That comment did come up on the chat, not a bad idea.Maybe we will need to dig out a few of the old school outside chest protectors. Those things were a thick shield.
That comment did come up on the chat, not a bad idea.Maybe we will need to dig out a few of the old school outside chest protectors. Those things were a thick shield.
don't think you understand angles.It seems RAD answered your question perfectly. There is less protection because the umpire is not being partially shielded by the catchers body. I see a lot of umps that get right behind the catcher with just their face exposed over their shoulder. Kinda like hiding from bullets..... it’s better right behind your “shield”
We know from years of experience and training that the slot position—that imaginary box between the batter and catcher, or inner edge of home plate if the catcher has moved outside—is the safest position from which to receive a pitch, or the so-called "Green Zone" of home plate umpiring.
A number of the 2016 injures occurred when umpires vacated the safe (green) zone and entered caution (yellow) or danger (red) zones. For instance, yawetag diagrammed Chris Guccione's May 26 injury, noting that Guccione was positioned in the caution/yellow zone at the pivotal moment.
So are you saying, 6 feet back in the slot is ok, relatively speaking?Right behind the catcher is NOT the safest location for an umpire. We work the slot (between the batter and the catcher) for two reasons: primarily because of where the line of fire is for a foul ball (#2 is getting a better look). It isn’t about using the catcher as a shield, it’s about the angle a foul ball is most likely to take.
Anecdotal, but every umpire I know of who has been concussed was set up right over the top of the catcher. I spend a lot of money on my gear, but it is the secondary line of defense.
From a 2016 article at Close Call Sports:
Injury Study - The Slot and Mask vs Helmet Debate
All about MLB umpires, ejections, Replay Review decisions, close and controversial calls. Detailed rules and sports officiating analysis.www.closecallsports.com
View attachment 17741
Not every ball is going to take those trajectories though. The “area of safety” is NOT a cone going backwards. Quite the opposite. The further back you are, the more exposed you are.
Again, how is that? Exposed to what that you aren't exposed to already? Geometry says otherwise. You telling me a ball fouled off over the left shoulder of the catcher is going to miss you if you're right behind her but hit you if you are 6 foot behind her? How does that work? Is the ball going to curve behind her after it passes the catcher's shoulder? No, it's going to continue on the angle that it was on after leaving the bat.The further back you are, the more exposed you are.
I am obviously not an umpire and I thank you and RAD for the explanations. I happen to want the umpires to be working to be the safest possible and I think the umps with actual experience would know what is safe and not.Right behind the catcher is NOT the safest location for an umpire. We work the slot (between the batter and the catcher) for two reasons: primarily because of where the line of fire is for a foul ball (#2 is getting a better look). It isn’t about using the catcher as a shield, it’s about the angle a foul ball is most likely to take.
Anecdotal, but every umpire I know of who has been concussed was set up right over the top of the catcher. I spend a lot of money on my gear, but it is the secondary line of defense.
From a 2016 article at Close Call Sports:
Injury Study - The Slot and Mask vs Helmet Debate
All about MLB umpires, ejections, Replay Review decisions, close and controversial calls. Detailed rules and sports officiating analysis.www.closecallsports.com
View attachment 17741
Not every ball is going to take those trajectories though. The “area of safety” is NOT a cone going backwards. Quite the opposite. The further back you are, the more exposed you are.
Again, how is that? Exposed to what that you aren't exposed to already? Geometry says otherwise. You telling me a ball fouled off over the left shoulder of the catcher is going to miss you if you're right behind her but hit you if you are 6 foot behind her? How does that work? Is the ball going to curve behind her after it passes the catcher's shoulder? No, it's going to continue on the angle that it was on after leaving the bat.