Be prepared
 

During my game yesterday, the first pitch of the inning I get hit in my left hand. BOOM! My indicator explodes. As I stand there grasping my hand in pain, I look down to see my beloved and much used indicator on the ground in seven distinct pieces; the front cover, back cover, four florescent yellow wheels with raised red numbers, and a metal piece used to restrict the wheel movement to one direction while make a distinct clicking noise. (Say, it just occurred to me, maybe this is why the uniformed call them clickers?)

The offensive coach rushes in to see if I am alright. As he arrives on the tragic scene he sees the mortal remains of my destroyed indicator on the ground. After determining that I am (mostly) unhurt, he picks up the remains and hands them to me. “Too bad about your clicker, now what are you going to do?”

With a twinkle in my eyes, I wryly smile I say, “Watch this.” With a small flourish I reach into my ball bag and pull out my spare reserve emergency indicator, which had just been promoted to lead indicator.

“Wow, you are a well prepared,” says the much impressed coach.

As the game is ready to get back underway, the defensive coach seriously asks, “What’s the count?”

Reaching back into my bag I pull out a few of the broken pieces, “I don’t know.”

“Was that a ball or a strike?”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure it was a ball.”

Between innings I give the pitcher’s coach the seven remaining pieces of the indicator, “Here coach, your pitcher earned this.”

I always bring a small gym bag to my games. In it, you will find:

• My shoes (freshly polished the night before)
• My chewing gum
• My Gatorade
• My shin guards
• A half dozen plastic bat rings from ASA
• 2 line-up card holders
• 3 wooden brushes
• 2 Hole-E brushes
• 6 or 7 indicators

Believe me, I'm pretty well-prepared! Sorry to hear about your indicator, though.

Memorial Services will be held on Saturday. Donations may be sent to NCASAUmp... I mean BuggBob.

Good job!

My waterbottle case thing has a pocket. In it is an extra clicker, a pen or 2, flip coin, and some gum.

I think I would have given it to the catcher - she earned it for not blocking the pitch!

To be fair it was a 36 foot change-up.

*snicker*

bob got jacked by a 36 foot change up. That's weak sauce.

:P

It's you own damn fault! How many times have you been told to keep the safety "on" them little buggers?:D

Always have a spare in the bag and always have a fully equiped spare ball bag in my equipment bag with two more indicators.

Sheesh, Mike... Don't you know better? A safety is a mechanical part that can fail. Didn't they teach you that in the Navy? ;)

Hell, no! Something has to work properly before it can fail. Never seem to enjoy the prior, so experiencing the latter wasn't possible.

Me too. Are we a bunch of anal-retentive folks, or what?) :cool:

What?? No extra shoe laces???

No, but good idea... :)

I have a couple extra pair in my bag.

I usually replace my shoes too quickly to necessitate a spare pair in the bag. Only twice have I ever needed a new pair of laces before I replaced the shoes.

in my bag I have two pairs of plate two pairs of base shoes... shin gaurds and replacement straps. two chest protectors ( one is smaller than the other) a mask and a replacement harness) two plain navy blue ball bags two ASA ball bags. 3 metal indicators. 3 brushes. two lineup card holders 3x5 cards as well as the all important cup ;) I modify my indicators so that their click isnt too loud if at all in audible.

One of my plate games at a national I was giving a play at home plate an overhand and the hand that was not actually giving the overhand clamped down and actually destroyed my indicator. I didnt have one the rest of the game. Now I dont use an indicator at all behind the plate. Dont get me wrong I carry one out there so if I drop the count one time I can pick it up and use it. I have yet to use it since that day I broke one.