midmoump

I attended the Dallas clinic. Since we are in the second year of a two year rules cycle, there were no rules changes. However, there was a surprising emphasis placed on when and when not to conference with your partner(s). McArtor and Hiler emphasized that an umpire conference can occur ONLY to discuss one of the seven situations described in Appendix E of the rulebook. There was a fair amount of grumbling and confusion over this, but the message was clear: if it ain't one of the seven, you must live or die with your call. It was even suggested that if you conference when it is not authorized by the rulebook, the game could be protested. I would be interested to hear how others interpret this message during the other clinics.

Here is a great article on the subject from the Athletic Business website: http://www.athleticbusiness.com/articles/article.aspx?articleid=1852&zoneid=30

All umpire pants I have tried out take a 1-3/4" belt. I have tried Honig's, Smitty's, Gerry Davis, and Dalco. I have not tried Fechheimer.

Postal workers. . . interesting. . . F.Y.I I found a black leather belt 1-3/4" at Atlantic Uniform for $8.75: http://www.atlanticuniform.com/lettercarrier/bel204.htm And at Skaggs Postal Uniforms a 1-3/4" is $13.46 with free shipping: http://www.skaggspostal.com/scripts/items.asp?itm=NOR+1620&next=1&allot=0 Honigs sells a 1-3/4" leather belt for $19.95, and Ump-Attire sells same for $17.99. Thanks, Chris. That is a good suggestion!

Brian, Excellent observation, and one that deserves an explanation! Since the FX 2.0 was not available from Wilson until October, there were few umpires that had the opportunity to try it out. The October Midwest Ump review compared the 2.0 against the 2009 FX and found it similar in most ways, and improved in other ways. Here's the thing: the Wilson FX is the most significant recent advancement in umpire safety, and the FX helmet deserves the Product of the Year. The 2.0 made some improvements on the original design. So the decision came down to either awarding the Product of the Year to the 2009 FX (being discontinued), or the 2010 FX 2.0 (available now). Since the FX 2.0 was tested during the year, it was chosen for this year's POY over the 2009 version. I suppose in a way it was a marketing decision, but that decision was made entirely by Midwest Ump in consideration of the article's relevancy to the umpire community. Since this is the first UMPY article, there are bound to be some mistakes. Maybe next year there should be a cut-off for new products?

O.K., since it's the off-season, let's have some fun: 2009 Umpire Merchandise Products of the Year (UMPY) Awards Announced by Midwest Ump The 2009 Umpire Merchandise Products of the Year, or “UMPY Awards,” have been announced by Midwest Ump, an umpire equipment, apparel, and training review site at: http://midwestump.blogspot.com Nine categories were chosen for this year’s competition. The winners of are: Traditional Mask – Champro FM-58 PRO-PLUS Gold Super-Xtreme Lightweight Face Mask Helmet – Wilson Shock FX 2.0 Titanium Umpire Helmet Shirt – Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt Pants – Honig’s Poly Wool Umpire Pants Accessory – (TIE) Nutty Buddy Accessory – (TIE) Ump-Attire Ultimate Ball Bag Shoes – Reebok Field Magistrate Plate Shoes Chest Protector – Wilson West Vest Platinum Chest Protector Leg Guards – Wilson DaviShins Leg Guards Training – UmpireTeacher.com The 2009 Umpire Product of the Year is the Wilson Shock FX 2.0 Titanium Umpire Helmet, chosen for its technological advancements in umpire safety. Congratulations to all of the winners of the 2009 Umpire Products of the Year. The complete article can be found at: http://midwestump.blogspot.com/2009/11/best-umpire-equipment-apparel-and.html

Nate, What I found during the shirt comparison review last spring was that the shirts were all cut a little different. Honig's had the tightest overall fit and Dalco's cut was very large. Below are the stats. Shoulder measurements were taken from the collar seam along the shoulder seam to the bottom of the sleeve. Chest measurements were taken from under one arm hole across the chest to the other arm hole. Manufacturer/Size/Chest/Bottom Hem/Shoulder Dalco - XXL / 28.5 / 28.5 / 19.5 Cliff Keen MXS - XL / 25 / 25 / 19 Official's Choice - XL / 25 / 25 / 19 Honig's - XL / 24 / 23 / 17 Gerry Davis - XXL / 27 / 27 / 18 Smitty - XL / 24 / 25 / 17.5 Ultimate - XL / 25.5 / 25 / 18.5 Please note that this review was conducted in March, so the suppliers or designs may have changed. I hope this helps.

kylejt, That story is hilarious! I have a friend that owns the clock/indicator, so I will pass your story along. As for the Ultimate Ball Bag, I have noticed the bunching also. However, it has happened with every ball bag I have owned.

I found this post on "New Gear and Equipment" interesting and have nominated it accordingly for "Post Of The Month November, 2009"

Hey, Warren! I didn't know they. . . oh. Nevermind. Your first priority is to cover your ribs and your collar bone (clavicle). If you are concerned about ball-belly impact, or the 13" will not cover your ribs, check out longer protectors. There are not many available, but here are a few suggestions: Champion P200 17" Chest Protector available on Amazon for $54.95 and Sport about Equipment for $44.95. Also sometimes found on eBay. Pro Nine also sells a XL, 16" foam/hard plastic chest protector and offers 4" extensions. Allaroundsportsllc sells the combo for about $75 bucks. 20" ought to protect Andre the Giant!

The Nutty Buddy! Come on! Have you seen the video?! Or the Fox Sports Science video? Also, check out my review (shameless plug) The Nutty Buddy is amazing.

Television's "little box" is a joke. When Guerrero struck out looking at a backdoor curve in the 4th, Fox Network showed the ball outside their "little box." Later that night MLB Network showed the same pitch inside their "little box." Makes me wonder about McClelland's complaint about the tag-up replay in game four. One camera showed the catch and a different camera showed the tag. Show me the camera that has the catch and tag. That's the only replay that matters.

Nate- Thanks for the kudos. Unfortunately, I'm afraid my photography skills may have misrepresented the new Shock FX 2.0. Here is a couple professional photos: First the Wilson And the All-Star Ump-Attire is selling the Wilson for $219.95. Lester's Upstate is selling the All Star for $370!!! I still can't figure out why the All Star is so expensive. What am I missing?

I'm watching the ALCS and Fox Network has miked PU Jerry Layne. Fox broadcast a between inning conversation between Layne and Mike Scioscia about Angels catcher Mike Napoli squeezing inside and impairing Layne's view. Scioscia suggested Napoli could set up lower. MY OH MY how the pros are SO aware of the umpires on the field and how the amateurs are SO oblivious. . .

I just posted a review of 2010 Wilson Shock 2.0 FX Titanium Umpire Helmet (with pictures) here: http://midwestump.blogspot.com/2009/10/review-of-2010-wilson-shock-20-fx.html

Congrats, Warren! :shrug:

Does Baseball Need Umpires? Recent Bad Calls Have Critics Howling for Better Umps, But Maybe It's a Job for Machines By JONAH KERI During Friday's playoff game at Yankee Stadium, Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins hit an 11th-inning fly ball down the left-field line that landed clearly fair, a foot inside the line. As millions looked on, umpire Phil Cuzzi, who was standing just 10 feet away, fixed his eyes on the spot and gave his signal: Foul. . . http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704107204574469381382610114.html

Building a Better Umpire By FAY VINCENT WITH the American League and National League Championship Series under way and the World Series looming, the baseball world is buzzing with criticism of the umpiring during the first round of the playoffs. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/opinion/18vincent.html

Outstanding articles, Warren. I'm really enjoying reading your updates!

Warren- It just makes sense that a flatter design will not deflect a foul ball, and result in more of that impact transfering to the mask/skull. HOWEVER, as Jim Kirk points out in a blog last year, Kerwin Danley was wearing a Dyna-Lite when he was seriously injured by a Brad Penny fastball. The Dyna-Lite is not a low-profile design. Another umpire injury occured when Randy Marsh took a foul ball to his mask in August at San Diego. He was wearing (what looks to be) a Wilson Titanium non-low profile mask. Finally Ed Hickox suffered a concussion after being struck in the cage of his Wilson Shock FX HSM by a foul ball. My point is that the MLB umpires are being injured while wearing a variety of masks and helmets. Until we get some hard data from lab-testing these masks, the safety aspects of one mask versus another is just speculation. But for my money I'll stick with a traditional shape and avoid the low-profile masks.

Just posted a review of the Wilson Chrome Moliben Mask at: http://midwestump.blogspot.com/2009/10/review-of-wilson-chrome-moliben-umpire.html Also recently posted a review of the Wilson West Vest Platinum Chest Protector - complete with amateur video!!! Remember to vote for your favorite umpire shirt while you are there.

While in the military I used shirt garters to hold my socks up and keep my shirt tucked in. Here's the basic concept: The garter clips to your shirt and your socks. A garter could probably be shortened or otherwise modified to clip to your shin guards, right?

I currently wear Honig's B1 and B2 heather grey slacks, but only because Honig's sent me replacement slacks after my previous pair turned pink! I can't recommend Honig's heather grey pants. I recommend the Smitty's if you can wear them. However, the Smitty's are cut slimmer than most, and some umpires have complained about the trim fit. I wore the Gerry Davis charcoal combos during summer baseball, and I like them very much. They are easy to care for, don't fade, and are hard to wrinkle. Since the Smitty's don't fit me well (big tush), I will likely try out GDs in heather next year.

I just posted a review of Honig's Poly-Wool Umpire Pants that includes some comparison info that some might find helpful. The link is: http://midwestump.blogspot.com/2009/10/review-of-honigs-poly-wool-pants.html

This is a very well written article. Not the typical fluff piece we are accustomed to seeing - you know, the "local boy has a dream" piece. Check it out!