MLB Looks to Protect Pitchers
 

MLB looks to protect pitchers from line drives - ESPN

From the article:

MLB medical director Dr. Gary Green has been talking to companies about protective headgear for pitchers, Halem said. A report is on the agenda at baseball's winter meetings in December.

A cap liner with Kevlar, the high-impact material used by military, law enforcement and NFL players for body armor, is among the ideas under consideration.

And FED has considered having all infielders wear helmets with face masks.

I think I will see pitchers wearing helmets long after instant replay on almost anything is implemented. If they want to work on something they should elimininate malicious contact at the plate.

Pitchers are going to always be in a bad position. You are 60' away, throwing 80+ mph, to an object that can reverse the direction at almost the same speed. You are a target and that is all there is to it.

So what do we want to do, suit up all the players in gear like football players? How is a pitcher going to pitch? How is a fielder going to have the dexterity do dive, roll and come up throwing if they are clad in protective suits?

We go through this every time someone gets hit with a baseball. It is part of the game and if you don't want to get hit, play in the outfield.

Typical over-reaction. Stretch the point out to the absurd... and then ridicule the absurdity. No one is saying they need to be in protective suits. It's a mask. Catchers use them (and a little body armor too!) yet are not deemed incapable of moving or seeing. Umpires wear them and are still able to see. Why in the world would you think this would make it impossible for a pitcher to pitch?

I think having the infielders wear helmets and masks may be a bit overkill, but having the pitchers do it seems easy enough. I'm sure they would adjust quickly. Even having modified helmets, less than a batting helmet, for example, would be an improvement.

I would expect it to happen at the aluminum levels within a few years if they don't get rid of the bats themselves. MLB? I don't know.

I've always said players should take the field with whatever suit of armor they wear to the plate anyway, so it might be an improvement.

Something similar to what some softball players wear in the infield would work at a minimum. Something with slightly more pad on the top and sides might be better, but might be cumbersome.

yep
 

Of course, lets change the game into the game as played by little girls.

T

Kevlar lined hats will be helpful when pitchers start taking gun fire or someone charges the mound with a knife. That's about it.

Tee, with respect, I disagree with the NASCAR theory of what makes baseball interesting. ;)

There is nothing in the rules that prevents a pitcher from wearing a helmet / skull cap type protector.

Rule 1.11 does not currently prohibit the use of a helmet. It only says that "Uniforms" are identical in Color, Style, & Trim.

Rule 1.16 does not say a pitcher or fielder should or should not, only certain players: catchers, batters, runners, and base coaches are required.

John Olerud Jr wore one while playing 1st base for years.

The only pre-requisite should be that the surface is "non-glare" if the pitcher chooses to use a helmet.

The thread has been cleaned up. A poster has been restricted to the dugout.

Play nice, please.

Olerud played in Canada.

I am so ready for baseball!!

Bob, Yes, he also played many years for the Seattle Mariners.......

He played his college days at WSU.

As for being ready, I just finished my season on Sunday with a CC Fall ball D/H, looking forward to a month or two off.

Amen

I didn't know that about John, Sam!

I am just getting my gear inventoried and brought out of storage. I would have loved to do fall ball.

That's never been the way I've heard it. ;)

You obviously don't do a lot of softball, hey Tim?

I umpired an 18U Gold National qualifier this summer, doing the plate for the loser's bracket final. There was nothing "little" about those girls.

That said, I do think it's ridiculous to consider making it mandatory for FED baseball infielders to wear masks. That's not even mandatory in girls softball at any level.

But in softball you see some girls wearing face protectors in the infield at almost all ages. I haven't seen any type of head protection at almost any level of baseball other than John Olerud. I hope I spelled his name right.

And he wore it because he had already had a brain aneurysm - not because he was afraid just out of the blue.

NHL went through this a couple of times, first requiring helments for all players, then several years later adding required facemasks.

Once a change is made requiring a head protector of some sort for the pitcher, within a year or two fans/players will be saying "what was the big deal".

A protective headgear for pitchers at all levels will not significantly change the game, but will save a few young men a year (including NFHS/NCAA/Pro) from a life altering injury.

I see no reason to object to protective headgear for pitchers.

Rich, I knew that he wore the protective helmet to protect him from a medical condition. I didn't mean to imply that he was afraid of being hit. The only reason I mentioned him is that is the only player in baseball when in the field that I can think of that wears/wore protective headgear regardless of the reason.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Olerud needed special dispensation to wear his helmet. Without approval from the league, he would have been in violation of uniform rules and would have been told to don a cap.

So I don't think a pitcher can wear a protective helmet under OBR. I think a rule change would be needed.

What Rule would he have been in violation for?

Rule 1.11 does not currently prohibit the use of a helmet. It only says that "Uniforms" are identical in Color, Style, & Trim.

Rule 1.16 does not say a pitcher or fielder should or should not, only certain players: catchers, batters, runners, and base coaches are required.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought the "identical" in "style" prevented some players from wearing caps while others wore helmets.

:D Mets ad.
 

Helmuts for pitchers :D

I am not a Mets fan but this ad is cool.

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