I'm with you two. I've never understood the minimalist equipment umpire, either. Even at lower levels, a sharp "foul tip to the umpire" (using MLB baseball announcers definition of a "foul tip"
) can "leave a mark."
Someone here will know the MLB umpire who, when asked if he wore his cup when calling the bases replied something like, "I don't even watch a game on TV without wearing my cup."
That sums up my attitude about equipment.