wolfe_man

That's a pretty solid list. The only change I would consider is moving up from the AS mask to a more solid frame, but only from personal choice. From a cost standpoint, I'd say that's a great starting point and offers great value for the money. Personally, I'd keep the skull cap. I value it as much as my mask. It's one more level of protection against concussions. You only have one brain, protect it.

I have it on good authority that they purchased these. MLB gives the umpires $$$ per year (a few hundred) to use towards Mizuno products and they can purchase what they prefer. It sure feels like MLB is pretty frugal with their expenses and is not handing much out for free.

Congratulations and best wishes for a clean game!

Here is the article from Jim Kirk: https://www.ump-attire.com/Blog/Jim-Goes-Parental-with-Umpire-Cap-Bill-Length-Warning-on-Umpire-Empire-Post I realize everyone's experience is different, but the AS Skully does not move on my head all game. I wear 7 3/8 or 7 1/2 hats and use the L version and mine stays right where I put it. I just don't like the too-short bill, but I realize it was built for the MAG. I am thinking of buying an Axis Pro for the longer bill. To fix any shiny helmets, I recommend a simple coat or two of $5 spray-on Matte finish by Rustoleum. I've used it on several in the past and it lasted me several seasons. Thank you for the post. This is very helpful and more discussion and info is needing shared on these. I wholly endorse wearing one and the more that we can put out there, the safer our peers can be.

The same is true in my HS association. The local LL actually does a fair job of getting younger umpires going though. Many a good umpire has started at that level and advanced.

ROFLOL - I hear you brother! That was crossed out as not a real option of course. No way any of us are doing that option!

Gotcha. Each to their own of course. Ultimately, you have to do what works best for your situation. chinstrap

If it isn't AI, then this young man has excellent communication skills. I'd hire him to work in the bank's offices. He could forgo the umpire side hustle. Here's my AI response using the same language as above, but asking AI to elaborate and lengthen my reply: Certainly! Here’s an expanded and more detailed version of your response: If it isn’t AI, then this young man truly possesses outstanding communication skills. His ability to articulate thoughts clearly and engage effectively with others is impressive, especially for someone his age. I would absolutely consider hiring him to work in a bank’s offices, where strong interpersonal and professional communication are essential. With his talent, he could excel in client interactions, team collaboration, and even in roles that require precise documentation or customer service. Given these skills, he might not need to rely on his umpire side hustle; a promising career in banking could be well within his reach. It’s rare to see such poise and capability, and it speaks volumes about his potential for success in a professional environment.

Perhaps try going down a size. I did hear that you can buy padding direct from an AS rep like @Matt Arcovio. If that's still an option, you could possibly use the same helmet and simply adjust the padding to make it a snugger fit. Matt may have some suggestions here too, I tagged him. In my area, skull caps/helmets are still relatively unseen, in spite of me encouraging every partner to wear one. I've had 5 mask shots this year, way up from normal but I'm only doing plates as I recover so I'm seeing more pitches and doing lower level HS with new F2's, with no ill effects thus far. I am a big believer in the skully adding another layer of protection for your brain. I'd rather have inertia from the baseball knocking my mask off and then to my helmet than to my head & neck.

If a manager comes out and wants to ask a question, then make sure to call "time". I'm surprised how many guys just let them walk right out while the ball is still technically in play. I've learned to point them to my partner as @Velho suggests. Words can many times be used against us or sound feeble, so the less said the better off we are is often true. "It's his call on that, so you will need to direct any questions to him" or something like it works well. I would avoid giving them any information (I didn't see that, I'd make the same call if I were out there, etc.). It's been said to let them talk first and explain what their question is before we start assuming they are out there to argue or complain. He may not even be asking about that specific call, but about a missed base before it or something else. Before we start explaining why we're right, let them ask their question first, it may save us some headaches. Yeah, you're right on the last one. I've said it in the past and immediately regretted it as it sounds terrible like you said. Lesson learned and never-to-be-used again in the future - core memory unlocked.

The only difference between the two helmets, that I'm aware of, is the length of the bill. The Axis Pro (catcher version) is made for all masks and the Skully (umpire version) is made for AS MAG mainly. The Skully was specifically created with the short bill for the AS MAG due to it's unique forehead shape making it impossible to safely wear a regular bill underneath it, so they created the short-billed umpire skull cap (aka Bob the Builder). The Axis Pro has the same removable & washable padding and offers more colors (for catchers of course). This is why Max is so fond of saying these companies are for catchers, because they don't normally produce umpire-only gear. They just happen to have some gear they can throw out to umpires too, but it was made for catchers, and with them in mind, first.

+ Chad Whitson in a DX Kuta

I'm not sure on this one, that isn't an Enduro he's wearing in the pic. The one that he's wearing has a different neck pad and that orange trim appears to be plastic. I have heard that Chad Whitson has an Enduro also, but haven't seen him in it yet. It's hard finding recent pics and I don't get the opportunity to watch many games - and the highlights I catch seldom give me enough close views to notice umpire gear even though I'm looking!

If you tag the person that you want by using the @ and their name, then you'll normally get quicker replies. Some prefer negotiating via the messaging directly method too, you would go to his page by clicking on his name and then send him a message. It is a more private method of communicating sales details, payment, shipping info, etc. @Chris Hickman is well-known on here and does a great job when selling items. He has top-notch stuff and is well-recommended.

Interesting topic. Last night, the ball seemed to be jumping a lot more than usual. No one complained about illegal bats, but had me wondering in my head if there was something going on. Both pitchers were pretty good, but the ball was just jumping off the bat - line drives going to all fields! I'm glad we don't have to police it all the time, hardly ever even asked about it, but it had me looking up the rule to be safe.