Socks Up, Socks Down

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Okay, this is a sort of baseball "fashion" question.  Do you prefer it when a ballplayer wears his socks UP (Nick Johnson, Robert Fick style) or when he wears his pants down over his socks (Jon Rauch and countless others)?

For those of you who used to play ball in some capacity, is there a difference and reason between each style of sock wear?

I personally like the socks up.

[The Chief]

Added a poll for you

I don't really have a preference so I voted "socks up."  At least that way you know your pants legs won't get caught up underfoot

[Senators2005]

I like socks down unless the player is wearing the old-style stirrups.   

[2k6nats]

Socks down.

[DPMOmaha]

When I was still playing, I wore them down at home and up on the road.  One of my silly superstitions.  Not sure that it worked though. 

[soxfan59]

Drats.  I thought this might be a discussion about MY team. 

[tomterp]

Drats.  I thought this might be a discussion about MY team. 

Sorry bud, but the only socks going up this year are back east, so far. 

[Dave B]

i kinda like the cheesy 90's style with the high pants and the white sock with the stripe on the side, the faux stirrup.  its kinda crappy but cool too. i think it is popular with girls softball.

i really dont have a preference.

i think i heard a story behind the high pants: it is less restrictive when bending a knee.  if you have tight pants down around your ankle, there will be some tension as you try to bend your leg.  if you roll it up and get a little bunching near the knee, there is some slack there and it is less restrictive. actually you probably dont even need the bunching, just the fact that the pants arent attached a low point and being tensed could probably do it

[Dave B]

the real story with the stirrup was originally teams wore a thin white "sanitary" sock under the colored decorative sock. the sanitary was necessary, because if you got cut or something, the dye in the colored sock was poisonous.  eventually they didnt like having two socks in their shoe so they cut out most of the foot and made the stirrup. 

so i guess if you were to really adhere to tradition, there would be no stirrup at all and just a colored sock showing, which is what I think a lot of the guys with the pants up wear nowadays

[natsfan1a]

I like the socks up look like Johnson wears. I also like the stirrups look like Fick wears.

[nats2playoffs]

I like the socks up look like Johnson wears. I also like the stirrups look like Fick wears.

Because What-the-Fick's uniform is hanging off of him, it is widely believed that he's wearing Nick Johnson's uniform, and just sewed another number on it.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Zimmerman hit his homerun with socks up last night.  I think the whole team should jack'em up to the knees and see if its magic.

[natsfan1a]

I remember the time they all did that after Nick was hurt.

Zimmerman hit his homerun with socks up last night.  I think the whole team should jack'em up to the knees and see if its magic.

[saltydad]

Socks up...I'm a traditionalist in this.

[tomterp]

Hey saltydad, do you keep saltwater aquaria?

[mikehughes]

Socks down Guzman style

[2k6nats]

A-Rod also wears his socks up.

[natsfan1a]

Eeeeew!

[saltydad]

Hey saltydad, do you keep saltwater aquaria?

I used to have a business starting and maintaining marine fish and reef tanks. And yes, I had 3 reef tanks at home. Being a student again now, the wallet doesn't allow for it, nor does nursing school leave me the time. But I can't wait until I can set up a new tank!

[Senators2005]

I used to have a business starting and maintaining marine fish and reef tanks. And yes, I had 3 reef tanks at home. Being a student again now, the wallet doesn't allow for it, nor does nursing school leave me the time. But I can't wait until I can set up a new tank!

I used to have a freshwater tank when I was younger.  Maintaining saltwater tanks are such a royal pain, but they are worth it if you really like fish.  Saltwater fish are so much more colorful than freshwater ones.

[saltydad]

I used to have a freshwater tank when I was younger.  Maintaining saltwater tanks are such a royal pain, but they are worth it if you really like fish.  Saltwater fish are so much more colorful than freshwater ones.

It's a fantastic hobby if you're at all into biology, chemistry and beauty! (electrician and plumbing skills also come in handy ) "Tis a tad expensive though, and definitely labor intensive. But sooooworth it! And if you think the fish are great, you should see the corals. I got into it from being a scuba diver.

[Senators2005]

It's a fantastic hobby if you're at all into biology, chemistry and beauty! (electrician and plumbing skills also come in handy ) "Tis a tad expensive though, and definitely labor intensive. But sooooworth it! And if you think the fish are great, you should see the corals. I got into it from being a scuba diver.

I'll stick to photography as my hobby...it's expensive enough, believe me. 

[saltydad]

You should combine your photography with  some beautiful subjects....

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Senators2005]

Yeah.  That sure looks like an expensive aquarium.  I particularly like the finger fish at the top.   

[tomterp]

It's a fantastic hobby if you're at all into biology, chemistry and beauty! (electrician and plumbing skills also come in handy ) "Tis a tad expensive though, and definitely labor intensive. But sooooworth it! And if you think the fish are great, you should see the corals. I got into it from being a scuba diver.

I'm a freshwater guy myself, currently have 4 tanks setup, and getting ready to put my old whisky barrel outside for the summer.  My 75g is a planted aquarium, with featuring South American tetras, some of whom rival many saltwater fish for color.  Only problem is, I ran out of CO2 a couple of weeks ago and I better get a new tank or I'm going to lose half my plants.

My son and I keep a 55g for native fish.  We catch minnows, darters, catfish from local creeks or streams.  Some of these (rosyside dace) have really nice color during spawning season, while others have spectacular finnage (satinfin shiner).

We also have a 10g with a breeding pair of killifish in my daughter's room, and a 20g with my son's favorite things in his room.

I agree with you, that keeping fish is a very nice blend of biology, chemistry, even plumbing and electrical type activities.  My next project, is I'm ripping out the insides of the standard flourescent light fixtures, and upgrading with a highly reflective background and thinner bulb, the result of which will be more than a 100% increase in output, to benefit the plants.

And Sens, aquarium photography is a whole niche unto itself.  Ever try to capture a live subject with digital lag to overcome?  Arghh!

EDIT:  I also belong to two related clubs, though not especially active (especially during baseball season)

http://pvas.com/index.htm
http://www.gwapa.org/