Always wear a breathing apparatus!

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I came across this article in the Huffington Post this morning:

The Aftermath Of This Ballplayer's Crotch Shot Just Gets Better And Better


Also, I saw that the umpires were wearing navy blue pants. Is the requirement in Minnesota?

MTD, Sr.

[tw1ns]

I think it is just bad white balance with the cameras making their pants look blue. But how about that foul ball. ouch! did you happen to catch the opposing coaches wandering about outside the dugout...what the heck? there were 3 of them!!!

[umpjim]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

I came across this article in the Huffington Post this morning:

The Aftermath Of This Ballplayer's Crotch Shot Just Gets Better And Better


Also, I saw that the umpires were wearing navy blue pants. Is the requirement in Minnesota?

MTD, Sr.

"that wasn't a strike in the first inning". It wasn't 20 to 1 in the first inning.

[jTheUmp]

Navy pants are not used in MN... it's charcoal or heather gray. Charcoal is preferred, although I can't say I honestly noticed/cared one way or the other what my partner was wearing on those occasions where I actually had a partner (all of our non-varsity games around here are single-umpire).

The pants look navy blue due to the camera, as noted earlier.

RE: coaches wandering around outside the dugout... I don't like it, and tell 'em they can't be outside the dugout unless they're coaching 1st or 3rd base... but it seems like I'm the only umpire that bothers to do so.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

After watching the umpires more closely, I guess those are charcoal gray pants.

But I a game in the AAU Boys' 16U Nationals one year where the catcher from the one team took a shot like that and admitted to me that he takes his cup out when he bats because he doesn't like to wear one at all.

And, early this year MTD, Jr., took a pitch the was in the dirt which bounced up and caught him in his "reserved parking space". He was okay but it really stung and the catcher's coach made him request time and talk with his pitcher to give Mark time to recover. I, jokingly, reminded the catcher that he had to do a better job of protecting Junior because I wanted to a grandfather someday, .

MTD, Sr.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

Navy pants are not used in MN... it's charcoal or heather gray. Charcoal is preferred, although I can't say I honestly noticed/cared one way or the other what my partner was wearing on those occasions where I actually had a partner (all of our non-varsity games around here are single-umpire).

The pants look navy blue due to the camera, as noted earlier.

RE: coaches wandering around outside the dugout... I don't like it, and tell 'em they can't be outside the dugout unless they're coaching 1st or 3rd base... but it seems like I'm the only umpire that bothers to do so.

You might just be.

On the night I found out my wife was pregnant (12 years ago), I had one bounce up and hit me right there. I was on the ground for a few minutes. Partner said "good thing she's pregnant, you may only have one." We did only have one.

[jicecone]

Many years ago I had a coach in the 3b dugout that insisted he was going to stand outside the cage. Left handed batter fouled one off that christened the family jewels. He went to the hospital and I never ever saw him outside the dugout again. True Story

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by jicecone

Many years ago I had a coach in the 3b dugout that insisted he was going to stand outside the cage. Left handed batter fouled one off that christened the family jewels. He went to the hospital and I never ever saw him outside the dugout again. True Story

I am surprised that his medical insurance company didn't sue you for not enforcing a safety rule which caused it to pay out money for its client's medical expenses.

MTD, Sr.

[umpjim]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

I am surprised that his medical insurance company didn't sue you for not enforcing a safety rule which caused it to pay out money for its client's medical expenses.

MTD, Sr.

You left out the "tongue in cheek" emoticon.

[Matt]

I can assure you those are charcoal pants as BU is one of my regular D2 partners.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by umpjim

You left out the "tongue in cheek" emoticon.

I most certainly did not leave out the "tongue in cheek" emoticon. As umpires we are the expert on the rules. It is our responsibility to protect the "stupid and the clueless" from themselves. When we knowing allow a safety rule to be violated and an injury occurs because of our negligence we are legally responsible for that injury.

MTD, Sr.

[umpjim]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

I most certainly did not leave out the "tongue in cheek" emoticon. As umpires we are the expert on the rules. It is our responsibility to protect the "stupid and the clueless" from themselves. When we knowing allow a safety rule to be violated and an injury occurs because of our negligence we are legally responsible for that injury.

MTD, Sr.

Where do you find that rule as a safety rule? But I will alert @Jicecone to get a lawyer if he thinks the statute of limitations has not expired.

[CT1]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

RE: coaches wandering around outside the dugout... I don't like it, and tell 'em they can't be outside the dugout unless they're coaching 1st or 3rd base... but it seems like I'm the only umpire that bothers to do so.

You'd be in the majority here, as this is a pet peeve of our state coordinator. To ignore it risks a two-week suspension.

[Rich]

When in Rome. But I won't be the only umpire in area enforcing anything.

[jTheUmp]

I know for sure that I'm going to explicitly bring up the topic of coaches outside of the dugout in our next baseball association meeting.

I took a foul ball in the middle of the mask in my last game of the season... the catcher was nice enough to go have a long talk with his pitcher afterwards.