Protecting the jewels

I don't recall ever noticing a catcher playing without a cup after 12U. I don't expect a HS coach to be doing cup checks.  However, if he was aware that the kid wasn't wearing one and let him play anyway, that's just stupid.

 

There seems to be a mixed bag (NPI) at 1B and 3B. Maybe the guys who have been hit are the ones who wear cups.

 

Two years ago I watched a HS kid take a foul lined shot straight to the boys while standing in the batters box.  It was a rocket shot he wasn't wearing a cup.  He was done for quite a while.  Two years later this kid ends up playing summer ball for me. He jokes about it now but it wasn't funny then.  Needless to say he wears a cup now.  Amazing that he had no lasting damage so he says.

Common? More like idiotic! My first year with my current team (3rd year with current team, in different state than when I started coaching), I noticed a lot of the infielders side stepping ground balls. I was getting frustrated considering I told them time and again how to play the ground balls. Finally, after one pitiful tank, I walked out to the middle infielders (this was during practice) and ripped them all for not having heart. I told them the worst that could happen was the ball either hitting their pretty little faces, chests, or cup check them. They asked what cup check was and I told them it is when you get hit in the man parts but all is good because you passed the cup check. After a few giggles, I found out not one, not two, not even three of our infielders did not wear cups, but majority of them didn't wear cups. My jaw dropped! It explained why they had such bad habits of side stepping. I asked them why they didn't wear cups and most answered they never did because they never had to. I told them IF they wanted to play the right way and brake out of the bad habits they have developed, not to mention protect themselves from long term disability, they better go out and get a cup. I am sitting here still in disbelief...

On my son's previous teams, you had to wear a cup or you did not play/practice.  Then a new coach changed that.  Kept trotting out a kid at the corners without a cup.  Cost us a few errors and games.  I could never understand it. 

 

Catchers who don't wear cups aren't bright enough to be a catcher. 

Always shocks me how many guys don't understand the importance of wearing a cup.  When my son started playing middle school ball at his school, he was razzed pretty mercilessly by guys for wearing one.  Most of these guys were straight out of rec ball, but not all of them.  None of them wore a cup.  My son wore a cup from I think 9u onward and wanted to know if it was really necessary.  I shared with him a time I was taking a live AB in practice during college.  I was trying to execute a slash bunt H&R and fouled ticked a FB downward which went directly off the catchers cup.  I'll never forget the sound of that ball off the cup.  Over the years coaching and being around the game, I've seen numerous guys catch one in the cup.  There are serious potential ramifications of getting hit without a cup... And this is true btw for guys prior to puberty too.   Guys playing at the highest levels... College and pro... can decide for themselves obviously, but if I had my way it would be required gear for ALL players HS and below.  And learning how to play wearing one takes some time and experience too.  I always warned my guys to watch out for "Coach Cupcheck"... Which was the convenient nickname of my fungo bat.

You would be shocked at who does and does not wear a cup at the MiLB Level. Many Catchers do not.

 

The on deck circle can be a dangerous place regardless of what position you play in the field.

Playing through HS in the late 80's cups were mandatory for us. sure it was uncomfortable but i know i was more aggressive knowing i had some protection.

Adrian Beltre does not wear a cup at 3rd base.  Even after he was hit there while playing for the Mariners and had to go on the 15-day disabled list.

.....this ^^^^^^^^^^^

You would be amazed at the number of college and professional players that do not wear cups.

This thread reminds of an incident during a game back when my son was playing a on a then 12U travel team.  Ball hit to the outfield, took an awkward bounce on the outfielder, and plunked him in the cup.  We all heard the plunk sound that indicated he was indeed wearing a cup.  Travel Coach used it to point out that all players should be wearing a cup and not just the catcher and infielders.  There were a few, that up to that point, didn't see the need.

 

His HS school coach made it mandatory for all players regardless of position.

 

I don't recall HS umpires doing a cup check, but often in travel ball (13U and down), the ump would want to hear the solid knock sound of the player (usually just the catcher) knocking on his cup.  If the catcher did not have a cup - he's not going behind the plate until he gets one. 

My 2017 is a catcher and uses a Nutty Buddy. He would never dream of playing baseball (besides just BP work) without a cup. And he has gotten a few tips and bouncers to the boys and told me the first hard one "I thought it wouldn't hurt!" I responded "oh it still hurts, but you won't be injured."

Most, if not all, organizations require the catcher to wear a cup. As to other players, I can honestly say that, in watching thousands of youth games over 25 years as a sports photographer, I never once saw a non-catcher take one to the boys. I have, however, seen plenty of shots to the face/throat by infielders and batters, yet we don't require masks. If you have infielders who can't properly stand their ground when fielding a ball, it's not the lack of a cup. I doubt they fear a shot to the jewells more than the much more common and likely shot to the face. I've never heard a number, but I would bet VERY few pros or college players wear cups these days.

I'm I the only one, or was it difficult to open the thread b/c of the queasiness the OP's title brought to your gut?

At sons HS, all the infielders are required to wear one, if they get got without it, some form of extra conditioning is doled out.  Personally, I still wear one when I play softball and play infield.  I've taken a few "hot shots" at the hot corner and have been plenty thankful for the "jewel" protector..lol.... and the shots had nothing to do with bad fielding form.

 

When I coached LL, I wouldn't let a kid play infield if they weren't wearing a cup.  Nobody complained.

 

Our varsity second baseman took a shot in practice and fractured his testy was out for a month and came back strong. Turns out half the team was not wearing cups at practice, now they do!

"TRUE STORY"

Many years ago, we used metal cups. At the National AABC tournament in Michigan our shortstop was the receiver of a very hard hit ball. The "ding" when it hit the cup was hear throughout the Battle Creek Post Field Stadium. Between innings he arrived in the dugout and took an old wood bat and knock the dent out of the metal cup.

 

When I played 1b against the greatest team in the history of baseball {Willie Mays "All Stars"] and Aaron, Banks, Irwin and Willie batting, our SS and 3b played short left field. Believe me, they all wore cups. 

 

It is good practice to get use to the cup now, because the next level the ball will travel with greater speed. There is no time to think, only react!

 

Bob

<goodwillseries.org>

 

 

 

 

Beltre now has 1 ball because he didn't wear one.

 

Coach3 my SS last summer had the same problems with taking balls off to the side because he didn't wear one.  We constantly told him to wear one.  He said is wasn't comfortable.  When he gets hit there it really won't be comfortable.

I resisted wearing one for a long time, but by the time I got to high school I couldn't play baseball without one! I don't think I could have coached baseball because I'd feel weird not having a cup on with baseball pants!

If you are taking balls off to the side because you are not wearing a cup you don't deserve the position.

I agree. 

Bob

So umpires aren't the only ones to have conversations about whether to wear a cup or not?

 

I've always worn one on the dish, but was in the "cup-optional" camp until last year. I was U1 in the first game of the season, a D1 game where there definitely was some rust on everyone. Great snap throw to first on a pickoff, F3 was totally caught off guard, and the twins were the first thing that ball hit. I'm lucky I was nimble enough to get just enough air so that it only hit the bottom of the berry-bag, but it still was enough to cause a delay in the game.

Beside the catcher my son is the only player that wears a cup. He is also one of a few who wear one playing football.

My son took pitching lessons from Josias Manzanillo.

 

Only took one conversation from him to convince my son to wear a cup anytime he even thinks of stepping on the field.

 

Heck, he hasn't played this spring due to injury - but he still wears a cup when he hits fungoes and feeds the pitching machine. 

He needs to invest in a Nutty Buddy.  Best cup on the market...hands down.

 Here's my question. I see anecdotal evidence of injuries that scare people into wearing a cup. I see coaches who require it of their entire team and fathers who wouldn't dream of sending their kid out there without a cup. A couple of years ago, at 12, I had a kid who had taken one to the jaw a couple of years earlier. His dad made him wear a facemask on his helmet and the kid took a razzing. Why? Is it a man problem of ours that we fear a shot to the boys, but (with far many more incidents of baseballs to the face) no one pushes for facemasks and if it's brought up, it's shot down by almost everyone. Similarly, I hear your stories of guys who take one to the nuts and always wear a cup after that, but pitchers take a line drive to the head that causes far more damage than a testicle shot would ever produce and STILL don't want to wear the cap inserts. I'm sorry. I don't get it. Can anyone on here tell me they've seen more/worse accidents to the groin than the head?

Uhhh...there are FAR MORE incidents of getting hit in the crotch than head by a batted ball.  As an INF, I would get cup checked by 3-4 balls per year.  My son was a C and would take 2-3 balls per year off his cup.  I have only personally seen 1 P get hit in the head by a line drive and no hitters get hit in the face.

Groin protection:  You never know when you'll need it.

 

gif--Jose Reyes groin shot while diving back into first base. The merciless first baseman tries to tag Reyes during his moment of agony.

 

I'll start keeping a tally in my games this year.

My son played 3rd Base and SS since he was 6, never wore a cup once he entered High School, played through College, and some Minor League, and never took a bad hop or any hop to the Jewels. He always got in front and would knock the ball down with his chest on a bad hop but was never hurt you know where.

 

He did suffer a severe injury in the Minors while in the On Deck circle where he took a rocket line drive right where you never want to get hit. Emergency Surgery and now a lot more Minor Leaguers wear cups.

 

He wears one now as well, since he has no more to spare.

 

Not advocating going without, just saying it should not impact how a player fields his position.

No cup ..... No play!  Simple as that.

Great to see you still around!!!