[officialtony]

You guys are comparing apples to masks ( heh heh heh ).
When you say that the majority of this generation's catchers are wearing hockey masks - that is true. But if you are saying that because of that, the new generation umpire is going to wear helmets, I fail to see the rationale. First of all, they grew up watching " real " umpires wear masks. This is their indoctrination into umpiring - not what catchers wear. Secondly, on a baseball team, how many catchers are there? 2 , 3, 4 ? So why would all the other ball players decide a hockey mask is better - because their catcher wears one and their " real " umpires don't? Again, I fail to see the rationale. Or are we presuming that only catchers ( who by the way wear hockey style helmets ( smile )) will become umpires? I certainly hope not - nor do I agree. I still stand by the mask and believe that masks are here for a long while.
Just my humble opinion.