I realize it's pre-season but this past Saturday, Tom Seaver (a Met Color Commentator) was very vehement in his comments about the new Cream Color Shirts worn by the PRO umpires. He stated that this is very distracting to F1 and if he were pitching today he wouldn't like it.

I can see it now, hey Blue, please remove your shirt as it is distracting.

Your thoughts as always

Pete Booth

I hate the cream colored shirts too. However, I do not mind the black shirts with the sage gray slacks. Still can't beat the heather gray slacks and dark navy blue shirts. Those look the sharpest to me.

OK, so . . . .
 

No one LIKES change . . . I remember a meeting when Seattle decided to go from Elbeco, Light Blue shirts (button) to dark blue . . . . cry, cry, cry.

I was "surprised" to see Tim McClellen wear a white whirt when doing the dish but remember, MLB is trying to take their game back (according to Dale Scott the tradition of the plate guy wearing what he wants and the BU's to wear similar to each other BU is a thing of the past).

I don't care what they wear . . . I no longer think that all of us "cattle" need to follow the lead. Cream, White, Black, Sage "Grey" (never heard of that color till MLB) and it is up to all announcers to complain about something of which they don't understand.

I am more interested in the quality of the umpiring this year as compared to last. I would hope it continues to improve.

A "Met Color Commentator", huh? That's an oxymoron if ever I've heard one! (grin)

I think Mr Seaver is probably struggling for some color to comment upon, and so chose "white" (or cream) instead! (BIG grin)

There is NO WAY this should be distracting to the pitcher. He should be focused instead on the catcher, the catcher's glove, and the zone which normally frames the catcher's chest protector. The umpire and his cream shirt are outside of that area of focus. We are talking about MLB pitchers here, not little kids.

Think of all the noise, color and distractions that exist around an MLB home plate anyway! Some diamonds even have toughened glass windows behind the plate area, presumably protecting radar guns, cameras and pitch tracking devices. Imagine the reflections these could cause! We've even got UmpCam and CatcherCam to distract the pitcher, so what's a plain cream shirt in the slot going to hurt? After all, the pitcher isn't trying to see a white ball coming out of that block of color. If anything it might make the catcher's glove stand out BETTER as a target!

Nah! This is just a case of too little to say and too much time to say it in! (BIG grin)

Cheers,

I have it via a reliable source that the MLB umpires' uniforms are going to change yet again this year. They will be wearing a new color called "gray-camouflage"...the umpires will NEVER be seen. ;)

Blue, white, cream, what's next?
 

I did hear one story on ESPN the other night which kind of made sense:

I think it was ESPN2 which had a whole segment on the white/creme shirts making it harder for the SS/2B and the outfielders to pick up the ball coming off the bat.

They had some snapshots and video footage which showed their case; however, I won't give it much merit until I hear it from the players.

I haven't heard one thing negative from any of the players.

They are the ones who have to deal with it.

Thanks
David

The problem I see with the cream color shirt is a line drive back to pitcher. How is he going to pick-up the ball off a shirt that is practically the same color as the ball. I don't think it will distract him from pitching just fielding.

blue_18

Hmmmmm,
 

For over 50 years plate umpires wore white shirts.

For his entire career Lee Weyer wore a white chest protector.

It was NOT a problem then . . . why would it be now?

Simple: we over analyze EVERYTHING in this day-and-time.

2 yrs. ago in a LL game (I understand the talent difference) an umpire on a very hot day wore a white towel around his neck to keep him cool, the batter hit a playable line drive back to the pitcher who couldn't see the ball because of the towel. The pitcher luckily was only knocked unconscious and not killed. So you decide what you will, but as for me I will NEVER wear anything that even remotelly ressembles the color of the ball behind the plate!

OBR 1.11(b)(2). Every team has a white uniform that is worn in slightly fewer than half their games. It had been that way for 125 years or more. It's never been a problem. Now the umpires have an off-white shirt.

I'm with Tee on this one. We should get rid of/refuse to adopt the new WUA colors because they're ugly, not because of ball vision concerns.

P-Sz

Given how long most balls are used in youth games, I'd think white would be a contrasting color to wear -- certainly more so than the color of our skins -- especially when we get covered with the dust of the field on a hot day.

It's Not The Shirt But The Man Inside
 

For what it's worth I umpire with an association on Long Island that wears white shirts and has done so for quite a number of the 50+ years we have been in existence. I have never heard a complaint that we obscured anyone. We officiate everything from Little League to Connie Mack Regionals. Jim Simms/Long Island, NY

Even though I do not like the Cream shirts I still cannot follow the argument of some of the posts. You argue that the white color will make it hard to see the ball. Is it me or do we not realize that every major league team has a completely white uniform. That has never been a problem.

I agree Bob but you'll find that the thin minded morons who believe they are immortal and that solar heat does not affect them will jump all over you. Regardless, White wears white and Supermen can wear black in the noonday sun and I fully protect his right to do so.

How and why are you digging up threads that are 4 years old?