Baseball or Dodgeball?

[keydetpiper]

Last week I was the sole umpire for a developmental LL majors game. The visiting team nearly forfeits; the coach drives everyone to games and he was running late. This team either doesn't have uniform pants or doesn't wear them. Some kids were out there in jeans, others in shorts. But that's neither here nor there....

This same team put a player behind the plate with gear on, but I really don't want to call him a catcher because he didn't do much of that. A squatter would be appropriate, because he that alright. If the pitch didn't come directly to his mitt, he didn't move the mitt to catch it. I don't know if he didn't react in time or didn't realize it was his job to catch it; either seems likely.

I took five shots in that game, all on my left side, on inside pitches that were untouched by both batter and squatter. Needless to say I was getting a bit jumpy and flinching when that team was on defense. The other team was fine: that catcher (a girl) could catch, and had more baseball awareness than pretty much anyone else on the team.

The good news is that only one of them caught me on an unpadded area (inside of my forearm), but two (knee and shoulder) left a bruise under the pads. I spent some quality time with an ice pack when I got home.

No point to my rant, I'm just complaining.

[Umpire in Chief]

Been there. I feel your pain, literally.

[keydetpiper]

There's one forum member whose signature line is "May the ability of your catchers exceed that of their pitchers." When I first saw that I chuckled a bit to myself; now after that game it rings a bit more true.

[ukce1861]

Sounds like one of those kids who's STILL never caught before... Yeah, I've had a few of those.

[NFUA_44]

There's one forum member whose signature line is "May the ability of your catchers exceed that of their pitchers." When I first saw that I chuckled a bit to myself; now after that game it rings a bit more true.

I've had this problem, though I haven't worked LL in many years. What you describe can get dangerous, you can still take a nasty shot to an appendage that can put you down with broken bones unable to umpire, and do many other things for a long time. Be careful! The one time I can remember where I had a "squatter" I wound up taking 3 or 4 shots in one half inning. When they came back out I moved to the back of the pitchers mound and called balls and strikes from there. After a couple of batters the coach got the picture and switched out his squatter for an honest to goodness catcher.

This isn't something I would advise at any other level, but if you have a clueless coach you gotta do what you gotta do to protect yourself.

[th3]

sounds to me like you need new pads!

[JaxRolo]

The good news is that only one of them caught me on an unpadded area (inside of my forearm), but two (knee and shoulder) left a bruise under the pads. I spent some quality time with an ice pack when I got home.

Sounds like you are using inferior gear. Get a hard shell CP. Don't know what to tell you about the leg guards. I have been hit dead on several times on mine at HS games never felt a thing. I wear the 2-strap Gerry Davis.

[grayhawk]

There's one forum member whose signature line is "May the ability of your catchers exceed that of their pitchers." When I first saw that I chuckled a bit to myself; now after that game it rings a bit more true.

I came up with it after doing a game similar to what you described. I took a shot in a LL Minors game last weekend right on the wrist. This team put in their hardest thrower with a kid that hadn't caught all season. He set up outside and the pitch came inside and he never even came close to getting a glove on it. I took more shots in that one game than I did in 15 HS games this year.

[Mike Prince]

In lower age levels of rec ball I have grown used to catchers who can't catch a cold. I just finished up my first season of HS ball and I probably took as many shots in a season as I do in a single inning of some rec ball games. Those are the games where I am grateful for pro-level gear. Protect your hands and fingers with a good stance and you will be fine.

[keydetpiper]

The good news is that only one of them caught me on an unpadded area (inside of my forearm), but two (knee and shoulder) left a bruise under the pads. I spent some quality time with an ice pack when I got home.

Sounds like you are using inferior gear. Get a hard shell CP. Don't know what to tell you about the leg guards. I have been hit dead on several times on mine at HS games never felt a thing. I wear the 2-strap Gerry Davis.

The cause of the bruises was that the ball hit near the edge of the pads, and the impact pushed the pads into my tender flesh with enough force to leave a small bruise. I will consider getting better gear though; I started with what was in my price range, and now am saving the game fees for better equipment. Thanks for the suggestion.

[mstaylor]

Always buy the best you can, you will buy less often.

[boyinr]

I had this on a game this weekend...... The F2 was all over the place doing a great job of protecting me. I only got hit a couple of times. Nothing that hurt. (always buy pro gear). As we were chatting he apologized and said that F1 is not throwing what he is calling. I recommended he watch Bull Durham before the next game (young kid had never seen it) . The coach made a pitching change at the next half inning.