Hats
 

Is it better to buy a combo hat or a plate hat and a base hat??

Thanks

I have both, in plain and IHSA logo. I tend to use the combo the majority of the time. Personal preference - it might depend on whether or not your hat keeps coming off when you take off the mask.

By "plate hat", do you mean the short billed beanie?

What else could he mean? :)

The beanie is a 2-stitch hat. There is a 4-stitch plate hat now. Also a 6-stitch that they usually call a combo.

Personally, I wear an 8-stitch regardless of plate or bases.

You don't have any problems taking the mask off with an 8 stitch hat?

I too only where an 8-stitch - regardless of plate or bases. Taking the mask off is all technique - there's no problem with ripping the hat off too.

Out, then up. Doesn't matter how many stitches.

I think that if you have the mask loose enough that you can pull it forward and then over an 8-stitch cap, you have your mask too loose. JMHO.

Hmmm,
 

" . . . you have your mask too loose."

I admit that I am dense at times:

How can a mask be too loose?

Regards,

I always wore 8 stitch, plate and bases. Then I bought that damn low profile Wilson mask and had to switch to a 6 stitch behind the plate. Since I dumped that mask and went back to my West Vest mask, I'm back to 8 stitch hats.

If you can't pull it out and over, the mask is too tight or you are not using good technique. The mask is supposed to be worn loose.

For so long (basically forever) I wore my mask like I did back in my HS and college catching days - nice and comfy snug. I never took the concussion or teeth-breaking foul (simply the luck of the draw).

But after reading your posts the past month or so I've gone to wearing the mask (Plus+ and an older DynaLite) much more loosely. It was a learning curve that's for sure. But now I kind of like being able to yank the thing off without my cap flying in another direction (that should have been my first clue that snugger is not always better). And on the days my contacts don't agree with me I can wear my glasses (tinted so they appear to be sunglasses- I'm not ready to get into the "hey blue how can you see if you wear glasses" comments) without them getting in the way either.

SO, thanks for the excellent advice on wearing the mask loose. I don't relish the 85+ back-slinger into the mask but I am morbidly curious as to what will happen.

Nothing...the mask will spin around a little and you wont really feel a thing

Now if you can just get my West Vest to slide around so I dont' feel anything when I get my WAY to frequent shots to my forearm!

I was looking at old threads and I found this one.

I know beanies (2 stitch) are considered to be out of style. Are the 4 stitch hats the same way or are they more acceptable in your area?

Those are considered "plate" hats around here (even though they are "combo" in reality). It's acceptable for newer umpires to wear a combo cap for both bases and plate to reduce their start up costs.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I'm talking about plate only. I wear 8-stitch on the bases always. I'm definitely not going to wear a beanie on the plate, but I'm debating whether or not to get a 4 or 6 for the plate.

Do you have a low pro mask?... I have 2 of them and a * stitch is very hard to get off...

I wear a 4 stitch behind the dish and a 6 stitch on the bases

I can't take my mask off properly with a 6... it always flies off. I've heard tales of guys being able to do that, but I can't take my mask off with anything bigger than a 4 stitch.

I wear an All Star I-Bar Vision mask and can remove it wearing either a 6 or 8 stitch hat. If the harness is adjusted properly, it should not be a problem.

At one time I used a Wilson low profile mask and wore a 4 stitch hat with that mask. It had less to do with removing the mask and more to do with the bill of a 6 or 8 stitch hat sticking out too far to be comfortable with that mask.

Wear a bucket and you do not have to worry about the number of stitches! (except in Alabama?)

Hmmm,
 

Hardly a "tale" in my part of the country. Most all of the upper level umpires in the Portland area wear 8 stitch caps when working the plate.

Here is kind of what I tell umpires that are having "caps for laps" problems:

1) Your mask is much more important than the number of stitches in your cap.

2) If you use a "low profile" type mask you'll never be able to wear an 8 stitch cap.

3) Make sure your mask is worn loosely -- when you look down at the ground your mask should easily swing away from your chin.

4) When you buy a mask the FIRST thing you should do is remove the harness from the inside "ear" connections and move that connection to the outside of the ears.

5) Your mask should "hang" from the bill of your cap . . . under no circumstance should you wear a mask snuggly. When you take a foul ball off directly off your mask your mask should either twist around your head or even pop clear off . . . think of what happens when a Forumla 1 car crashes . . . parts fly everywhere . . . this disapates the energy of the crash (foul ball).

6) Learn (and practice) pulling your mask away from your face and then turning the chin area upwards to clear your cap. Practice, Practice, Practice.

7) Always where a slighly smaller cap when working the plate.

Thanks Tim. Looks like I need a 4 or 6 stitch since I'm using a low profile mask.

Anyone have experience with a 6 stitch with a low profile? Is it doable?

I have yet to see anyone wear a 4 stitch. I have seen some wear a 6 and reverse the cap so the bill is sticking out from behind their heads.(competitive youth games, not HS games.) They say they never have a problem flipping the mask with their hat coming off. I have practiced at home with wearing my 6 stitch both ways and it is a lot easier to wear the heat backwards but I am not tempted to do that yet but I keep practicing as suggested in earlier posts to pull mask forward first then up. Thanks for all the good suggestions. I assume their is a proper protocol for wearing your hat forwards.

I have worn three different low profile masks and....
 

have used 4 and 6 stitch hats under them. I prefer the 6, which I also like on the bases. I now use a Titanium mask so the light weight of the mask really helps with it weighing down the bill of the hat. I never have a problem.

Same.

Low-profile titanium/six-stitch cap ... no problem. I grab my loosely worn mask by the throat extension and peel to the left in a way that has the pads facing the infield, not the ground. It's the way to accommodate the six-stitch with the low-profile mask.

What's the difference between 4 stitch and 8 stitch?

4 stitches

It determines how many rows of stitches are on the bill. An 8 is the longest, then 6, then 4, then the beanie. Go to Ump Attire and it shows them all.

I've never had a problem getting my mask off no matter how many stitches are in the bill of my cap...I just wear it backwards. Way easier! :-) :-) :-)

Backwards
 

I saw others do this but it makes too much sense. The mask does come off easier without worrying about losing your hat.:cool:

Don't wear your hat backwards.

I hope there was some intended sarcasm involved in that statement or you better brace for a lashing or two :p

-Josh

New Trend
 

Maybe this is the beginning of a new trend. Backward hats! I may try it this weekend. A test case. :rolleyes:

nope...I always put three smiley's at the end of my posts.

"Wear" do you "where" your 8-stitch hat?

Bob

Wearing your hat forwards and having it come off every single time you pull the mask is still infinitely better than wearing a backwards hat.

whats the point of wearing a hat then if it always comes off. Maybe a bucket would be better? The 4 stitch is just a ridiculous looking hat. Like a beanie. How about going to navy or black doo-rags?:D

Hat problems- let this video load, then go to 2:15:

YouTube - Diamondback at Coopertown

I tried an 8 stitch on last year, and took a foul ball straight off the forehead area of the mask. I mean straight, no spin on the mask. Yes, I wear my mask fairly loose, although not AS loose as some describe. I've always had a good half turn on the mask on foul shots to the mask, or pulling down if it hits the chin area.

I swear it was the worst one I've taken, I even considered whether or not I could finish the game. And it was a 16 year old game, couldn't have been more than 80 mph.

Is it any way that an 8 stitch could make this worse? Cardboard bill jamming into your frontal lobe? Or is this just logical reasoning based off the fact I may have had a concussion on that day :p

I didn't notice the hat problems as much as the flinching problems. How can the guy call a pitch?

My Gawd!

Firt ump is moving into his strike three signal before the ball hits the glove, the second umpire works like Bugs Bunny and the third actually ducks when the batter swings and flinches like he!! when he doesn't.

Caps are the least of their problems.

Cooperstown? I guess you get what you pay for.

The guy with the hat problems in that video changes his stance too. He's on a knee one pitch, then box.....

Because of guys like them, it's difficult to admit to some people that you're an umpire.

Great post. Now in all seriousness. If you have your mask on, bend over. Your mask should pull away from your face 3 fingers width. This is taught at Harry's school on the first day. (at least used to be.) Any looser then you're at risk. Any tighter, than it is hard to get your mask off. ALL umpires should be able to wear an 8 stitch hat. The new low profile mask offers a whole new set of standards. Purchased one of the new Wilson Titaniums, HATE IT. I went back to my old 3008. Just my dos pesos.

If you read what Tim C. posted your hat will not come off, even with an 8-stitch cap.

Keep your mask harness loose, and remember, "Up, then out, up, then out, up, then out...."

I think wearing the hat backwards is BUSH! I am embarrassed to work with a partner who does..............

Boy he was a flincher! I think he ducked every pitch come his way!

Sorry to differ, but when you remove your mask, you peel it away to the left, and not really up much at all.

My last two base partners showed up with sweat-stained four-stitch caps. The first guy took me up on my offer of a spray bottle treatment; the second guy said, "I like the stains on my cap, it shows that I've been really breaking a sweat out there."

He turned out to have the worst game of any partner I ever had. After his fifth blown call and fifth visit at the sideline, I had to tell him to stay to hell away from me and stop giving me all these enthusiastic nods and thumbs-up signals and stop making calls on the run and stop looking at the scoreboard and stop talking to the players and stop making calls until the play is actually made ...

And you know, I knew it was going to be a long day just by looking at his cap when he drove up.

What TimC posted was out then up, not up then out. I agree with TimC.

BTW: I wear an 8 stitch, bases and plate. No problems with the cap coming off in either position.

canadaump6,

Is the first umpire in the clip you by any chance?

Just wondering.

JM

Kevin,

You should probably let Jim Evans know.

Because that's not how he teaches to do it.

JM

Ok, I tried removing my mask with the 8 stitch. No problem, but the mask seems to push the visor into my forehead. Feels uncomfortable. The mask is loose. Any suggestions?

JR12,

Go back to a 6-stitch cap.

I've heard similar comments from guys I know who use a "low profile" mask with regard to a 6-stitch cap.

JM

DOH! :o

I should have read it before I posted it.

I ordered an 8 stitch instead of a 6 stitch a few weeks back. No problem at all when I tried it out with my mask. I think I'll go with 8 stitch as I replace my caps.

And the style of cap you use, like ball bag color, is something I don't think is a huge deal, as long as the color matches your partner's cap and you don't turn it backwards.

Thanks, glad it's not just me. I have noticed the MLB umps using the 8 stitch and always wanted to try. However with the way it felt for a couple minutes I think I'd have a major headache after a couple hours.

Only reason Portland guys wear that big of a cap is to keep the rain out of there eyes.

he couldnt call a pitch... did you not see his horrible zone?

I must have been out of the loop too long. I didn't realize who this person is.

As Fred Gwynne said to Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny, "That would explain the hostility.":)

No. Why?

canadaump6,

Just thought I recalled you saying you'd been & thought it might have been you. That's all.

JM

Na it was Dreams Park for a couple years for me. It was fun, but the accomodations and shower conditions as well as the travel discouraged me from going again.

My point.

I showed up to do a college game last year with a guy who was prepping to leave for minor league camp. He was working the bases and told me he forgot his cap.
I found an old 4 stitch in the bottom of my bag with sweat stains and gave it to him. He looked goofy, but he called a nice game.

[QUOTE=cardinalfan;590644]I showed up to do a college game last year with a guy who was prepping to leave for minor league camp. /QUOTE]


What is minor league camp?

At least your sweat-stained four-stitch was where it belonged: at the bottom of your bag and not on the top of your head. ;)

It was there for a reason. I have an old mesh base cap there now. I have a phobia about someone else wearing one of my caps. If I have to loan one, they get the bad one, because I don't want it back.

"Oh, sorry; I can't help you. Mine are all seven and five eighths."

That's what I say.

Is it an issue if the end of the bill of your cap touches the bars on your mask? I got 6-stitch hats and they still touch the bars like the 8-stitches do.

If it's not an issue for you when you take off your mask no problem.

6-stitch on the plate, 8-stitch on the bases (keeps the rain off my glasses).

JJ

I'd love to see this thread get to 10 pages.