Wearing a Cup

I know that not every player on my son's HS team do not - including the SS and one of the two most-used 3Bs.  I think they're crazy not to, and so does my son.  He asked the 3B if he thought he was better than Adrian Beltre and winked at him (if you don't know the reference, Google it...horror story from when Beltre was with the M's).  Many of today's cups are more comfortable, so I don't understand the choice not to wear one.

From another thread on here it looks like a lot of pitchers don't.

I bet a lot of outfielders don't as well

Manny, many years ago, I played in a semi-pro tournament in Battle Creek, Michigan.

 

Our team had several pro players including our SS. We all wore metal cups. "Never leave home without it".

 

Our SS received a hard hit one bouncer, which hit his metal cup. We all heard the clink "sound". After the inning he went into the dugout and remove the cup and pick up a wood bat and knocked the dent out!!!!!.

 

Our young pitchers were in "awe". I could have sold cups for $50.00 each.

True story!!

 

Bob

 

 

Where is the "LIKE" button on that one!  Love IT

My son use to, now he doesn't. I've warned him but I guess this is a lesson he might have to learn the hard way.

I told him that once you are on the ground trying to gasp for air, but there is no relief, you will wear one from that point forward.

 

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Son won't play if he doesn't have a cup in.  Period.

 

I want to be a grandpa someday.

I have learned that many players in the MiLB do not wear them, I believe there will be a resurgence however. And it does not matter at all what position a player fields, they are all in harms way at one time or another!

True story. I was playing SS in high school when I got a hot shot my way. I was prepared to knock it down with my chest, when the ball skipped instead of hopped. It drilled my cup and shot a few feet out in front of me. I maintained my composure and threw the ball to first for the out. I have NEVER considered playing without a cup on. Some of my high school players now don't use cups. I told them that's the exact reason when their ground ball approach is bad and they side step the ball and make so many errors. They are scared to take a bad hop but refuse to wear a cup. Bad decision you think?

True Story... A player on my son's milb team was on the on deck circle, properly positioned. He apparently has never worn a cup. The batter was very early on a pitch that should have resulted in a HR and turned on it to the extent that he hit a line drive pulling it behind him in a freak accident sort of way and drilled the on deck batter you know where with a ball in excess of 100mph. Nailed him. Doubled him over vomiting and rushed for emergency surgery!

He is now a little lighter by a factor of 1.

I think everyone on the team is reevaluating their decision regarding whether or not to wear a cup! I know my son has, lol!

My son took pitching lessons from Josias Manzanillo, so he knows very well why a pitcher should wear a cup.

 

My 2016 is the starting JV catcher, so always wears one. In a recent game they ran out of pitchers...asked my son if he could go an inning, he said yes...only problem - nobody else was wearing a cup to catch. So he stayed behind the dish and the cast of thousands pitched the last inning. 

 

I couldn't believe it. You only get a single set. 

I cannot imagine that their are many catchers that do not wear a cup.

Only time I heard an entire MLB stadium gasp in unison.  Typical between innings video montage playing when they showed a clip of a batter leaning way back on an inside pitch.  As the pitch bounced up off what you hope was his cup you could hear the entire stadium gasp as one...

I didn't wear a cup playing outfield. Neither does my son. However, when he was playing  16U one of his outfield teammates squared to squeeze and took a fastball in the nuts. To add insult to injury, in his reaction to the pitch the bat went forward for a strike.

I think it was my senior year in high school and I was catching.  There was a runner on first and fastball in the dirt directly in front of me.  Somehow that ball started into the five hole and hit me square in the cup.  The ball rolled back out in front of me and the runner took off for second........and ended up on third because it still hurt so bad I stayed in my blocking position.  Everyone was yelling at me to get the ball, which was almost in arms length, but I was hurting so bad I just stayed there.

Speaking of cups............

http://thecupcheck.com/

 

This website was started by one of sons teammates brother who is in the Yankees minor league. I haven't read all the entries but I think it's "G" rated. 

So, the Umpires always ask "is everyone equipped."  My first year here, I asked my senior catcher if he was properly equipped.  He responded yes.  He did not have a cup on.  He was hit on a foul ball.  That ended his career.  Freshman took over and senior could never get his position back.  In fact, quit a couple of weeks later.

Back in my son's 12 or 13 yr old days, he was on the mound and a batter drilled a shot right back at my son who took it directly in the cup.  The ball ricocheted to the 1st baseman for the out.  Once we realized that our son was unfazed, we busted out laughing... as did the rest of the stands. 

Can't imagine playing without one... Period

My son's little league coach took an errant shot during practice. He went home and laid on the couch until his nurse wife took one look(no pun intended) and got him to the emergency room. Emergency surgery saved one but not both.......

I don't think too many pitchers that I've played with since reaching college ball wear one. Its not really a topic of conversation, nor is it something I've distinctly noticed or not noticed in the locker room. 

 

I haven't worn a cup since stepping on the field my freshman year of college. I don't find them comfortable at all. I have no other excuse for not wearing one- and think its pretty stupid of me not to. But, I've escaped the torture of the punishment my whole life...thankfully. Still- pretty dumb. 

JH;

you are scouting? During our Area Code White Sox tryout at Notre Dame, a famous White Sox scout was clocking the pitchers during our BP. He was sitting in a chair to the rear of the batting cage and he did not notice the gap under the "roll out" cage.

A foul strike found its path under the cage and "bang", the scout dropped to his knees.

 

"I asked for medical assistance" and a very attractive mother offered assistance and a ice bag.

He suffered laying on the bench in the Notre Dame dugout and the scouting community

throughout the MLB had visual memories within 24 hours.

True Story!

 

Bob

Bob- You're telling me I have to wear a cup while I'm on assignment?!?!?!

  

Yes, if you sit in a chair behind the batting cage at Notre Dame.

 

Bob

My son is a catcher so he always where's his (I just got him a nutty buddy), except for pure BP, which seems reasonable.

I was asked to move from center to first in the middle of a college summer game. I hadn't played first since 8th grade. I didn't have a cup. The ball found me. I puked right on the field while on my knees. Baseball is just full of wonderful memories.

I'll never understand a kid not wearing a cup.  Mine always does.  In a game last year, one of the kids not playing was acting as first base coach for an inning or two.  Not wearing a cup.  Took an errant throw right in the wrong area.  Dropped him like a rock.  Why take the chance? 

Son grew up catching and switched to the mound through college. He wore one a long, long time.

Somebody give me a good reason not to wear a cup?

 

Sometimes when I go into some hostile business negotiations or customer meetings, I'll wear a cup for old time sake. 

NOW THAT IS FUNNY. I think since I am in charge for feeding 400 elderly 3 times a day, I might just have to wear one as well. Nothing like 300 women who know how to cook better than me, never know whne i'll get a chop in the "cup"

I also drive while drinking McDonalds coffee without a lid.

As an update all the players on my sons team have gone off and purchased a cup.

Funny thing, my JV coach just asked me my feelings about cups.  My exact statement was, "If they are brave enough not to where cups then they should be brave enough to stay in front of the ball."  He then asked me what I would do if they weren't.  My response was to bench them until they can prove they have purchased and are wearing a cup.  My son who is 8 has worn a cup ever since he started T ball at age 5.  My wife who has a medical background questioned the neccesity of one at that age and my response was, "It's not about neccesity it is about getting comfortable with one." I think people are nuts not to use one.

interesting that until yesterday I would have said my son weas his cup all the time. Last night for some reason it came up at our house (Lords only knows how THAT came up!). anyways, he said he doesn't wear a cup anymore unless when he is playing 3B and a certain teammate of his pitches (I guess he was saying that hitters got around on him). I told him he was crazy. His Mama said she would be doing cup check from now on cause she wanted grandbabies someday in the distant future. I can see her doing it too, going down to dugout at HS game and doing double tap to be sure HA HA

Why cheat your teammates by not wearing a cup.  You play for me and jump off a ground ball and no cup you sit and watch.  A pitch er makes a pitch for an out you need to field it.

Just because a player does not wear a cup does not mean he is going to be fearful of a hit ball, and just because a player wears a cup does not make a player fearless.

 

The two do not go hand in hand. A player who wears a cup may be worried about being hit in the face.

 

I always wore one.   Was especially appreciative when a hard GB shattered my cup. Wish I had a Nutty Buddy.