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| Author | Topic: Helmet and mask |
| Carmen |
posted 8/25/09 3:18 PM
Following the broken jaw injury to our Bethel A player on the weekend (Shane Kelly, please keep him in your prayers!), does anyone else agree that it might be a good idea to ask the pitchers to wear a helmet and mask while pitching next season? They usually are the ones who will get hurt... |
| Matt (the Harrowsmith one) |
posted 9/2/09 10:23 PM
As someone that pitches a lot (and has seen a couple of bad injuries over the years... and has been hit more than a few times), I'd encourage us not to go down this road. Some will remember when the folks that played on the Keeley Road diamond implemented a 'ground rule' that all pitchers had to wear a catchers mask - I have never been more scared pitching (and I take a healthy fear to the mound with me every time I throw a pitch). I wasn't worried about my face, but recognized with the reduced visibility that it provided the chances of me getting badly hurt elsewhere was high (not so bad if you are catching fast balls in a crouch with full catcher gear on... something different when you are standing otherwise unprotected with the chance for a ball to hit you anywhere in your unprotected body). Whatever we decide, the safety of pitchers should be a really important consideration - we reinforce that every year with our hitters, and really encourage them to try to avoid hitting line-drives up the middle... and as a pitcher, I try to be on my toes every time... but there still is a lot of risk there... (how is Shane doing?) (Carmen, how are you doing?) (Harrowsmith 2 = Bethel 2's bad luck charm...) |
| Matt |
posted 3/19/10 7:31 PM
Bethel will be getting pitcher and catcher masks as our teams for some reason seem to get hurt more then anyone else's. I think it sometimes takes bad injuries before change happens but that it's up to each team to provide there players with the equipment they feel they need. Equipment get's expensive and is why we are lucky we get a budget but not all teams are that lucky. I just put it out to the players and ask what they want and if they want more protection and we have the money to do it then so be it :) However I can see how this would be a problem for others. Safety above all though should come first and that's even with the fields we play on. I would rather see teams pay more to have good playing fields then not. I am glad that things are improving each year though. |
| Matt |
posted 3/19/10 7:37 PM
On the wearing a catchers mask to pitch, I agree that is silly and would make it hard to see. However they have special masks made now just for the pitcher and you can see just fine. They just tend to cost some money. But really if you want to take the risk of breaking your jaw or worse, that is for each team to decide. Sports is a risk no matter what sport you play. However every safety precaution should be looked at by each team. Mask or not I still won't pitch lol as I tend to turn away and then get hit in the back. You have to be one brave soul to pitch in any league I think :) |
| President |
posted 4/6/10 3:20 AM
I harken back to Matt (harrowsmith one)'s point. The best way to avoid hitting pitchers is to not go up the middle. It might sound harsh, but it's been my experience that pitchers get hit two ways, one they stand too close when pitching to girls and two a talented guy tries to go back up the middle to the "hole" and no matter how far back a pitcher is they don't have time to react. I would suggest as coaches we encourage our hard hitters to NOT go back up the middle as the point of this league is to have fun! And broken faces just aren't fun. |
| Matt |
posted 4/12/10 9:26 PM
I agree that a lot of pitchers stand way to close and if get hit is really there own fault. I know it's not as easy pitching from further back but better safe then sorry. If you really want to pitch that close then maybe consider getting some sort of protection. Also good point to teach hitters to stay away from the middle. I think sometimes that has to do with standing too close as well as most get hit when go closer apposed to standing back. |
| KDCSL Coordinator |
posted 4/20/10 6:31 PM
Hey Matt - I had never heard of the special "pitching mask" you mentioned - Do you have a link for that, or know what it's called? Some teams might be interested for sure, if it isn't too crazy expensive. (I tried the pitching with a big catcher's mask on thing, and would never want to have to do that again - It blocks your peripheral vision way too much!) |
| Matt |
posted 4/23/10 7:00 PM
Yep no prob. I have seen them in Kingston at Play t again sports. http://www.mvpathleticsupplies.com/athletic-supplies-catalogue/index.cfm?SubCategoryID=139&ProductID=307&ProductsRelated=0&do=detail |
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