P face masks
 

Don't know about anyone else, but I have seen more 18 yr old pitchers wearing face masks this year, than any other - by FAR. Is it the same for everyone else here? I personally suspect it will be a mandatory thing for ASA JO/PONY/whatever within five years....

Seeing a few 3B wearing them also....and I don't blame either of them....

Definately growing more and more prevelent.

I certainly hope not.

Masks
 

Yep same in European Slowpitch too. Offer good protection, but as I have only ever seen on 'Hit in Head' in 14 years not sure how distracting they may be!

Had a second baseman hit in the face by a HARD grounder. Bloody nose and lost a tooth. I'd like to see more of them personally. I wouldn't play infield without one - on a fake bunt 1st and 3rd are charging when the ball is hit and could easily cause severe damage.

Why?

MTD, Sr.

I believe the spiel is the nanny state, something about big government.....:D

But ASA isn't a nanny state. It's a ruling body of a particular sport that has the right to decide what safety precautions are required in order to participate. Batters weren't always required to wear batting helmets, but now, they are. Catchers wear chest protectors, helmets/masks and knee/leg padding. Other sports require face masks for their youth (and even adult) players as well (ie., lacrosse and hockey). Nothing wrong with that.

I personally have no dog in this fight, but I wouldn't think ASA would be overstepping their bounds if they required youth infielders to wear similar head protection. After all, don't the runners have to wear helmets? Ask yourself why that is, and you'll see it's not that illogical a leap to require youth infielders to wear similar protection.

Yea I don't care either. I was trying to be witty and sarcastic.

For a few of reasons.

#1. The moment anyone mandates anything it places them in jeopardy of litigation for something that has absolutely nothing to do with the reason the item was mandated in the first place.

#2. Anything mandated requires rules and/or code changes, studies executed, standards set, rounds of testing, probationary period(s), possible legal challenges and negotiations equipment manufacturers.

#3. Think about it as an umpire. Bat restrictions = multiple bat lists; Helmet certification = equipment checks; Mandatory chin straps = more umpire administrative duties; Mandatory face masks for batters = MORE umpire administrative duties. And any failure places the umpire in legal jeopardy.

#4. But the biggest reason of all is that it placates the cowards.

If something is that important, why would anyone wait for an organization to make it mandatory? There are NO rules forbidding a player or coach from wearing any protective gear. That is until it is mandated and then there IS a restriction on what the players and coaches may wear on the field because the sanctioning body is now liable.

If you don't believe me, check out any of the old posts about the face masks on coach/parent boards. Constant whining and crying and DEMANDING ASA mandate the use of them. Well, ASA council did just what was DEMANDED by the customer. At first, everyone complained that they failed to enact the rule fast enough even though they clearly told everyone it would take at least a year for NOCSAE to test and observe for the required probationary period prior to certification.

Once it did go into effect, guess what? The same people whined and cried like spoiled little babies that ASA should have grandfathered all the masks on the market, they enacted it too quickly and every other petty excuse for not wanting to abid by the rule THEY demanded.

Of course, if it was so damn important, WHY was there a need for a mandate? The sorry excuse for intelligent adults is just unbelievable.

If your child is going to get into competitive skateboarding and you believe he should wear a helmet, are you going to ignore your beliefs and feelings because it isn't mandated by some organization? Or are you going to whine and cry at the next town council meeting, "I can't make my son wear his helmet, you need to pass a law!"

No, it is more about common sense and simple intelligence.

I am seeing more of these, too. Has nocsae established a standard for their performance yet? If I recall correctly, we don't check these in high school ball because there is no standard for their performance yet. There's got to be a standard before these masks will be made mandatory.

See? Here we go!

Nice. I enjoyed reading that. :cool:

PS saw a Delaware rock star last night. We went and saw George & The Destroyers.

Yeah, old George needs to realize he is old and George.

Puts on a good show, but can get as cantankerous as me!

Do you think that is a matter of geography, age, or both??? :D

Philadelphia used to have a Memorial Day "Jam on the River". The Destroyers were playing and apparently there was some pre-event "discussions" about the quality of the sound equipment between the bands and the folks running the show. However, in the middle of the set, George called out the person responsible for this issue BY NAME and chastized him from the stage.

But he is no longer a local boy. While the core of the Destroyers has remained relatively local, GT got married and moved to CA.

Oh that poor, poor woman!

Maybe she liked the fact that he was "bad to the bone!" :eek:

For someone who made their money in honky tonks and county fairs, thats a prety mild story. :cool:

George was in a good mood on Friday. My wife really enjoyed him so it's always nice to have the wife happy.

My uncle lives on the next road over from where he grew up. I worked at a bar/restaurant around the corner from this house for over 10 years, hung out and traveled with a band that often intermingled with the Destroyers.

I was once drinking at a bar (Red Eye II) on the Main Line outside of Philly with Billy Blough (when he was single and before he got "healthy"). We were sitting there listening to this guy bragging to his friends about how he knew GT&D and partied with them all the time. We had a little laugh because we knew what was going to happen. In the second set of the night, the band announced they were going to be joined by a member of the Destroyers, obviously, Billy who got off the bar stool and just smiled at this guy. Boy, this guy got so small he could have passed for a Munchkin as his frieds just beat him up relentlessly.

I've seen GT walk across enough tables and bars to last a lifetime.

Cool. Those are the stories I like to hear about.