Headgear for Pitchers a Possibility

[russ snyder]

.

Aroldis Chapman is the latest victim of a line-drive back to the mound (and in his face.)

I suspect that pitchers will not wear headgear in the near future, but perhaps several years down the road some will, and maybe they will look back at this as the start of it.

In any case, thank goodness that professional baseball players are not allowed to use aluminum bats.

Right, especially the high tech metal bats with -10 swing weights and such. In Maryland, most leagues require kids 14 and older to use BB Core

bats.( -3 swing weight) The move to these less live bats has been done in response to injuries and in some cases even death to pitchers at the amateur level. In light of these serious injuries to pitchers, I'm wondering why MLB and professional baseball does not look at the bats that are involved in these incidents. First, has the bat been doctored in any manner? It would be very easy to x-ray the bat in question. My gut feeling is that these bats have not been doctored. However, the use of hardwoods in the manufacturing of bats has been prevalent during the last decade or so.

Further, a lot of MLB players are using bats with a thin handle to generate a higher degree of bat speed. I'm curious as to see what type of bats were used in the Young, McCarthy, and Chapman incidents. IMO, if this data is not available not enough is being done to protect the pitchers.

[OFFNY]

.

Aroldis Chapman is the latest victim of a line-drive back to the mound (and in his face.)

I suspect that pitchers will not wear headgear in the near future, but perhaps several years down the road some will, and maybe they will look back at this as the start of it.

In any case, thank goodness that professional baseball players are not allowed to use aluminum bats.

Right, especially the high tech metal bats with -10 swing weights and such. In Maryland, most leagues require kids 14 and older to use BB Core

bats.( -3 swing weight) The move to these less live bats has been done in response to injuries and in some cases even death to pitchers at the amateur level. In light of these serious injuries to pitchers, I'm wondering why MLB and professional baseball does not look at the bats that are involved in these incidents. First, has the bat been doctored in any manner? It would be very easy to x-ray the bat in question. My gut feeling is that these bats have not been doctored. However, the use of hardwoods in the manufacturing of bats has been prevalent during the last decade or so.

Further, a lot of MLB players are using bats with a thin handle to generate a higher degree of bat speed. I'm curious as to see what type of bats were used in the Young, McCarthy, and Chapman incidents. IMO, if this data is not available not enough is being done to protect the pitchers.

When I first read this, I actually thought of the late Ray Chapman (1920, Cleveland Indians), the only major league on-field baseball fatality. That was from a pitch directly to the head, though.

[OFFNY]

.

Aroldis Chapman is the latest victim of a line-drive back to the mound (and in his face.)

I suspect that pitchers will not wear headgear in the near future, but perhaps several years down the road some will, and maybe they will look back at this as the start of it.

In any case, thank goodness that professional baseball players are not allowed to use aluminum bats.

Right, especially the high tech metal bats with -10 swing weights and such. In Maryland, most leagues require kids 14 and older to use BB Core

bats.( -3 swing weight) The move to these less live bats has been done in response to injuries and in some cases even death to pitchers at the amateur level. In light of these serious injuries to pitchers, I'm wondering why MLB and professional baseball does not look at the bats that are involved in these incidents. First, has the bat been doctored in any manner? It would be very easy to x-ray the bat in question. My gut feeling is that these bats have not been doctored. However, the use of hardwoods in the manufacturing of bats has been prevalent during the last decade or so.

Further, a lot of MLB players are using bats with a thin handle to generate a higher degree of bat speed. I'm curious as to see what type of bats were used in the Young, McCarthy, and Chapman incidents. IMO, if this data is not available not enough is being done to protect the pitchers.

Another thing is that, I'm surprised that more was never made of the Curt Young incident. The last pitch that Young ever threw was a line-drive double by Kenny Lofton that caromed off of his face. I remember when it happened back in 1993.

[weams]

Yeah, I think that this is a problem.

The most efficient thing that I can think of that would protect pitchers from line drives back at them would be that goalie's mask that Dave Parker wore when he broke his jaw and cheekbone in 1978. I actually saw him play against the Mets that year at Shea Stadium while he was wearing that thing.

I don't know how well that would go over with the pitchers and their motion/delivery, though.

Oo

And their peripheral will be shot, so base stealers will get an extra advantage.

[russ snyder]

When I first read this, I actually thought of the late Ray Chapman (1920, Cleveland Indians), the only major league on-field baseball fatality. That was from a pitch directly to the head, though.

Yep. he was the victim of a beaning.

Pretty sure that carl Mays was the pitcher.

[russ snyder]

This guy is an intimidating prescence on the mound!

[russ snyder]

Another thing is that, I'm surprised that more was never made of the Curt Young incident. The last pitch that Young ever threw was a line-drive double by Kenny Lofton that caromed off of his face. I remember when it happened back in 1993.

Vaguely recall it.

Is Curt Young a pitching coach now?

[Can_of_corn]

Yep. he was the victim of a beaning.

Pretty sure that carl Mays was the pitcher.

Eh.

Carl was a renown head hunter back in his playing days (and maybe threw some games as well) but if there was one player on the Indians he wouldn't have thrown at it was Chapman, as Chapman had very poor numbers against Mays.

Mays had an unorthodox delivery and for some reason Chapman just froze up in this instance and made no attempt to get out of the path of the ball.

*The above comes from my recollection of The Pitch That Killed , which I read in 1991 or so.

[russ snyder]

Eh.

Carl was a renown head hunter back in his playing days (and maybe threw some games as well) but if there was one player on the Indians he wouldn't have thrown at it was Chapman, as Chapman had very poor numbers against Mays.

Mays had an unorthodox delivery and for some reason Chapman just froze up in this instance and made no attempt to get out of the path of the ball.

*The above comes from my recollection of The Pitch That Killed , which I read in 1991 or so.

To clarify, by "beaning" I did not mean to imply that it was intentional. (I always felt that beaning referrred to a guy being hit in the head intentionally or not.)

I only meant that he was hit in the head by a pitch. I know that there is some

that think that it was intentional. I really have no idea whether it was, my hope is

that it wasn't.

[Can_of_corn]

To clarify, by "beaning" I did not mean to imply that it was intentional. (I always felt that beaning referrred to a guy being hit in the head intentionally or not.)

I only meant that he was hit in the head by a pitch. I know that there is some

that think that it was intentional. I really have no idea whether it was, my hope is

that it wasn't.

I enjoyed the book.

Like I said Mays would throw at guys but he had no incentive to throw at Chapman who didn't try and avoid the ball.

[russ snyder]

I enjoyed the book.

Like I said Mays would throw at guys but he had no incentive to throw at Chapman who didn't try and avoid the ball.

I'll have to check out the book.

Some may want to accuse mays of doing this intentionally because his character

was held in high regard.

[OFFNY]

Another thing is that, I'm surprised that more was never made of the Curt Young incident. The last pitch that Young ever threw was a line-drive double by Kenny Lofton that caromed off of his face. I remember when it happened back in 1993.

Vaguely recall it.

Is Curt Young a pitching coach now?

Yes, he is the pitching coach for the Athletics ...... the same team that he was pitching for when his career ended with that line drive.

[russ snyder]

Yes, he is the pitching coach for the Athletics ...... the same team that he was pitching for when his career ended with that line drive.

I thought he was a pitching coach.

Thanks for the info.

[The Wedge]

This guy is an intimidating prescence on the mound!

He announces his presence with authority.

[OFFNY]

o

Finally.