Another young pitcher hurt by a ball

[chinamigarden]

I am pretty sure that an applicable industry standard would be a prerequisite before an insurance company went near this.

If the insurance companies wanted one, a standard would be forthcoming.

 

[chinamigarden]

Might have been a great story with a compelling message but I clicked close as soon as I read the following:

"Did you know that the average high school pitcher pitches 62-65 mphs?"


Added: So I tried to be fair and tried to read it again. Then I came across this gem:

"Game time was getting closer, so Frankie and I decided to start warming up. I was pitching, and my thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) started to act up. I shook it off, and continued to throw a few more pitches until I just could not to handle the pain anymore.

TOS is an injury I developed over the years of pitching. My nerves that run from my neck to my hand are involved. The nerves compress each one which then cuts off circulation throughout my arm. Eventually over time the muscles around the nerves become inflamed. My hand becomes all red and has a tingly sensation that will not go away until I put numbing cream on it. There is no cure for it; the doctor just tells me to get a massage and stop when I cannot handle the pain anymore."

The intent of this article is to advocate for face masks. I see something much different message. Players, parents, and coaches need to exercise common sense. Mask, no mask, even in full body armor there is no way this kid should have been allowed to throw a pitch.

I thought the same thing. How is a kid with TOS thats "acting up" pitching.

 

[Rocketech1]

I bought a mask for DD and she will not wear it, to prepare her I have her pitch and I throw balls back at her as quick as possible to improve reflexes, she is instructed to throw every pitch as good as possible that is how she protect herself by making good pitches

That is a false sense of security. Some hard hit line drives will come back to her so quickly that she won't have the reaction time to get her glove up to her head to stop it. At the lower levels of pitching, maybe, at the college level, no way. She also will miss her spots pitching, happens to all pitchers multiple times a game.

Last fall, 12U DD played a 14U team and she took a line drive to her stomach that was hit so hard it left seam marks on her belly. She is a very good fielder and couldn't react quick enough to stop it. Pitchers are particularly vulnerable because they are not in a fielding ready position like the corners and many times are the closest fielder to the batter. DD wears a mask and has never been hit in the head, but has been hit in the arms, legs and stomach. Also, a bad hop can happen on any play and no amount of excellent fielding skills can stop that from happening.

 

[riseball]

That is a false sense of security. Some hard hit line drives will come back to her so quickly that she won't have the reaction time to get her glove up to her head to stop it. At the lower levels of pitching, maybe, at the college level, no way. She also will miss her spots pitching, happens to all pitchers multiple times a game...

While I do not necessarily disagree, the skill and experience of a college pitcher does make a big difference. I have had this discussion with my DD and as soon as the ball is released she has a pretty good idea if it is headed fat and knows if that is the case she may be in a world of hurt. With maturity the ability to focus tends to increase and given the experience and true appreciation of the danger college players are much more capable of defending themselves. My DD rarely throws it fat but when it does happen she is much more prepared to protect herself than the kid in 10U-18U TB. Does that negate the protection afforded by a mask? Hardly. But at the ripe age of 19 and in the twilight of her softball career she is not ready to don a mask. However, if she was starting today I expect that she would be wearing one.

 

[softball88]

My 9u team must wear a mask. Team rule, I don't care what position they play. When they receive more experience I will leave it up to parents when the girl is in the outfield. Pitchers, 3b and 1b must wear a mask on my team.

 

[riseball]

My 9u team must wear a mask. Team rule, I don't care what position they play. When they receive more experience I will leave it up to parents when the girl is in the outfield. Pitchers, 3b and 1b must wear a mask on my team.

Never understood the wisdom of this line of thought. Do you anticipate a greater danger from a lack of reaction time at pitcher and the corners vs a bad hop and undeveloped fielding skills at middle infield?

 

[JJsqueeze]

My 9u team must wear a mask. Team rule, I don't care what position they play. When they receive more experience I will leave it up to parents when the girl is in the outfield. Pitchers, 3b and 1b must wear a mask on my team.

This is just as overboard as telling girls they can't wear a mask at all. 9 year olds are not in any danger of significant injury in softball, the balls used are so damn squishy you can barely hit them out of the infield anyway. ..maybe the pitcher, but really how many line drives are hit hard enough to catch a fielder off guard at 3rd or 1st? The mask is not there to prevent an owie it is there to prevent injuries. When it gets overused it just gets further stigmatized as a crutch and it is not a crutch, it is safety equipmet that can save a kid from needing facial reconstructive surgery. This will sound bad, but really, until a kid takes a ball in the face from playing catch, or a bad hop are they really even a softball player? My little one took a couple on the noggin when she was learning, one gave her a shiner....big tears, but man was she proud of that black eye.

Last year my then 9 year old daughter would have looked at you like you were from another planet if you asked her to put on a mask in the OF.

 

[jwrunner]

For me, the mask is more insurance against the line drive that is hit too hard for the girl to react to - not against a bad hop. The line drive is the one that could hurt them badly and/or end their career. My DD pitcher is a second year TB 10U and the best fielder on the team. But she lands 30 ft away from balls coming hot of composite bats. Even the most accomplished fielder can't REACT fast enough at 10U - nothing to do with learned skill. Any of us who've thrown to stud 10U players at 35 ft know it's hard enough for a grown man to protect themselves at that distance. I've seen lots of them throwing from behind a net for that reason. Saying it only is to protect against bad hops or bad fielding gives fuel to the coaches who say they simply need to field better rather than wear a mask.

For us, there's just no real downside - DD has just gotten used to playing with it. And contrary to what the detractors would say, it has not taught her that the ball is something to be afraid of. If anything, it has made her more fearless. I grew up as a catcher, and all that equipment never taught us to be afraid. While the likelihood of a line drive to the face may be low, the consequences could be catastrophic. The insurance of the mask is invaluable, at almost no cost.

 

[FP26]

This is just as overboard as telling girls they can't wear a mask at all. 9 year olds are not in any danger of significant injury in softball, the balls used are so damn squishy you can barely hit them out of the infield anyway. ..maybe the pitcher, but really how many line drives are hit hard enough to catch a fielder off guard at 3rd or 1st? The mask is not there to prevent an owie it is there to prevent injuries. When it gets overused it just gets further stigmatized as a crutch and it is not a crutch, it is safety equipmet that can save a kid from needing facial reconstructive surgery. This will sound bad, but really, until a kid takes a ball in the face from playing catch, or a bad hop are they really even a softball player? My little one took a couple on the noggin when she was learning, one gave her a shiner....big tears, but man was she proud of that black eye.

Last year my then 9 year old daughter would have looked at you like you were from another planet if you asked her to put on a mask in the OF.

I know you are in California, so I don't doubt most of these statements are fine/accurate in your area. However, our local little league uses very similar balls all the way through. 10u uses an 11 inch ball. 12u and higher uses a 12 inch ball. With the exception of the size, they are nearly identical otherwise. They are most definitely not squishy. To add to this, we do not have any classification under 10u with the exception of tee ball. So it is quite possible for a 7 year old to be on the field with 10 year olds. That, in and of itself, creates some potential safety risks. If there is any way that the 7 and 8 year old girls can be protected, I am all for it.

My DD started playing 10u at the age of 7 and it wasn't uncommon for her to play against girls a foot taller than her and nearly double her weight.

 

[jwrunner]

None of the rec leagues near me use a squishy ball. Even 8U uses a regulation 11" ball.