Shot to the face...Pads question

[kylejt]

Springs work until they bottom out.

And what's wrong with Zorbium?

 

[The Short Umpire]

This is just a guess but zorbium might not provide enough resistance for the springs to function properly. If there is not enough resistance behind the springs then they won't compress. Thus it would basically become just a normal mask except a lot heavier.  Like I said, this is just a guess and I don't have the exact math or physics to back that up.

[MadMax]

I’ve mentioned it before, and @The Short Umpire speculated it as well, that Zorbium is actually overkill in this employment, and actually defeats the function of the Force3 Defender mask springs.

According to Force3’s site, their existing leather mask pads are a proprietary construct of Kevlar, EVA foam, and memory foam. The two foams, combined, are already more than enough to protect your face, and certainly more effort than Wilson, Rawlings, MacGregor, or any of the other “big” brands put into pads. And barring a bisection of some Force3 pads and the GelFoam pads shipped with Nike and Adidas Icons, or the Belgard pads from Japan & Korea, I have a hunch that the Force3 pads even have those beat on complexity. Force3 included Kevlar, too, for crying out loud! The Kevlar is there as an energy absorption layer. Kevlar has some tremendous benefits, but its one detriment, or flaw, is that it cannot be exposed to UV light. So, as long as you encase it in a skin of a material that won’t tear (easily) or be permeable by UV light, the pads will function properly.

Problem is, again, that catchers pitch or cast their masks to the ground, where the pads get beaten up by all the dirt, grit, grass and clay. Sweat also does a number on it. Leather holds up better than most fabrics. If we can convince Jason (at Force3, @JimKirk) that we umpires would not abuse our mask pads, because we wouldn’t be casting our masks to the ground, then maybe Force3 could produce a set of pads in a technical fabric of some kind, that isn’t permeable to UV, and comes in black and charcoal grey(?). 

[BT_Blue]

On 8/2/2020 at 5:06 PM, The Short Umpire said:

This is just a guess but zorbium might not provide enough resistance for the springs to function properly. If there is not enough resistance behind the springs then they won't compress. Thus it would basically become just a normal mask except a lot heavier.  Like I said, this is just a guess and I don't have the exact math or physics to back that up.

Like Max says below... it is TO MUCH padding. While the Wilson Memory Foam would be more along the lines of what you are talking about. 

As for Max's suggestion... if they made a fabric pad, I would buy one in a New York minute!

[Replacematt]

After ten games or so in my Icon with Belgard pads, I'm sold on them. They're shaped so the impact goes to the sides of the mandible and not just to the chin. Tonight, there was a crossed-up fastball that caught me square and there was no movement of my jaw whatsoever.

[ousafe]

Should plate umpires be using mouth guards to protect against concussions?  I get it that it would be harder to enunciate, but "ha!" doesn't need to be super clear.  Just wondering.

[Replacematt]

53 minutes ago, ousafe said:

Should plate umpires be using mouth guards to protect against concussions?  I get it that it would be harder to enunciate, but "ha!" doesn't need to be super clear.  Just wondering.

I know I few that did, but all have stopped. There's a lot more that has to be said than just strike calls.

[Mr Ump]

5 hours ago, ousafe said:

Should plate umpires be using mouth guards to protect against concussions?  I get it that it would be harder to enunciate, but "ha!" doesn't need to be super clear.  Just wondering.

Seems it would be difficult to manage. There is more than just clinching the mouth for a potential impact involved. 

[LMSANS]

On 8/5/2020 at 1:38 AM, ousafe said:

Should plate umpires be using mouth guards to protect against concussions?  I get it that it would be harder to enunciate, but "ha!" doesn't need to be super clear.  Just wondering.

@Umpire in Chief was a big proponent of this. Let's get him to comment also.

[Umpire in Chief]

Thanks @LMSANS

Here's what I wrote in 2014:

Yes, I am an advocate of mouth guards. I wish they would become a staple product in every umpire's equipment bag much like a CP, mask or cup.

I've tried multiple versions.  What I was looking for was:

• Not too bulky - I'm not an MMA fighter
• Unobtrusive
• Allow me to communicate well
• Less noticeable - Don't give people a reason to notice or even mock you as an umpire
• Comfortable

I haven't done any research on it in a while but when I did in the 2013-14 time frame there were mixed professional opinions about their true ability to reduce the probability of concussions. That said, even given mixed professional opinions it definitely isn't going to hurt. Both my dentist and my doctor did recommend wearing one. 

I chose to wear one, and admittedly I did stop in ~ mid 2017, but only because the one I had was becoming uncomfortable and I kept saying I would be ordering a new one but never did. When I do get back on the field, I will continue to wear one. 

Just some notes:

• Wearing one did not hinder my upward mobility. 2017 was actually the best year of my career both at the collegiate and high school level.
• Some partners questioned it - But it did start some good conversations.
• I think a few also began wearing them 
• No coaches, players, or others ever said anything. 
• With the BIOGuard mouth guard I chose, I could speak clearly (it did take a little practice and getting use to, to speak clearly) and didn't have to remove it to speak although I often did
  • link to the one I used https://www.custommouthguardstore.com/BIOguard-I-Mouthguard-Kit-p/bioi-1color.htm
• With this one  ( I had clear)  please note:  Don't drink colored gatorade when wearing it.. Trust me on this..

For me it was just an extra piece of mind. There are guys who get CP extensions, Wear a coaches helmet under their traditional mask, wear forearm protectors, etc... for their piece of mind. Virtually everybody on this website has a FT job or is a student, and cannot afford to get a concussion on the field that could put us out of work / school. I can most likely go to work tomorrow if I break my arm, but I could be out of work for a while with even a mild/moderate concussion. 

I'm no masochist, but like any other piece of equipment, we umpires want to get that hard shot in our new CP or mask. Well I half heatedly also wanted to get that shot to my jaw to see how it was with a mouth guard. For better or worse after I started wearing the mouth guard, I never got another one of those haymaker shots to the jaw. So I cannot tell you if in my experience it helped. 

 

[SeeingEyeDog]

Really great topic here and something I have been considering...

The last time I wore a mouthguard was when I played hockey in the late 80's and early 90's. I couldn't find an OTC one that was comfortable so, I talked to my dentist and his lab offered custom cast mouthguards. It wasn't cheap and not covered by insurance but, it was very comfortable.

That was 30 years ago. I'm sure the technology has only gotten better...

~Dog