Water Bottles

[MPLSMatt]

For year's, when working solo (very common in all sub Varsity games here), I've put my water bottle up against the backstop to one side or the other.   This was mentioned as a pet peeve in the peeves thread so now I'm feeling like a bit of a rube.  What do you guys do with your water bottle?  Dugouts are a bad option, as is exiting the field for any reason between innings.  So what do you guys do? 

 

 

[grayhawk]

In games where they won't fetch water for you, put your water any damn place that you feel like putting it.

[VAUmp]

I do the exact same thing.  It may be a pet peeve of someone, but there is nothing wrong with it.  What did the "pet peeve" guy say he did with the water bottle?

[VAUmp]

I do it in varsity games, and varsity playoff games too.  There is NOTHING wrong with that.  

[ricka56]

For HS games, there is water for the teams. If one of the dugouts doesn't offer water in between innings, then I ask.

[MidAmUmp]

My thought is if it's summer ball, take a damn side-by-side refrigerator out there if that's what you need to stay hydrated.

[MikeSafari]

I've yet to encounter a team that offered any sort of drink to me at all, so I take my big ol' 1.8 litre jug and stick it somewhere up the line at the backstop. I try to get it a reasonable distance from where it'll get interfered with, but I'm not about to risk all the crap that comes along with being dehydrated just to look more professional.

[ElkOil]

I use this:

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/igloo-1-2-gallon-sport-jug/pid-546651?N=349815080&affcode=42&kwid=ps_cse&cid=PLA_021820758&kwid=productads-plaid^78040230678-sku^021820758-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^69707526918

and hang it anywhere that's convenient.  I'll drink one per game.

[kylehutson]

I take (one or multiple depending on the heat) 0.5L disposable water bottle(s) and hang it/them in the chain link fence. They're always out of the way, and if I forget them, it's no big loss.

[sdix00]

The "no water bottles" directive I am most familiar with comes down the training line in my unit, along with wash your cap and don't use horns to signal the count.    

  So I imagine they are referring to the big red Thermos water jug hanging on the fence.    

 

As far as I am concerned, there is nothing wrong with bringing a 16 ounce Arrowhead disposable clear bottle and sticking it the fence behind you. .  

Even during playoffs, when I knew we were being watched, I still brought an 8 ounce bottle and put it in my left ball bag.  Same size as a baseball.   As long as I didn't accidentally hand it to the catcher, no one would know.    I wasn't about to risk the home team not having water for me in the dugout. 

 

[johnnyg08]

If necessary I put it in my ball bag.

[GreyhoundAggie]

It was 95 degrees with 60+% humidty this past weekend, I took a cooler and a huge thrmos of water and stuck it next to the fence. Never got touched or hit in 8 games, and I am doing whatever is necessary to keep from keeling over.

No one cares.

During the high school season its never an issue having one of the teams bring me a water bottle, but for summer ball its every man for themselves.

[maven]

Half my HS games this season seemed to be in the snow, so hydration wasn't much of an issue.

If I have a water bottle, it's sitting in DBT, hopefully in a bit of shade.

Remember the hydration formula: drink water until your pee is colorless up till 2 hours prior to the game, then stop drinking. Sip water throughout the game (should need no more than a 500ml/8oz bottle of water for 7-9 innings).

[blue23ll]

If someone has an issue with you putting your water bottle next to the fence, then that person can hold it for you and bring it to you between innings.

[renegadewolf]

If it fits in the fence, I put it there, if not I put it up against the fence.  Had a catcher a few games ago ask me to move my gatorade bottle from against the fence, to where I am not sure but I told him it wasn't going to happen.

66

[maineump]

I have seen guys keep one or two in their second ball bag. I guess I am fortunate, but many of my games have bottles or a cooler with cups in the dugouts.

I have no problem with water bottles somewhere out of the way/out of play, but we have guys who bring coffee cups on the field. Coffee is not a good hydration drink, and I think looks really bad for the ump to be drinking coffee on the field.

[MidAmUmp]

I often wonder what these Little Hitler supervisors would rather have - an umpire bring a water jug/cooler on the field or find an emergency replacement after that umpire goes down due to dehydration/heat issues?

In a perfect world teams would provide water, and at the higher levels they do. I'm sure if you asked a HS team to bring you a cup of water they wouldn't refuse. But when it's summer time and tournaments and there truly isn't a host team, my biggest fear is seeing each kid walking into the dugout with a personal jug of water...so I come prepared.

[Mudder]

I stick my water bottle in the fence at the backstop on the side where I determine the hotter babes are.  If I can see no hotties on either side, I try to find a spot on the backstop fence where there is, or will be, shade.  Don't start drinking until at least the 3rd or 4th inning, if I can help it, for fear of having to take a leak during a long game.

Used to stick the bottle in the fence 3 or 4 feet above the ground, until an F2 smashed his face on it when bending over getting a passed ball at the fence just below the bottle, so now I put it much higher.

[clasonater]

My thought is if it's summer ball, take a damn side-by-side refrigerator out there if that's what you need to stay hydrated.

​Hell yes, dealing with heat (and altitude) can be no joke

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ScubaUmp]

Hydrate early, Hydrate often! Dehydration can be a killer! That being said, eight 8 oz glasses is the minimum, at least a gallon a day for me adding these http://www.banadrink.com/ into the fluid intake regime the night before and during game days.

High School games I get the water from the home team.

Tournament or travel ball this is what I use, it hangs on the fence out of the way. They can be found for under 10 bucks. Got mine for $6.97 at CVS so for that game when when you need to get the hell out of there, no big loss.

http://www.igloocoolers.com/Beverage/Beverage-Personal-Size/Half-Gallon-Sport-with-Chain-Links

 

 

 

 

[BillKen]

I agree...drink all you want...whenever you want...and put your jug wherever you want.  If someone doesn't like it, tell them not to tempt you with AC, a recliner, and a cold beer!

 

[bluejerred]

Especially if you are working a tournament where they will not provide water/food for the umpires and you are left at your own devices.  Always nice how these tournament people with shade all day and light, loose fitting clothing will tell an umpire in plate gear who is waiting to PURCHASE water that they need the game to start on time - and then send nobody to deliver water/gatorade.  Now that is semi-pro!

Edited June 11, 2015 by bluejerred

[Umpire in Chief]

I have no problem with guys bringing a water bottle, thermos or the like on to the field. I do have a problem when they leave their empties on the field when they leave.

[TheRockawayKid]

For HS games, there is water for the teams. If one of the dugouts doesn't offer water in between innings, then I ask.

​Story time! 

During summer ball in the NY area, there's rarely a team's "community water" (and when there is, I'd help myself). But I have rarely ever asked a player for a drink of his personal stash. 

Except one time. 

It was the last game before getting the Nutty Buddy (so you can see where this is going). High teens, maybe 18U? F1 was throwing bullets. Ball nicks the elbow of the batter, and goes right into me. My protection had been in a "floating" state in my compression shorts the entire game, and at for this pitch, wasn't floating where it needed to be floating, if you get my drift. 

I keel over. F2 apologizes ("Not your fault" I manage to squeak out between grunts of pain), and both benches ask if I'm okay ("No." The only time I've flat-out said no). After two minutes, I start to feel woozy and nauseous. I ask both dugouts if they have Gatorade. I don't know why, but my brain said, get Gatorade. One guy did, and I felt terrible, but I asked him for his bottle. Wouldn't you know it, the Gatorade was great. It tasted blue, but more importantly, the flavor got my mind off the terrible pain. 

The moral of the story: Bring Gatorade for plate games (or the NB), and if I'm in the field, gum. Just in case. 

Postscript: My partner didn't realize I got hit. As I looked at him in sever pain, he was minding his own business for about 2 minutes, and when he saw F4 and F6 get together to talk (as I was doubled over), he told them to break it up. They said something to the effect of, "your partner is in bad pain." That's how he knew I was injured. This is the same guy who, as BU, stayed with a double play at 2B, completely forgetting to turn to first base. Thankfully, I was following up the line. I like the guy, though. 

[kylehutson]

Just don't be like the ump I had when coaching my kids' 13U wreck ball team.

He walked into our (visiting team) dugout and without asking, grabbed my AC's water jug, and drank straight from it. If he'd have asked, we probably would have found a cup, but that was nasty and disrespectful. I honestly think he was drunk judging from the way he was behaving throughout the game.