[SanDiegoSteve]

I wear them occasionally on the bases, but usually either when the AAA and Elite (both wood bat), which is peppered with ex-bigs/minors/D-1 types who can still flat out rake, or AA with guys who should be in wood bat leagues, but choose to play in metal bat leagues, and can send lasers to B and C.

In going on 4,000 games, I've been hit twice:

1. In a Senior LL game in C with a sharp ricochet off the side of an extremely tall and steep pitchers mound that took a funny bounce and I moved right into it.

2. In a HS varsity game (enter former major league player's name here), who I think delighted in taking aim at me on the bases (I worked quite a few of his games), nailed me in the right instep with a rocket while standing in C. It went straight from bat to just below the ankle before I could move my foot. He made me (and I'm sure many other umpires) dodge a few liners down the line in A too!