Plate Shoes

[LMan]

Don't cheap out on plate shoes or CP. If you get a cheaper mask, its probably not more dangerous, just heavier, so you have to decide that based on comfort. No plate shoes/poor CP often = injury.

If you end up not likin' this umpin' stuff, you can always "re" Bay the equipment to another suck..errrrrr, umpire Good equipment always holds its resale value, and the market is steady.

[Durham]

Also, you can get stepped on by catchers. And while you can get made that he stepped back and cut your shiny new shoes, your feet are happy that you have them on.

[BretMan]

Thinking back to last year, over the course of about 100 games I can recall being hit in the foot maybe three times and having a catcher step on my foot once. But since I had good shoes, no harm, no foul.

When I first started out years ago I wore typical baseball cleats because I didn't know any better. Even though I might have taken a couple of hits to the feet, I dodged the bullet and didn't suffer any serious injury. After my first year I invested in a pair of plate shoes.

First game with my shiny new shoes and a batter fouls one straight down and back off my big toe! At least the damage was limited to a permanent scuff in the leather and not a broken toe.

[RPatrino]

I was once working with a real talented young umpire, who I thought had real potential. I strongly suggested he invest in some plate shoes, and lose the baseball cleats he was using along with the guards attached to his shin guards (which only covered the top of his feet, not his toes).

Well long story short, a direct hit and two broken toes later, this young man no longer umpires. Oh, he tried after his toes healed, but he became a 'dancer', bailing out on anything in the dirt. His game was ruined out of fear of another injury.

Don't skimp on protection.

[umpduck11]

Originally Posted by LMan

If you end up not likin' this umpin' stuff, you can always "re" Bay the equipment to another suck..errrrrr, umpire

Or you can try to return it to the original manufacturer/distributor, even if you didn't buy the product from them.

[LMan]

Originally Posted by umpduck11

Or you can try to return it to the original manufacturer/distributor, even if you didn't buy the product from them.

Ha! .......

[Rich]

I took a hard enough shot in an adult league 2 years ago, it bent the metatarsal plate down to where I simply bought a new pair of plate shoes.

It only takes one shot.

[kylejt]

Twice in seven years.

[LakeErieUmp]

Being stepped on there by an over-excited catcher in cleats doesn't feel all that great either.

[etn_ump]

Originally Posted by SAump

Would you scratch a partner off your list for showing up with baseball cleats on his feet?

Abolutely, YES!

[DG]

I don't assign partners, my assignor does that. Scratching a partner is not an option.