It must be pretty boring at Mariners spring training because yesterday we were treated to a story about protective cups worn by players. Or more appropriately, protective cups NOT worn by players. Now, as somebody who played sports through college (minus the cup! yes, I am awesome) I know how horrible it is to play with one of these things on. But there are times where even the most hardened vets know they should, nay must, wear a cup.

You know, like third base in baseball. They don't call it the hot corner because people hit dribblers down the line.

But Adrian Beltre doesn't care what common sense says, he goes commando cup-style at third. Beltre said he never wore a cup while playing on fields full of holes and rocks in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The only time he's ever worn one was in 1996, in his first days as a 17-year-old Class-A player for the Los Angeles Dodgers. And that was only because the Dodgers briefly tried fining him for not wearing one.
Now that's dedication. And what's up with fining someone for not wearing a cup? By the way, how exactly do you check to make sure a guy is wearing a cup? You know what, I don't want to know.

Beltre's not the only major leaguer to forsake his junk. Shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt doesn't wear a cup, either. So half of the Mariners' infield isn't fully protected.

The theory is an awful lot of pitchers also don't wear cups, which can sometimes lead to bad situations.

In 1997, in a game at the old Kingdome, Cleveland's Manny Ramirez lined a drive off the groin of Josias Manzanillo, then a reliever with the Mariners, who wasn't wearing a cup. Manzanillo had surgery after the game to salvage a testicle.

Feliz Pie feels Manzanillo's pain.

Now personally, I don't care what people do with cups. In fact I think no one should wear a cup. It would certainly make my life as a blogger a lot easier. Why? Because I could post videos like this all day.