Protection

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Anyway, I cruise the L.A. freeways at between 75 and 80 m.p.h. every single day. I have taken street bikes up to 125 m.p.h. on the coast highway or the canyons and have woven through cars at 90 m.p.h. on freeways.

So you had rather endanger your life plus the life of others by driving recklessly on the highway, but you make a big deal about whether one should or should not wear a cup on the bases. Interesting.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by LDUB

Do you wear a cup when you walk down the street? I assume you don't.

Some people do. Not me, but some people.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by LDUB

Do you wear a cup when you walk down the street? I assume you don't. Of course you may get hit by some very fast moving hard object and it would be horrific as you say, but the odds of it happening are so so low that you don't do wear the cup. You've made the decision that the odds of getting hit are low enough for you to not wear the protection. Other people make that same decision on the baseball field when they chose to not wear a cup.

Do you get along with anybody when you umpire baseball games?

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

So you had rather endanger your life plus the life of others by driving recklessly on the highway, but you make a big deal about whether one should or should not wear a cup on the bases. Interesting.

Did I say that I drive recklessly? No, I said that I drive fast.

I don't. I drive with high-level skill and training. I have no accidents, and one ticket in 20 years.

If you are so devoid of skill that going 80 is reckless, then by all means, go slower and stay out of the way.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Did I say that I drive recklessly? No, I said that I drive fast.

I don't. I drive with high-level skill and training. I have no accidents, and one ticket in 20 years.

If you are so devoid of skill that going 80 is reckless, then by all means, go slower and stay out of the way.

Some yokels would have a hard time driving out here in SoCal. We change tires at 70 MPH.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Some yokels would have a hard time driving out here in SoCal. We change tires at 70 MPH.

A guy who drives the speed limit on the Southern California freeways is known as a road hazard.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Sorry to ride you, Tony.

I realize that there are other shots that could kill you or knock you cold, but they are all less painful than a split jewel.

Anyway, I cruise the L.A. freeways at between 75 and 80 m.p.h. every single day. I have taken street bikes up to 125 m.p.h. on the coast highway or the canyons and have woven through cars at 90 m.p.h. on freeways. And I have done performance driving in commercials. I absolutely love racing and driving the hell out of a good car. It's a riskier thing than going the limit, but I weigh it and do it.

I would still never go onto a baseball field to perform any function whatsoever without a cup. There is no measurable reward.

Do you wear a cup when you ride? I mean, what happens if you get tossed from the bike... you could end up with a busted nut. One leg goes on one side of the street sign, the other goes on the other side. Ouchies.

I guess there is no measurable reward for wearing not wearing one to sleep either, you know, just in case...

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

The exit speed of a 90 m.p.h. fastball struck by a big slugger with a metal bat can reach 115 m.p.h. even at the H.S. level. I would say that a foot or head can move in time to avoid being struck. The center of one's body cannot.

Enough time to turn... which would be my first reaction anytime a ball is hit towards me and I have no time to decide how to get out of the way. Its just instinct. Nobody is going to stare at the ball and decide to step right or left if there is no time to do so. In fact, turning, for a skinny guy like me, would result in less times getting hit to begin with, and certainly take jewel shot out.

Now, on the play someone discussed where the ball clipped the bag and kicked up, yup, could happen to anyone. So could alot of things...

To each his own, I say.

[Kevin Finnerty]

To each his own, and best of luck with those skills on a deflected bullet at the jewels. The worst case I ever saw was on a deflected throw.

[tcarilli]

Lets change your post just a bit.

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

The issue is SOLELY about the degree of death and damage a shot to the neck causes. The odds of getting hit are irrelevant. If you get hit, it is intolerable, and can be horrifically injurious. If it were ankle or shin protection we were discussing, then that risk/reward thing and odds of getting hit would be relevant. There is ZERO tolerance to a neck shot. So odds on getting hit are irrelevant.

The exit speed of a 90 m.p.h. fastball struck by a big slugger with a metal bat can reach 115 m.p.h. even at the H.S. level. I would say that a foot or head can move in time to avoid being struck. The center of one's body cannot.

Given that death is likely worse, even in your estimation, than a jewel shot and the probability is not important as you stated earlier, I don't understand why you wouldn't advocate wearing a mask and throat guard on the bases. My argument in this case as in the other is about assessing appropriate trade offs (subjective to the assessor alone) and making the appropriate choice or for short risk-reward decisions.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Did I say that I drive recklessly? No, I said that I drive fast.

I don't. I drive with high-level skill and training. I have no accidents, and one ticket in 20 years.

If you are so devoid of skill that going 80 is reckless, then by all means, go slower and stay out of the way.

You didn't have to say recklessly, you described it. I suppose you tailgate when a car is going slower until you can get around it.

What are you? A Hollywood stuntman. It just takes but one time and they will carting you off to the morgue. Hopefully, you won't be taking someone else with you.

My driving skills are fine, thank you. I love it when a car flies by and all they do is beat me to the next red light.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by tcarilli

Lets change your post just a bit.



Given that death is likely worse, even in your estimation, than a jewel shot and the probability is not important as you stated earlier, I don't understand why you wouldn't advocate wearing a mask and throat guard on the bases. My argument in this case as in the other is about assessing appropriate trade offs (subjective to the assessor alone) and making the appropriate choice or for short risk-reward decisions.

I have been knocked cold (not in a baseball setting). Let me tell you: You barely feel a thing. Even a brushing of the jewels with a cup on hurts more than a clean one to the chin.

Degree of pain was the point, not catastrophic injury. Also, earlier in this debate, I clearly emphasized how much easier it is to move one's head (or foot) out of the way than the core of one's body. You simply have a markedly poorer ability to avoid getting drilled in the midsection than the head or neck. I boxed (mostly sparred, really) in addition to playing baseball. It is a simple fact that avoiding or slipping a head blow is drastically easier than dodging a blow to the midsection. So let's not talk percentages on that one, because it truly is different in terms of ability to dodge such a shot. The other thing that makes a head or neck blow easier to dodge, slip or cover up from is that the arms and hands work to cover up one's face and neck more completely, and again, markedly more quickly than when fending off a blow to the jewel area. And like I stated more than once, you can be Ozzie Smith and you will be able to do absolutely nothing about a deflection.

And this is one of those posts that I rush to type and post so that my wife or daughter doesn't walk in and look over my shoulder and read it, and turn it into one of those this-is-what-you-old-umpires-talk-about humiliations.

[Forest Ump]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

And this is one of those posts that I rush to type and post so that my wife or daughter doesn't walk in and look over my shoulder and read it, and turn it into one of those this-is-what-you-old-umpires-talk-about humiliations.

LOL. You get that too? My wife would ride me good if she read this one.

[Kevin Finnerty]

I suppose it's preferable to having no woman around.

[TussAgee11]

The fact is that your brain is smart. It knows when you aren't getting out of the way. Its the reason a batter turns, a boxer leans, or a biker (moto or bicycle) lays the bike down.

If a ball is coming at me, my brain will know if I'm screwed or not. If not, I'll dodge dive dip duck dodge.

If I am screwed, I'm turning. And hence, not getting hit in heart, ribs, stomach, balls.

Deflection, you're right, but if its deflected I'm screwed regardless.