Ouch

[Umpire in Chief]

Last night had a LL Majors game. I got lit up like never before. And naturally most hit where I had no protection. In the bottom of the 2nd I  had to call time and talk to the coach about getting his catcher to at least try to put some leather on the ball after my second uncaught pitch that hit me in the gut on the same batter. I was seriously considering calling the pitches from the backstop like in coach pitch.

I have a  desk job with very little physical demands. But today I sit here sore as a b!+ch. I literally feel like I must have just lost a fight.

Here's where I'm hurting right now in no particular order .

* Left thigh

* Right arm just above elbow 

* Right arm just below shoulder 

* Left wrist 

* Left bicep

* Right side of the gut just below the ribs

* Left side of the gut above belt.

These are only the ones that still hurt. I had a few other glancing blows I don't feel anymore And one uncaucht pitch that hit me in the belt buckle (I think I will now consider the belt buckle protective equipment).

Amazingly nothing hit me in the right thigh that is still tender from a  D-II foul from a little while ago. I  may have gone down or walked off the field if I were hit there.

If today wasn't going to be a hectic day at work I probably would have taken the day off. 

 

[Tksjewelry]

I've had a few games where the catchers were so bad that I took my gear off between innings and called the game from behind the pitcher. I'm no one's piñata. 

[StrikeToWin]

I worked with an umpire that after 4 pitches called time and walked over to the HC and told him that either he tell his catcher to start catching the ball or find a new catcher.  These were 12 year old competitive teams.  He told the catcher that he wasn't a backstop and the coach asked him what he suggested and his words were "Either you find somebody who can catch the ball or you can watch the game from the parking lot."  Not saying this was the right way to handle it, but it did get his point across and the catcher started making a better effort.  In those 4 pitches he was hit 3 times and the catcher didn't even move to catch the ball inside.

[JHSump]

Wow, Warren! Sorry to hear about all that. While I have never accumulated such a tally of hits in one game, I certainly understand the issues with F2 letting balls go that pelt me.

In one 11-12 year-old game, with a hard throwing F1 and nearly non-existent F2, I starting calling pitches from the "super super super slot," i.e., to the *left* of a RHB! I just watched where the ball passed F2, or hit him, and called it accordingly!

And, I was once hit in the thigh during an 11U game on a Saturday, just a few days after I had been hit there in varsity HS game. Yeah, no picnic. After I walked it off for a bit, one of the coaches that had come out asked if I got hit in the boys, and if I was wearing a cup. That is how bad I reacted.

I like the idea of considering belt buckles as protective gear.

I hope you feel better as the day goes on.

[Majordave]

@Umpire in chief

Warren,

You should have just grabbed his CP harness and moved him like a balloon protector to block the pitches. I have done that twice now.  Once in LL 10s "All-Stars" (yea right!) several years ago and once in HS "Varsity" (again, yea right!) in Missouri last year. 

I have also dumped a coach after he screamed in my face when I asked him to either speak to his catcher about trying to catch/block a baseball or two every now and then or find a new catcher who can actually move/catch/block the pitches. It was his kid as the catcher. Oops!  I guess I need to start getting last names from daddy coaches and demand they list full or last names on lineup cards. 

[kylehutson]

Wreck ball season starts in 2 weeks in my little town. I always end up the season with couple dozen small bruises (fortunately, most of the pitchers don't throw that hard, but they do add up). I don't know that I've ever ended up a single *game* with as many bumps, though. You have my sympathies @Umpire in Chief.

[ZebraStripes]

Wreck ball season starts in 2 weeks in my little town. I always end up the season with couple dozen small bruises (fortunately, most of the pitchers don't throw that hard, but they do add up). I don't know that I've ever ended up a single *game* with as many bumps, though. You have my sympathies @Umpire in Chief.

​starts?  

[blue23ll]

There is a direct correlation to getting hit and youth ball. I have done my youth ball dues paying and now I won't do anything under HS JV age. 

[Umpire in Chief]

Here's the follow up. 

Next night same league. I told my partner he'd be doing the plate. One of the teams was the worse of the two. At the plate meeting the coach is laughing "Feeling a little rough today, eh. You don't want to do the plate for us again tonight?" 

I told him, "its really not that funny." 

Now I was just scheduled there again. I won't be doing the plate again. 

[Mudisfun]

Balloon.

Nuff said.

[kylehutson]

​starts?  

Not understanding your question @ZebraStripes

[LRZ]

After getting hit on the forearm last season and needing a full month before the swelling and soreness healed, I added football-style padded sleeves to my attire.

And, after reading about them in a thread somewhere around here, I bought thigh-padded shorts, but have not worn them yet.

I am not paid enough to risk fractures and other serious injuries while umpiring.

[Tksjewelry]

I did a Catholic league 14u game this week behind the plate. Yeah, that's not happening again. Both legs and arms bruised (inside and outside) and few hits that flipped my mask. One team had a catcher who is 6'+ 200 lbs, crowding the inside plate and pops up to a football stance every pitch. If I ever am asked to take them again, it's with the condition that I'm BU, no exceptions. Honestly, I'd rather do 8u select. At least those kids can catch a ball. 

[kylehutson]

I still gotta give some love to wreck ball, though. Everybody has to start somewhere, and I coached my own kids through many years.

It may suck to ump those games, but the kids appreciate it, and that's really what it's all about.

[ZebraStripes]

Not understanding your question @ZebraStripes

​Rec season starts.... all of our spring seasons are coming to an end so it just sounds weird that a season is starting.  It was 90 degrees here yesterday so I forget that some of you are in a much colder area.

[kylehutson]

Got it.

Generally here in Kansas we have "traveling teams" (who typically play USSSA tourneys) that start around spring break and end around Independence Day. Rec teams don't start until school is out and go until mid- to late-July.

[ZebraStripes]

We've had games going since February.  

[Nafxos]

I took a foul ball directly to my right forearm last night.  I honestly thought it might be broken for a couple of minutes.  Now I have a nice circle of lace marks - it looks like a giant squid got a tentacle on me.  It's swollen pretty bad but the really nasty bruising / discoloration hasn't set in yet.  I'm sure it will be gorgeous in a few days.

Edited May 20, 2015 by Nafxos

[ZebraStripes]

My shot from Saturday is now back to almost normal.

[webspinnre]

Took one in the left thigh yesterday on a ball the 10u catcher didn't even bother moving the glove for. Luckily the kid didn't throw that hard.