I only do LL 12 and under so I have only purchased steel toe shoes to use as my plate shoes in the past. I bought a pair of red wing shoes for this past season which are great but during fall ball I was hit with a foul on top of my foot. So I started thinking that I have probably been pretty lucky in the past, first time in 13 years. Anyway does anyone know where I could buy a pair of metatarsal guards that would attach through the laces. Red wing does not have any.
Any information would be appreciated.

I am not sure if anyone just sells the metatarsel guards for shoes. The only thing I have ever seen is Gerry Davis Sports sells a plate/base shoe combo that has the removeable guard you are looking for.

Seeing how that they sell the combo shoe, you may try emailing them or calling them to see what they say about getting just the guard you are looking for. Their website address is http://www.gerrydavis.com.....Good Luck with your search.

It might be easier to find a pair of leg guards with an attached foot guard.

I had some.
I'll look around and see if I can find them.
I think I paid 4 or 5 dollars for them - not sure I used them much. Pretty well got plate shoes immediately.
I'll have a look see...

Forget about improvising. Spend the $100 and get a pair of plate shoes. If you take care of them they'll last a long time and you won't have any broken bones.

Hold on a minute
 

Here is an umpire that does only Little League. To me, that means he is a volunteer. Now you want to him to spend $100 out of pocket for a pair of shoes that only have one application - baseball. What is his wife going to say when he shells out $100 for something that produces no income and he gets abuse to boot? This is on top of the money that he has shelled out for a chest protector, cup, shinguards, etc.

Maybe his kids can go without Christmas presents this year? The wife, perhaps, can skip a couple trips to the hairdresser.

And I am the evil HHH for being down on volunteer umpires. The attitude that a volunteer should shell out hundreds of dollars to take abuse and deny amentities to his family is an idea that is truly bizarre.

Peter

If I were you I would invest in a pair of catchers leg guards with extended metatarsal guards, ie. long plates that cover the top of your feet. Combine them with steel toe shoes and you will be covered.

Ebay is a great place to get this kind of equipment cheap. I did a quick search for you and came up with two pairs that are the kind I am talking about. You could likely bid on them and get them for less than $20. Check them out.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...113812213&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...113934492&rd=1

Re: Hold on a minute
 

What's his wife going to say if he can't do his day job because he broke his foot? What's his wife going to say if he trips over the extended leg guards and breaks his arm and can't work at his day job?

Just wondering.

Re: Hold on a minute
 

Being a volunteer is no excuse for not wearing the correct equipment to do the job correctly.

MTD, Sr.

[Edited by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. on Nov 14th, 2004 at 11:42 PM]

Re: Hold on a minute
 

Not necessarily true. You should not assume the gentleman is living in poverty (which you have made), or that these would deprive his family of shelter/food/ect. The hazards of the job are crystal clear. If there is a metartsal guard out there, great buy it. If not, then you are running the risk of serious injury behind the plate. Dont make assumptions or claim to be some great champion of volutneer umpires. The gentleman's service should be and is commended by myself, and probably everybody else on the board. Your quote of buying something that would produce zero income is not relevant, if it produces zero income and puts his health in jeopardy, there has to be some compromise made. Let him make that decision, dont criticize everybody else for offering him advice.

youre right garth. sorry bud. ill delete it.

Thanks.

And the next time MTD Sr. posts over here, we'll send an interpreter along from the basketball board. Just a little service that we offer.

BlueBob,

Don't let Peter/HHH get you down. I think he forgets, or never learned, that most LL umpires come from the coaching ranks, where dropping several hundred dollars per season on their team is the norm. For most of us it's a hobby. And far as hobbies go umpiring is fairly cheap. My last hobby was bicycle road racing, where bikes were $3K, entry fees were $50, and abuse.... Let's just say umpires who feel they are abused are weenies. If having some idiot Dad or coach yell at you is your definition of abuse y'all need to grow a pair.

As far as the instep protector, I tried to find the very things several years ago when I started out. Honigs had them in their catalog, but when I called they were out, with no more coming. As I recall SSK made them, it that's any help. I've seen throat protectors laced up to steel toes shoes. Not pretty, but effective.

Oh, and love the line about equipment that produces no income. I'll bet HHH has a set of golf clubs in his garage. I wonder how much income he derives from those?

JR:

I have been umpiring H.S. baseball and fastpitch softball as well as ASA and USSSA fastpitch softball since 1991.

MTD, Sr.