umpirecordova

A little off topic but same idea. Has anyone heard about any new styles of plate shoes coming out? Right now the only two plate shoes you can find are New Balance or 3n2. I know that New Balance has new base shoe style coming out I was just hoping that a new plate shoe is in the works.

Brand new set up. Wilson aluminum with the new mizuno throat guard. I love the weight and color of this mask. Vision is great. Not a big fan of the new pads, I feel that I get much more vision with TW.

It looks like a +pos ZRO-G with nike pads

@bvanump text sent

They had this product at TUS this year. They were talking about using it as a post game cooling system. They would keep the vest and and the seat cover in the locker room so after someone finished a plate job they could use it to cool down quicker.

Does anyone have pictures of themselves wearing the UE shin guards? I would like to see some pics of how they fit and how far up the leg you guys wear them.

Plus pos ZRO G

Just finished taking my throat guard off. I really like how it came out.

This one is a two parter. It's not an ejection story but a question on how to handle coaches in a league and level where I have a hard time finding that line in the sand. The other part is a question how to handle a "know-it-all" coach and his back handed comments/complaints. (Sorry in advance this will be long winded but it's a problem that has been growing and growing) 1) there are two Cal Ripken leagues where I live and my association covers games for both of them. One league is easy to work. The coaches are easy to work with and we don't have any problems. The other league has had some success in national Cal Ripken tournaments over the years and now I believe that is going to their heads. This year working at their major level (11-12 year olds) I have had a hard time finding my correct length of leash. When I work the plate these coaches cry on every pitch. It feels if little Johnny doesn't swing it's not a strike. I also have to deal with the umpires in the stands aka fans who will tell coaches that strikes are feet off the plate or painting black if they are pitching. I've had coaches who don't get a pitch and jump of their bucket and throw their hands in the air exclaiming "where did that miss" like a child not getting his way. Close plays on bases always have a coach yelling with "you/he were totally safe/out." Followed by a coach showing he tagged him up here. When they come and to talk to you they always want to show their acting skills and when I tell them to talk to me and don't show me, it's met with you don't need to get an attitude with me. They want help on every play. I know much of this is par for the course with most coaches and leagues but the problem I'm having is that it is every game and when I try to warn and stop it it's always you got a chip on your shoulder or you don't like me and you out to get us kind of thing. This league also issued cards and numbers to every umpire that we show at the beginning of the games to the scorebooks who write them down. If you do ever eject or you have a call they don't like they go to the name and number and write a complaint and always ask that you not do any more of their games and it's work so far on two umpires. The problem I'm having is how to I handle this like a professional umpire, having been to pro school, but also allow for a little of longer leash knowing they are mostly dad coaches who don't understand how to manage correctly? There are also things we can do as an association to have a more uniform policy in handling coaches because other guys let them get a away with so much. It's trying to find balance. What are your suggestions? 2) my next problem is with one coach who coaches in the league I'm having problems with. He thinks he is a baseball guru and the parents love him. Granted he is a good coach at teaching fundamentals and making kids better. But when he is coaching he creates this umpires vs us feeling. When his kids are pitching and he throws a close pitch he doesn't get he says "nice strike." Close plays on the bases "you were in there." When you tell him to stop he tells you he is talking to his players. When a ruling goes against him "what else do you expect." It feels that anything that goes against him is our fault. He accused me of making his pitcher cry because he didn't get a couple of close pitches when he was having a hard time finding the zone. What I can't stand the most is most of his comments that should get him ejected he says under his breath or away from you so he gets to say them but doesn't suffer the consequences. It's starting rubbing off to his parents and even worse his players. I don't want to come off as I'm out to get him but it's getting hard to continue to feel disrespected every game I have of his. Any question or suggestion welcomed.

I am also looking into getting the UE shin guards. My question about them is how is the fit? I measured my leg and I am about 15-15 1/2". I wanted to know how they should fit and what size that I should go with.

Just got my 460s on Saturday and used them behind the dish today. Let me say these are awesome. I was skeptical to go to NB after using reebok most of my umpiring career. But my feet felt great after a 2:30 high school game. Very easy to clean. Very very good shoe.

I wonder if that is Wilson doing the same thing they do with the big W sticker on CPs.

I took this screen shot of Tichenor and it does look like he has the Belgard pads. Also I had a question about mask pads. Cory Blaser used Team Wendy last year and this year it looks like he is either using Wilson non-wrap around or Team Wendy with a Wilson logo

It just a bit of a bummer because I really like the mask a lot. I just wished the catcher would of caught the pitch.

I wanted to see if anyone else had any problem with this mask as far as taking a shot. I just finished up a game and I took a straight pitch about 75 to the mask, maybe the catcher deflected it slightly, I didn't feel anything. But when I went to inspect the damage I saw that the frame was bent badly and looks like it started to cave in. I really like the mask, good color and great weight. I only used it for 4 games so far and had it for less that a year and this was the first shot I had taken with this mask. Have any of you experienced this problem before? I will post pics later

I am going to TUS this January and I just wanted to say hell to all the other students that will be attending. This is my second go at pro school I went a couple years ago and had the time of my life. I'm sure this time won't be any different. If anyone has any questions about pro school I will be happy to answer them for you. I can't wait to meet everyone next month!

This is my new mask. I got a +pos matte frame with team Wendy pads and a mizuno throat guard. This rig is really light compared to my old dyna light.

I was at that game and sitting along the third base line. From where I was I saw that he was late on the rotation and still moving on the play. A good position for the play should of been even with bag. Also it did seen that Alfonso was having trouble with balls and strikes. I couldn't see in or out but it looked like the giants were getting the low part of the zone that the Rockies were not. One pitcher got a little heated that lead to Alfonso takeing his mask off.

Does anyone know the status of this mask? Do we know of it's going to be released? I thought I've seen some MLB guys using them but I could be wrong. I would love to get my hands on one if it does become avalible

What are your guys view on the diamond ix3's. I have the double knee Wilson's right now and I love the pertection but I am having a hard time running in them. I feel like are weighing me down. I have been looking at picking them up but I have also been checking out the new champro hockey style shins that ump-attire started to carry. But I haven't heard enough or seen enough to see if they are worth it.

I got to work here a couple of times, Raley Field home of the Sacramento River Cats AAA affiliate of the Oakland A's

I did a search for this and I didn't find anything so I was hoping you guys could answer a question. I was doing a HS varsity game today and got a foul ball square on my mask and now my Dyna lite frame is bent. The bend is pretty bad but the mask is still usable (i.e. no bars that are bent that obstruct my view) I have a thing about me that I don't like to umpire with bent masks. No matter how bad, I had an old honigs single bar that has a small bend but I can't bring myself to putting on anymore. So my question is how long do/would you use a bent mask? Is it something that you only use out of necessity until you can repalce it? Or is it no big deal to you and you will contiune to use it until it is to much and/or it is damaged more? ps on a side note I am planning on replacing my mask when my game checks come in and im going down the route of either a new dyna lite or magnesium or if the baseball gods are good to me both.

I believe that I saw that team Wendy mask pads are machine washable. If so how do you do it? If they are not how would you guys clean them or get them ready for the new season.

While doing some research on this new aluminum wilson mask I found it in the wilson 2013 catalog. From the small picture they give you it looks that the bars will be thinner than the dyna lite mask and it has a matte black finish. It looks like a nice rig and it will be the second lightest mask behind the titanium. I will try to post pics if I can get one thats worth sharing.

I also think they may be the Nike trainer 1.3 maxx. While trying to find them I came across these and they seem to have a lot of NFL ties to them. I guess all the NFL teams have there own version of the shoe. They have the same sole of the air maxx's but for $170 they are quite an investment.