What injuries will we be healing from this winter?

[DTQ_Blue]

Here in VA we will be playing for another 2 weeks or so. I'm looking forward to the offseason to lick my wounds and heal. Don't heal as fast as I used to, which is something many of us know all to well.

I thought the walking wounded among us could post a list of bang and bumps from this season that still hurt, that hopefully won't still hurt next spring.

For starters:

1. I took a fastball dead on my cup last week when catcher couldn't get his glove on an inside pitch. Here in VA they let 11 and 12 year old kids play on the 90' field with the 13/14 y/o's in the fall. I think I had one of those 11 y/o's catching. It still hurts.

2. Earlier in the season I took one dead on the knee area of the shin guard, same circumstances. I guess I can expect a couple of non-caught balls per season when I work Junior level Little League.

2. I got hit on my right index finger with a foul off the plate that bounced off the catcher's gear back in June. Was hurting for several months but finally starting to get better.

3. A kid just missed me twice in a row throwing his bat in a game last week, even after I had warned him the first time. I sure hope I don't see his team for the rest of the year.

Mike

[BigTex]

Originally Posted by DTQ_Blue

Here in VA we will be playing for another 2 weeks or so. I'm looking forward to the offseason to lick my wounds and heal. Don't heal as fast as I used to, which is something many of us know all to well.

I thought the walking wounded among us could post a list of bang and bumps from this season that still hurt, that hopefully won't still hurt next spring.

For starters:

1. I took a fastball dead on my cup last week when catcher couldn't get his glove on an inside pitch. Here in VA they let 11 and 12 year old kids play on the 90' field with the 13/14 y/o's in the fall. I think I had one of those 11 y/o's catching. It still hurts.

2. Earlier in the season I took one dead on the knee area of the shin guard, same circumstances. I guess I can expect a couple of non-caught balls per season when I work Junior level Little League.

2. I got hit on my right index finger with a foul off the plate that bounced off the catcher's gear back in June. Was hurting for several months but finally starting to get better.

3. A kid just missed me twice in a row throwing his bat in a game last week, even after I had warned him the first time. I sure hope I don't see his team for the rest of the year.

Mike

Please let us all know how you intend to lick the wound you listed as #1. If I could do that I would quit all sports officiating and stay home all day!

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Tim C

Fake post

Regards,

[DTQ_Blue]

Originally Posted by Tim C

Fake post

Regards,

Nice touch of professional courtesy.

[JRutledge]

You are having that many problems during baseball games? Do not get me wrong I have had some foul balls off the arms and hands over the years, but never to the point where something would continue months after the season. I guess you do not football. If you did, you probably would man up.

I think this is why Tee is thinking this is a fake post. Just a guess on my part.

Peace

[DTQ_Blue]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You are having that many problems during baseball games? Do not get me wrong I have had some foul balls off the arms and hands over the years, but never to the point where something would continue months after the season. I guess you do not football. If you did, you probably would man up.

I think this is why Tee is thinking this is a fake post. Just a guess on my part.

Peace

Not a fake post.

I'm a little older than a lot of my peers, maybe that's why I heal a little slower, but I'm not complaining, I enjoy every minute of umpiring; I'm just ready for the season to end.

Perhaps the real issue is the talent level of the kids. Maybe Tee is advanced enough in the profession that he doesn't have to get out there with kids who are accidents waiting to happen. A 14 year old pitching to an 11 year old catcher with little experience is just that.

I got off to a relatively late start umpiring so I am still very new to my association and working more than my share of low level rec league games where F2 can't even get his glove on the ball much less catch it. I like the kids and coaches in the rec leagues, and believe that they are great for the community, but believe me, as soon as I'm ready developmentally, I will hook up with a group that just does travel level tournaments where the kids can catch the ball.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by DTQ_Blue

Maybe Tee is advanced enough in the profession that he doesn't have to get out there with kids who are accidents waiting to happen. A 14 year old pitching to an 11 year old catcher with little experience is just that.

DTQ,

Tee has never worked kiddie ball in his whole 3,800+ game career. He started out at the Varsity HS level, and worked his way up from there. He is not shy about sharing that information, either.

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by DTQ_Blue

I'm just ready for the season to end.

I hear comments like this from guys all the time. My response is usually somethink akin to, "Your season can end any time you want it to end."

I don't know about the rest of you, but if I get injured to the point that recovery would take a couple of months while continuing to work games, I take a week or two off to speed the healing.

[Justme]

Originally Posted by DTQ_Blue

Here in VA we will be playing for another 2 weeks or so. I'm looking forward to the offseason to lick my wounds and heal. Don't heal as fast as I used to, which is something many of us know all to well.

I thought the walking wounded among us could post a list of bang and bumps from this season that still hurt, that hopefully won't still hurt next spring.

For starters:

1. I took a fastball dead on my cup last week when catcher couldn't get his glove on an inside pitch. Here in VA they let 11 and 12 year old kids play on the 90' field with the 13/14 y/o's in the fall. I think I had one of those 11 y/o's catching. It still hurts.

2. Earlier in the season I took one dead on the knee area of the shin guard, same circumstances. I guess I can expect a couple of non-caught balls per season when I work Junior level Little League.

2. I got hit on my right index finger with a foul off the plate that bounced off the catcher's gear back in June. Was hurting for several months but finally starting to get better.

3. A kid just missed me twice in a row throwing his bat in a game last week, even after I had warned him the first time. I sure hope I don't see his team for the rest of the year.

Mike

Mike, Mike, Mike....... Is this for real or were you bored (I'm bored too so I'll answer you). You didn't mention a single injury that requires rehabilitation.
A fastball dead on your cup?
Hit on your right index finger?
A kid just missed you twice in a row throwing his bat?

Come on Mike......

No matter what level ball you do you're still going to get hit (and it hurts more with the 'big' boys too)....that's why we wear all of the gear right?

[DTQ_Blue]

Justme, Justme, Justme .....

I'll just have to work on becoming a real man.

Lighten up guys, I'll take the hint.

[mrm21711]

Originally Posted by DTQ_Blue

Here in VA we will be playing for another 2 weeks or so. I'm looking forward to the offseason to lick my wounds and heal. Don't heal as fast as I used to, which is something many of us know all to well.

Even if this is real, what are you trying to accomplish by posting this? Hope you feel better sweetie!

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by DTQ_Blue

Here in VA we will be playing for another 2 weeks or so. I'm looking forward to the offseason to lick my wounds and heal. Don't heal as fast as I used to, which is something many of us know all to well.

I thought the walking wounded among us could post a list of bang and bumps from this season that still hurt, that hopefully won't still hurt next spring.

For starters:

1. I took a fastball dead on my cup last week when catcher couldn't get his glove on an inside pitch. Here in VA they let 11 and 12 year old kids play on the 90' field with the 13/14 y/o's in the fall. I think I had one of those 11 y/o's catching. It still hurts.

2. Earlier in the season I took one dead on the knee area of the shin guard, same circumstances. I guess I can expect a couple of non-caught balls per season when I work Junior level Little League.

2. I got hit on my right index finger with a foul off the plate that bounced off the catcher's gear back in June. Was hurting for several months but finally starting to get better.

3. A kid just missed me twice in a row throwing his bat in a game last week, even after I had warned him the first time. I sure hope I don't see his team for the rest of the year.

Mike

Ooooh. Poor baby. I can tell you're hurting.

Best advice I can think of to take the strain off the injured area and the spot that was almost injured would be to carry a lighter purse.

[Justme]

Originally Posted by DTQ_Blue

Justme, Justme, Justme .....

I'll just have to work on becoming a real man.

Lighten up guys, I'll take the hint.

Okay Mike, I’ll lighten up

Mike, if you are going to umpire you are going to have to expect some pain from time to time. Being an ‘older’ umpire (late 50’s) I’ve learned to deal with the pain. I just tighten up the knee braces, put on the equipment, and go out and do what I have loved doing for a very long time. I can not remember a season where I was looking forward to no more baseball. Around here we play ball from late Jan/early Feb until mid-Dec. there’s not much time to recover from an injury.

When HS & college ball is not being played I work the adult leagues (4 games each week minimum). The league is comprised mainly of former college and professional players (18+). They get together as a team once each week to relive their ‘glory days’, usually without practicing together. The F1’s still bring the heat in the 90’s, but not always in the same location as when they were younger. The F2’s still try hard to catch every pitch and block the wild pitches, just like when the were in professional baseball but it isn’t the glory days anymore so sometimes my equipment gets a workout and sometimes I get a little additional pain. To be honest I do not get hit every game, in fact until my first game last Sunday (hit twice by foul balls) I hadn’t been hit in several weeks. Most of the time my equipment protects me but sometimes the ball finds the unprotected spots. There’s probably not an umpire in the world (if they’ve been working for a long time) that hasn’t been hit so hard that they just wanted to stop the game and go home…….I’ve been hit so hard that I’ve had to hold up the game to wait until the feelings of nausea passed.

Okay, I’ve rambled on long enough………. Good luck with your umpiring career.

[DTQ_Blue]

Justme,

OK I appreciate that.

I love the game as much as you or anyone on this board. I am no stranger to the physical price that can come with the game. I tore up both shoulders playing the game in my younger days and have matching surgical scars on each. I first umpired when my oldest son was in LL nearly 20 years ago. His baseball days were short numbered and my youngest son chose other sports. I would have umpired for the local LL for free even w/o kids in the program, but couldn't because I had a severely disabled daughter who required minute to minute care for 20 years until she passed away. The first spring after she was gone, I called up the local LL and volunteered to umpire for them; it was my therapy two years ago.

This is only my 2nd year working for the association and I got banged up a little this year and am looking forward to a few months off. WTH is wrong with that? I made my post just to see if anyone else had a similar year. I wasn't looking for anyone's sympathy and frankly, am stunned by the presumptuous rudeness some of you displayed.

This I will do. I'll finish out this season because my Commissioner needs my help, and he has been very good to me. I will be ready to work again next March with a passion for the game that equals anyone's on this board. I will visit this board in hopes of learning and becoming a better umpire, and I hope that we can have mutual respect.