2011 UMPY Awards Posted!

[midmoump]

The 2011 Midwest Ump Umpire Merchandise Products of the Year (UMPY Awards) are now posted at:

http://midwestump.blogspot.com/2011/12/2011-umpire-merchandise-products-of.html

Included in this article is a big surprise for Warren!

Pete

[hckyosgood30]

Great overall article. However I still have to respectfully disagree when it comes to the U-A shirt. I've owned 4 all of which have ripped, frayed, and just plain faded on me in a very minimal time. With Honigs new material, I'll stick with them. I've told Jim about some of the issues that I've had and he has graciously asked how he can better serve me and his customers as a whole. But So far the U-A for me is 0 for 4. So my business and preference now goes back to Honigs. But overall I do agree with many of the candidates and winners that you picks this year. And I 100% agree with U-E winning for best resource. We cover everything clinics, books, and just general umpire discussion for any and everyone.

Keep up the good work.

[Chris Hickman]

I agree with Mike. I have seen the UA shirt and the stitching needs some improvement. I would also like to see smitty and UA make a pocket that is rectangular and not pointed. Dollar for dollar I think smitty makes a nice shirt. But the shirts I wear on the field are Majestic. This is not Jim kirk bashing... Just an opinion from a gear expert.

[Umpire in Chief]

The 2011 Midwest Ump Umpire Merchandise Products of the Year (UMPY Awards) are now posted at:

http://midwestump.bl...roducts-of.html

Included in this article is a big surprise for Warren!

Pete

Wow. Thanks Pete! :notworthy:

In reading what Pete wrote, the vast majority of what Pete wrote has more to do with our members and what they bring to the site.

Thank you Pete and thanks to all of our members! :clap:

[Kevin Finnerty]

I just have too many Majestics to try anything else right now. And once you Scotchguard the collars, they wear very well.

[midmoump]

K-Finn and his Scotchguard Majestics. . .

Warren, you know I'm a big fan. I appreciate your efforts in keeping this site going. I know it is a daily grind. Congratulations on your well-deserved award!

Pete

[justwin]

i agree the ump attire ultimate shirts are way overrated..last poll they had on this site members voted smitty , honigs and another brand ahead of the ultimate shirt...for the price the ultimate shirt is not a great value in my opinion..doesnt matter where it is made..usa or china...good value is good value...for the money smittys are great but the new 2011 honigs shirts are very good and 5 bucks cheaper than ultimate shirts...the all star chest protector and leg guards as winners i dont know...my friend just got the 15 inch chest protector from bettter baseball i think...and for 121.99 ...25 bucks cheaper than ump attire....i tried it on ...it looks good but it is heavy ...alot heavier than my plantinum and 17inch v sport...as for the wilson titanium mask as best...that i cant figure out...i know of three people whose wilson titanium bars have been bent badly within one years use and for 200 bucks not worth it at all... and the diamond silver mask is rock solid...i can attest to that as i have been hit this year with 4 or 5 really hard shots the head without feeling a thing and the mask is the same as the day i bought it year and half ago..just my two cents worth...excellent information ,,,,keep up the good work

[Kevin Finnerty]

The Wilson titanium bends and the Diamond silver actually fractures. I guess the Diamond's somewhat safe at speeds of 80 and below. The pads are also inferior. The soft, light and absorbent leather wrap-arounds that come on the Wilson are yet another reason that the Wilson is superior. Now I don't know if the Wilson's the best, but I do know it's better and safer than the Diamond. It works out to $100 per year, or so. That's well worth it for the added safety.

[Thunderheads]

I'm not sure that the "official supplier" of the MLB umpires gear should:

1) NOT be tested

2) Bend ....

:2cents:

[Kevin Finnerty]

The bending is better than snapping, and the bends are usually pretty minor---barely detectable, actually. It took five really high-velocity shots for mine to bend to the point where it needed to be replaced. I suppose there's a trade-off for superior comfort and high visibility.

[midmoump]

Think of it this way. . . when a baseball hits your mask, its energy has to go somewhere. The energy is either deflected somewhere else or absorbed into something else.

While not getting hit at all is best, deflection is second best. Its great when the energy from a glancing blow causes your mask to spin off your face. In that case the energy from the ball is both deflected and transferred. The ball hits the mask and a great portion of the ball's energy continues off to the backstop, a portion of the ball's energy is absorbed by the mask cage, a portion by the mask pads, a larger portion causes your mask to spin, and a portion is absorbed by your head. In many cases so much of the ball's energy is deflected and absorbed, that the umpire feels little or nothing. It all depends on how much energy is transferred to you head.

The process of absorbing the ball's energy is worst for the umpire. That's when the ball hits you square and falls at your feet. From a safety aspect, a throw-away cage that absorbs all of the ball's impact force would be best. Can you image? When hit by the ball, the cage collapses and no energy is transferred to your head. Simply toss it aside and put on another mask. Another option is an indestructible mask frame and ultra energy absorbent mask pads.

Unfortunately, we don't have these products. What we have are cage materials and mask pads of varying effectiveness. A cage that does not bend is very effective at transferring the ball's energy to something else (i.e. your noggin). A cage that bends has taken the ball's energy to bend the mask cage. That is why steel (and not titanium) cages are used by many MLB umpires. The steel bends quicker than titanium, and therefore less of the ball's impact is transferred to the umpire's head.

So what do you want? A cage that will not bend, but transfers more impact energy to your head, or a cage that will bend and absorbs more of the impact energy? In an ideal world we would always choose the safer design. Unfortunately, purchasing throw away masks is not economical.

Pete

[JaxRolo]

Does Wilson not Warranty their Masks against Bends?

[midmoump]

Wilson, like many other manufacturers, has a one year warranty for product defects. Manufacturers differ on what they consider a "product defect." Any mask will bend or break when enough force is applied. Early in my umpiring I had a hollow core steel mask bend when a DA high school catcher missed a 90+ mph fastball (yes, that kid was drafted) and it hit me square in the mask. I sent it back to the manufacturer, who replaced it - no questions asked.

I have also heard of others who have sent their masks back to the manufacturer and had them replaced. In fairness, a mask that bends when hit by a foul ball, etc. is generally not a defective product. It is actually doing what it was designed to do (see post above). On the other hand, a mask that explodes and causes "a concussion, broken bones in his left ear, and an inner-ear fluid leak from his right ear" is a product defect.

Pete

[Kevin Finnerty]

Does Wilson not Warranty their Masks against Bends?

Firstly, great stuff, Pete!

My first titanium--the low profile--bent ever-so-slightly on the forehead U-bar on the first good shot. I didn't even detect it for awhile, but when I did, I was advised to send it to Wilson, if it's been less than a year. I did that, and they replaced the whole mask, pads and harness, too. I had bought a standard profile to replace it while Wilson had the first one. I moved the new one Wilson gave me, and used that standard profile for two years when it finally bent too badly from a really hard shot. I bought a new standard titanium to replace it, as I had gotten my two years' worth out of it. So I've actually paid a net total of $400, and the current one I am using is still virtually new. So what will I get out of it ... two years, or more?

I love the mask--especially with the light, soft black leather wrap-arounds. My left arm--the one with the reconstructed shoulder--also loves the mask. It doesn't get nearly as much of a beating ripping off the ultralight titanium rather than the clunky chrome-moliben.

[Thunderheads]

Does Wilson not Warranty their Masks against Bends?

Firstly, great stuff, Pete!

My first titanium--the low profile--bent ever-so-slightly on the forehead U-bar on the first good shot. I didn't even detect it for awhile, but when I did, I was advised to send it to Wilson, if it's been less than a year. I did that, and they replaced the whole mask, pads and harness, too. I had bought a standard profile to replace it while Wilson had the first one. I moved the new one Wilson gave me, and used that standard profile for two years when it finally bent too badly from a really hard shot. I bought a new standard titanium to replace it, as I had gotten my two years' worth out of it. So I've actually paid a net total of $400, and the current one I am using is still virtually new. So what will I get out of it ... two years, or more?

I love the mask--especially with the light, soft black leather wrap-arounds. My left arm--the one with the reconstructed shoulder--also loves the mask. It doesn't get nearly as much of a beating ripping off the ultralight titanium rather than the clunky chrome-moliben.

So, .. 4 total rigs, ..you paid for 2 (because of the Wilson replacement)? Right? Did I follow this properly? ;)

[Kevin Finnerty]

I sold the low-profile replacement one from Wilson and it paid for the standard profile replacement that I already bought before I sent the bent one in. Then, after two years, I retired the standard one and bought another one. So I'm sporting my third rig, but I've owned four. The first one was the low-profile, and I used it only a few months. I never used the replacement before I sold it.

[Thunderheads]

I sold the low-profile replacement one from Wilson and it paid for the standard profile replacement that I already bought before I sent the bent one in. Then, after two years, I retired the standard one and bought another one. So I'm sporting my third rig, but I've owned four. The first one was the low-profile, and I used it only a few months. I never used the replacement before I sold it.

Right, so you purchased 2 ...thus the $400 total?

[th3]

CONGRATULATIONS WARREN!