Exposed Chest Protector
 

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Maybe it's just because I think it looks like our favorite umpire from expertvillage (YouTube - How to Be a Baseball Umpire : Going Over Ground Rules as a Baseball Umpire), but does anyone else dislike the look of an exposed chest protector?

For instance, Hunter's CP during last night's game. It looks tacky to me. Why not just throw a plain black shirt over top of the CP and then the plate coat? I know it's personal preference but I don't think it looks professional most of the time.

</rant>

-Josh

Always thought it would give you the Herman Munster look.

http://www.the-reelgillman.com/munst...man_header.jpg

But just my opinion.

It's been my experience that an exposed chest protector leads to moving your zone 6-8 inches left or right from where it's supposed to be, depending on the handedness of the batter.

It's the way a protector has been worn with a plate coat for as long as I can remember.

I remember wearing a coat for a HS game a few years ago where a coach made a big deal out of the WV on my West Vest showing. He said it would distract his pitcher. I said, "Really? Having my entire body back there is OK, but this little gold WV on the protector distracts him?" Even he realized how ridiculous he sounded, cause he chuckled and walked away.

That Riddel he was wearing looked pretty haggered. You could see where the stickers were ripped off, per Wilson's request, but he didn't clean it up for use with a coat. Fugly. Add that to the goofy hand wave on swinging stikes threes, and it wasn't pretty.

Now on the SF/ATL dish, the PU was wearing some sort of Under Armour shirt over his c/p. It looked WAY better. I do the same thing, and an added bonus is comfort. The coat slides easily over the shirt, and doesn't catch and bind on anything. It's a mucher better look and feel. Try it sometime, and thank me latter.

Dont think DeMuth was wearing a shirt over his CP. Rather, it looked like an old West Vest with all stickers removed.

I understand that is how it's been done but I don't think it looks any better than the yahoo who puts his shin guards on the outside of his pants. This is of course just my opinion. I was just seeing if others had the same thoughts.

-Josh

I agree...I think it looks tacky. You're "dressing up" with the plate coat, and then you dumb it down with a chest protector - which is, let's face it, a piece of plastic. Not a good look, IMO. Sometimes things, even if they are "traditional", are just wrong. YMMV.

One c/p that does look good under a plate coat is the Davishield. Too bad it's afraid of baseballs.

I have oversized Mizuon long sleeved shirt that goes over my Platinum. It looks great with the coat, but I can see the Herman Munster angle. I'd get Tim McClelland to play Lerch, and Joe West for Uncle Fester.

I do not use pullovers (talk about tacky) when doing the plate. If I need another layer or it's an important game or an evening game, I wear a plate coat. I would not dream of putting anything over the chest protector for any reason or any bozo coach. The exposed chest protector is the only way to go in my opinion. Most of you out there are too cheap to spend the bucks for the coat (roughly $250) so I don't know what you all are complaining about. I can count on one hand, the amount of people who bother to buy plate coats in my association. But you know what, I get plenty of ooohhs & ahhhhs and plenty of stares when I come onto the field wearing my plate coat. Hell, I remember when we used to wear jackets with Elbeco's on the bases! I'll bet very few of you out there would ever do that!

I've got a plate, a base coat, and enough Elbecos for a four man crew. Top that, OZ! But you're right, walk in the field with "the coat", and you rule the roost. Chicks dig the coat.

Wearing a shirt over the chest protector, but under the plate coat is good looking, and great feeling. A black mock turtle, two sizes over, works pretty well. You know that feeling the first time you wore tights under your shin guards? Pretty close to that. Not that I take my cues from the guys on TV, but several MLB guys do this.

What's with the guys wearing long sleeved shirts, and pulling up the sleeves? Make up your mind already!

Wearing your throat protector in front of the frame makes no sense at all. Several guys on TV to this. Odd.

Hey, at least we probably don't have to look at baby blue shirts on TV until next year.

Gerry Davis wears his Throat protector on the outside of the frame... don't understand the logic of his placement though...any thoughts?

I doth believe that most media, fans and players alike, missed how smartly dressed Hunter Wendelstedt was in the Minnesota game.

Did anyone notice he had two different color socks on.?

So true, yet funny. I did have a non-umpire friend ask me about the crappy looking chest protector he was wearing. But most folks don't care about umpires, until they kick a call. And that's probably the way it should be.

I can believe the plenty of stares part, but the plenty of ooohhs & ahhhhs part, I don't think so. Nobody comes to a ballgame to see if the umpire is quite the fashion plate.

Ya gotta believe us on this. Chicks dig the coat, and it's kinda like wearing a Pope's hat out there.

http://www.bayrose.org/wkneedle/Arti...ages/mitre.jpg

If nicely pressed polywools and shiny shoes buy you two innings, the coat is a 2 for 1 coupon on owning the park. But I fully understand your view, 'cause I didn't believe until I donned the Frock of Kings. But slip one on, and walk on the field, and you'll get it. (a plate coat, not the pontiff's lid)

This way the throat protector doesnt get caught on the chest protector. I was actually thinking about doing this next year.

I had an evaluator once say that when my throat protector was on the inside, it dangled and waved like a wagging tongue. I moved it to the outside several years ago which appeased my evaluator and had the added benefit of not getting caught on my chest protector which would happen from time to time.

The ooohhs & ahhhhs come from the dugouts. Coaches & players seem to like the plate coats and remark about them because they rarely see them any longer. The fans could care less.

The COAT is a rarity here in San Diego, as the climate rarely makes it practical. But when it does make an appearance, it gets noticed by all, fans included. Trust me. I get comments from

"That's awsome!" from players and coaches

to

"Can I touch it?" from the Moms.

One cautionary note: Do not attempt to wear the coat unless you're at LEAST five years into it, and have total command of the field. Again, trust me on this.

I love the guy in the Youtube video with the backwards hat!

t's supposed to dangle and wave. That way if you should happen to tilt your head back it still drops in front of your throat.

Maybe I'm envisioning this wrong, but it seems to me you remove some of the protective qualities by doing that.

You want to close the gap between the bottom of your mask and your chest protector, so a ball won't sneak in. Low, inside pitches that get fouled up at you are your enemy. Or ones that deflect off the catcher. You want to protect your Adam's apple from being crushed (blunt enough?).

Again, just have someone take a picture of you from the side, when you drop into your stance. Then just draw line on that picture on where, and how long a throat protector might help you.

YouTube - TOC-Padres-Dodgers.mov

see throat shot at :45. Just another example of "if you are exposed, the ball WILL find you."

Anyone who umpires a ballgame without a throat protector is nuts.

If the guy in that video got hit the same way with a high-80s/low-90s pitch, he would/could have been killed. That's killed with a "K."

You don't like how it looks? Great reason not to use one.

I wear my plate coat as much as possible...the coaches think you actually can umpire when they see one.

I'm getting a new one next year. The big debate is whether I get a black one or a navy one. I had both at one time, then I lost a bunch of weight (my 50 wouldn't fit my 42 body now) and I sold both of them.

Buy my 40R (fits like a 42R) navy one, and I'll buy a black one. Everybody wins!

Honestly, I'd get a black one if I were you. They go with more.

Must be rookie coaches :D

OK, unless I'm blind (which, as an umpire, have certainly been accused of...), Dan Iassogna was wearing a black shirt over his protector last night. To me, as previously stated, this looks much better than a giant plastic yellow "W" sticking out under the coat.

You are correct. It was much better looking than a battle worn Riddel. And, having worn an Under Armour type shirt in between my cp and coat, it's much better fit. The coat glides over the shirt, instead of catching on the cp. It really does make a functional difference. I highly recommend trying it.

Can someone explain why it is taboo to wear a shirt over the CP as Iassogna did last night?

When it is exceptionally cold (three times a year, maybe), I have worn a Majestic thermabase pullover over my CP and under my long-sleeve shirt. It's light, very warm and looks/feels great, but is nick-worthy if you're being evaluated. Why?

Iassogna looked great, by the way.

Great. Now I have to buy ANOTHER shirt...:D

JJ

PS Iassogna looked great until he called that high curve ball....then he just looked well dressed...

One of these:

http://www.baseballsavings.com/image...cfli-black.jpg

Ump-Attire is selling a jacket from Majestic made of that material. I will never have a use for it here but it almost made me wish I lived in a cold climate. :)

Also, I agree, Iassogna did look sharp last night. The Giants, however, did not. :(

Except that curve ball was right in the middle of the strike zone, as reported by Pitch F/X.

The Ball 4 to Rollins was sold by Rollins and bought by Iassogna. To me, that was the only gross miss he had last night.

How does he nail down a strike zone floating like that? He's almost never locked.

He does look great, though.

I saw one of those jackets, and they're thicker. It's more of a trade name than a uniform type of fabric. It is similar, but not the same as the batting practice type pullover I use.

I love the finish of that jacket ... wow! And no tucking it in!

Rollins is a clutch hitter in the post-season, no matter how badly he's played this season (much of it due to injuries). That almost-slam he hit put the game out of reach.

The only question I have is why do they keep throwing inside-half fastballs to Cody Ross. He can hit them; stop throwing them.

7 more wins to the championship. For all 4 teams.

I can answer that: if you throw only outside-half fastballs, he'll cheat on those and hit them just as well. You have to throw inside off the plate to keep him honest, and you might miss. ;)

Still, I'm sure they've worked out that their strategy isn't working, and you won't see that particular mistake again. He might not see another fastball near the strike zone this year.

My point is that Oswalt has a great curveball and a decent changeup -- why not throw him some of those?

Yeah, he looks great. Except for that annoying putting his hand on the catcher thing. What's up with that? I have heard that most catchers hate that and wish the umpire would kindly remove his hand from their backs.

Remember the oafish plate umpire from Major League in the final championship game (the one who pulled the chain on swinging strikes)? He wore a plate coat and managed to set movie-actor umpiring back 100 years at the same time. Most coaches I know around here would consider a plate coat pretentious on anything but a big game.