my plate gear, after taking a similar hit last year that took a month to heal:

http://www.mcdavidusa.com/Product/651R/MCDAVID_Hex™_Forearm_Sleeves.aspx

http://www.braceshop.com/shock-doctor-shockskin-forearm-guard.htm?gdftrk=gdfV28018_a_7c2568_a_7c10961_a_7c45460&gclid=COfXzIP5y8UCFc0YHwodmAkATQ

 

[ricka56]

Routine part of my plate gear, after taking a similar hit last year that took a month to heal:

http://www.mcdavidusa.com/Product/651R/MCDAVID_Hex™_Forearm_Sleeves.aspx

http://www.braceshop.com/shock-doctor-shockskin-forearm-guard.htm?gdftrk=gdfV28018_a_7c2568_a_7c10961_a_7c45460&gclid=COfXzIP5y8UCFc0YHwodmAkATQ

 

​... I'd rather go back to calling T-ball. There are ways to mitigate injuries from umpire HBP. First suggestion I'd make is keep hands/arms from being trapped (no ability to recoil from the collision). I don't use HOK anymore. It traps your hands/arms. When hit, HOK position is likely to do more damage...YMMV.

Even if you mitigate injuries, they will still happen...its just an occupational hazard. Using the above equipment will lead to be talked about in an unflattering way. I'd rather not.

[Umpirechick1]

I was wondering how looked. When I had a foul ball hit my forearm a few years ago, it looked like that. Measured 4" bigger than my left arm by the time I got home. My biggest problem was the hematoma left behind that wouldn't go away. After 2 weeks of the fracture healing, they had to slice it open and clean it out and finish with 5 stitches.  The saying "chicks dig scars and bruises" did nothing for me. 

Prayers for a quick recovery so you'll be ready for Cooperstown.

[Tksjewelry]

Oh man, glad it's not broke. 

[BuckeyeMike]

I'm sure many of us have had the ungloved, high and inside fastball drill us straight, square in the mask.......my question is, how do you deal with that?

Depending on the level of ball (and speed of the ball), I get really mad..........I'm not going to lie.   I will (and have) chewed the F2's butt, but what REALLY got my goat was a comment I heard from a parent in the stands after a mid-80's fastball straight to the mask: "That's what he gets paid for....I don't understand why he's getting pissy."   

It took everything in my being to not address it.           No it is NOT what I get paid for......It is NOT my job to be drilled in the facemask by an ungloved fastball.  It IS a risk and hazard that comes WITH the job, and I accept that, but it is NOT "what I'm paid for".   

 

Edit: I got on a little rant there about my own problems, thus missing your plight.  Glad to hear it's not broken, and I hope you recover quickly. 

[ZebraStripes]

I'm sure many of us have had the ungloved, high and inside fastball drill us straight, square in the mask.......my question is, how do you deal with that?

Depending on the level of ball (and speed of the ball), I get really mad..........I'm not going to lie.   I will (and have) chewed the F2's butt, but what REALLY got my goat was a comment I heard from a parent in the stands after a mid-80's fastball straight to the mask: "That's what he gets paid for....I don't understand why he's getting pissy."   

It took everything in my being to not address it.           No it is NOT what I get paid for......It is NOT my job to be drilled in the facemask by an ungloved fastball.  It IS a risk and hazard that comes WITH the job, and I accept that, but it is NOT "what I'm paid for".   

 

Edit: I got on a little rant there about my own problems, thus missing your plight.  Glad to hear it's not broken, and I hope you recover quickly. 

​rant away, each team needs a catcher competent enough, and smart enough to try to receive each pitch that is in the direction of the umpire