1. Joined
    02 Jan '06
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    12857
    21 Mar '14 02:481 edit
    After watching the Reds pitcher Chapman throw a 100 mile an hour fast ball only to watch it be hit and deflect off of his head got me thinking. Why is it that pitchers don't wear helmets?

    Should they?
  2. Joined
    01 Apr '09
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    26584
    21 Mar '14 14:39
    Anything beyond reinforcing the cap with a material stronger than cloth will probably be rejected as too restrictive for the pitcher. Even some kind of mask around the eye area and temple is going to be tough to sell, especially in hot summers. Unless it's required for all pitchers, it won't catch on. Baseball will rely on the statistical argument that it only happens every zillion pitches.
  3. Joined
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    12857
    22 Mar '14 20:03
    Originally posted by John Osmar
    Anything beyond reinforcing the cap with a material stronger than cloth will probably be rejected as too restrictive for the pitcher. Even some kind of mask around the eye area and temple is going to be tough to sell, especially in hot summers. Unless it's required for all pitchers, it won't catch on. Baseball will rely on the statistical argument that it only happens every zillion pitches.
    Chapman could have easily died from the accident. Perhaps this is what it will take.
  4. SubscriberSmookieP
    Lead, Follow, or..
    Saint Petersburg, FL
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    24 Mar '14 09:37
    Originally posted by whodey
    Chapman could have easily died from the accident. Perhaps this is what it will take.
    Ask the Europeans.. they all say that Americans have too much "Armour!"
  5. SubscriberSmookieP
    Lead, Follow, or..
    Saint Petersburg, FL
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    17 Aug '06
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    130345
    24 Mar '14 09:39
    there's enough padding in the game. If the Pitcher can't get out of the way, or deflect a ball, then they're not good enough.
  6. Standard membersh76
    Civis Americanus Sum
    New York
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    26 Dec '07
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    17585
    24 Mar '14 12:38
    Originally posted by whodey
    After watching the Reds pitcher Chapman throw a 100 mile an hour fast ball only to watch it be hit and deflect off of his head got me thinking. Why is it that pitchers don't wear helmets?

    Should they?
    It would probably decrease the quality of the pitching as it would decrease the mobility of the pitcher slightly. Pitching mechanics are incredibly delicate.

    You're right, though, that they'd do it if a pitcher got killed.
  7. Standard membersh76
    Civis Americanus Sum
    New York
    Joined
    26 Dec '07
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    17585
    24 Mar '14 12:40
    Originally posted by SmookieP
    there's enough padding in the game. If the Pitcher can't get out of the way, or deflect a ball, then they're not good enough.
    Are you saying that Aroldis Chapman isn't good enough to pitch?
  8. Joined
    05 Sep '08
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    66636
    24 Mar '14 16:15
    I think pitchers eventually will wear helmets. Perhaps they can make them fit more like caps. I also think safety will prevent aluminum bats from ever being allowed in MLB.
  9. Joined
    05 Jan '04
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    45179
    25 Mar '14 15:53
    Originally posted by quackquack
    I think pitchers eventually will wear helmets. Perhaps they can make them fit more like caps. I also think safety will prevent aluminum bats from ever being allowed in MLB.
    I agree. Reinforced caps or helmets for pitchers will be mandatory once the design is there that the players association can agree upon. Not a matter of if, but when.
  10. Subscribershortcircuit
    master of disaster
    funny farm
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    100887
    26 Mar '14 16:11
    Jeez, I am not sure why this is getting as much attention as it is.
    Is it dangerous to pitch? Yes. Is it dangerous to play in the infield? Yes.
    You can count on both hands the number of pitchers seriously injured from
    a head shot in all of baseball history. We are talking millions of pitches.
    I pitched for 12 years. I got a glancing blow off of a leg once and that was it.
    Trying to keep any sort of helmet or skull cap on while pitcher is going to be
    tough as hell. Some pitchers motions are so violent they can't keep their hats on after the release.
    A face mask would also be cumbersome as hell.
    If you want to cut down on these injuries, there are ways to do it.

    1. Take the juice out of the baseball.

    2. Get rid of wood bats and go to composition bats that don't break and
    are toned down. They already have them in fast pitch softball. They
    reduce the power recoil instead of increasing them like aluminum and
    titanium do.

    3. Disallow all body armor in the batters box. Stop the hitters from feeling
    bulletproof and from digging in and teeing off. make them nervous about
    diving over the plate.

    4. Allow pitchers to pitch inside again and keep hitters honest. If a hitter
    charges the mound, it is a mandatory 60 game suspension without pay.

    What this will do is cut down on the home runs, cut down on offense in
    general, restore some normalcy to pitching numbers again, and it will bring
    the safety everyone is concerned about back to the game.
  11. Joined
    02 Jan '06
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    12857
    27 Mar '14 23:02
    Originally posted by sh76
    Are you saying that Aroldis Chapman isn't good enough to pitch?
    He's probably just thinking about the way he pitches. No doubt, after he threw a pitch he would have enough time to reset himself to field and maybe even have a spot of tea before the ball ever came back around to wack him up side the head.
  12. Joined
    02 Jan '06
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    12857
    28 Mar '14 00:22
    Originally posted by shortcircuit
    Jeez, I am not sure why this is getting as much attention as it is.
    Is it dangerous to pitch? Yes. Is it dangerous to play in the infield? Yes.
    You can count on both hands the number of pitchers seriously injured from
    a head shot in all of baseball history. We are talking millions of pitches.
    I pitched for 12 years. I got a glancing blow off of a ...[text shortened]... ching numbers again, and it will bring
    the safety everyone is concerned about back to the game.
    It's not just about people getting injured or potentially dying, it is also about ball clubs that have invested millions upon millions of dollars in these pitchers.

    As a result, I would think MLB would care more.
  13. Joined
    05 Sep '08
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    66636
    28 Mar '14 17:13
    Originally posted by shortcircuit
    Jeez, I am not sure why this is getting as much attention as it is.
    Is it dangerous to pitch? Yes. Is it dangerous to play in the infield? Yes.
    You can count on both hands the number of pitchers seriously injured from
    a head shot in all of baseball history. We are talking millions of pitches.
    I pitched for 12 years. I got a glancing blow off of a ...[text shortened]... ching numbers again, and it will bring
    the safety everyone is concerned about back to the game.
    The issue is safety and if protective equipment can make it safer we should use it. There were times when catchers did not wear masks, batters did not wear helmets, fielders did not wear gloves. I feel all of these improve the game and perhaps its time to add more protection for pitchers.

    My first suggestion would be stricter performance enhancing rules. Simply, besides being unfair, as people are more powerful than naturally possible it put others in danger.
    The increased splintering of bats also seems like a potential problem and perhaps it should be address too.
    I have no problem with batters being suspended harshly for charging the mound. Of course if pitchers throw at batters intentionally they should get similar harsh suspensions. These five game suspension where you just push your start back a day is a complete joke.
  14. Joined
    01 Apr '09
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    26584
    14 Apr '14 15:00
    A local 6th-grader was killed here this weekend while pitching batting practice. Although the protective screen was in front of him, his follow-through carried him just outside of it. The line-drive was hit by another 6th-grader, which means it doesn't take major-league bat-speed.
    Like batting helmets, I suspect that Little League will start using some sort of pitchers' helmet. And, like batting helmets, when it gets to the Majors, it will be trimmed down to minimize clumsiness.
  15. Joined
    10 Apr '14
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    0
    14 Apr '14 16:071 edit
    I just read the article this morning on the little boy that was killed- http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/north-carolina-boy-12-dies-after-baseball-strikes-him-head-n78861 So upsetting, and I also feel so bad for the boy who hit the ball. In the article it said that baseball is the number one cause of sporting deaths in children 5-14. I wasn't sure about that stat so I did read some other articles as well and actually came across a site that provides a ton of info on pitchers helmets and fielders masks. I read an article on it that discussed stats of injuries in youth sports- http://www.pitchershelmet.com/alarming-stats-about-sports-injuries/

    So I agree that the power behind the bat isn't completely at fault for head injuries after being hit by a pitch. I do agree that they need to monitor the power of the bat at the mlb level a bit more and definitely keep up on pinning players using enhancements. Adding protection will be a lot more helpful rather than just adding rules about the type of bat you can use and etc. They've added a lot more protective equipment for batters but never seems to add anything to the defensive side of the ball so it's nice seeing the mlb approve protective caps. It'll take time but having the option of a cap and face guard will hopefully move things in the proper direction for safety.
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