Requiring Facemask for pitchers... Possible league policy... THoughts?

[riseball]

Should we also make heart guards mandatory. How many concussions happened last year because players collided? Would it be safer to just have fielders wear helmets? On the subject of safety, how many of of have home fields that are not in very good shape. We travel to some very bad one some time. I actually worry about blowing out a knee more than getting hit. I really think that coaches should push the younger kids to start wearing them, but at some point when you play a sport you put yourself in danger.

Have always felt it was hypocritical to mandate a facemask and not a heart guard.

 

[MNDad]

Have always felt it was hypocritical to mandate a facemask and not a heart guard.

Several studies have shown heart guards to be ineffective. But you're right. A little thing like that shouldn't dissuade people from wanting them mandated.

 

[Rocketech1]

Since you know of the risk I take it you will also require mouth guards and heart guards? And you will need to ban composite bats and use nerf balls. And of course you will need to have an ambulance on standby at all games. Will all players be required to have physicals with a statement from a physician that they are cleared to play? What about baseline concussion testing? If it keeps one kid safe isn't it worth it?

Got to draw the line somewhere. For most the risk associated with not wearing a mask just does not rise to the level of justifying a mandate. If you truly feel it does there are things that rise to that level sooner and should be addressed, like heart guards which actually save lives. Facemasks are the cause de jour of fastpitch softball. Your energies are best spent elsewhere.

I'm not buying this slippery slope argument. The players are not going to play the game with full body armor in attempt to account for any or every possible scenario and risk of injury. Some safety gear requirements in baseball/softball seem like a step in the right direction (e.g. requiring boys to wear athletic cups, catchers to wear catchers helmets and chest protectors, etc). The head in these type of ball games are particularly vulnerable, especially with the hardness of the ball and the speed at which the ball exits the bat head. Facemasks won't prevent all head injuries but they can certainly help protect the face from serious injury, a face that softball players will need for the rest of their lives once their playing days are over.

 

[riseball]

I'm not buying this slippery slope argument. The players are not going to play the game with full body armor in attempt to account for any or every possible scenario and risk of injury. Some safety gear requirements in baseball/softball seem like a step in the right direction (e.g. requiring boys to wear athletic cups, catchers to wear catchers helmets and chest protectors, etc). The head in these type of ball games are particularly vulnerable, especially with the hardness of the ball and the speed at which the ball exits the bat head. Facemasks won't prevent all head injuries but they can certainly help protect the face from serious injury, a face that softball players will need for the rest of their lives once their playing days are over.

Nobody has suggested full body armor. That is a straw man. My point is that where do you draw the line? How do you pick and choose? If people really cared about player safety mandating double bags are much higher on the list than a facemask. If you are going to mandate a piece of gear for what is an extremely rare occurrence, how do you not mandate similar less obtrusive gear (heart guard) designed to prevent death? Kids die every year from hard shots to the chest. Is there no interest in protecting those kids? As I said it is hypocrisy to mandate one but not the others. It is symbolism over substance.

Wear one if you want, encourage their use, but a mandate is the height of hypocrisy and arrogance..

 

[Rocketech1]

Nobody has suggested full body armor. That is a straw man. My point is that where do you draw the line? How do you pick and choose? If people really cared about player safety mandating double bags are much higher on the list than a facemask. If you are going to mandate a piece of gear for what is an extremely rare occurrence, how do you not mandate similar less obtrusive gear (heart guard) designed to prevent death? Kids die every year from hard shots to the chest. Is there no interest in protecting those kids? As I said it is hypocrisy to mandate one but not the others. It is symbolism over substance.

Wear one if you want, encourage their use, but a mandate is the height of hypocrisy and arrogance..

Hypocrisy and arrogance? I don't see it that way at all. Line drives to the face are very traumatic and unforgettable. I have seen it, you have seen it, and probably everyone else who has played, coached, or watched this game has seen it too. I have never seen a player die from a line drive to the chest (but I know it happens on rare occasion). Nobody is saving that other injuries to the body are not important, the point is that there is some very good equipment being made now that can greatly lessen the risk of injury to the face and that should be open to discussion for mandating, especially for rec leagues.

 

[riseball]

Hypocrisy and arrogance? I don't see it that way at all. Line drives to the face are very traumatic and unforgettable. I have seen it, you have seen it, and probably everyone else who has played, coached, or watched this game has seen it too. I have never seen a player die from a line drive to the chest (but I know it happens on rare occasion). Nobody is saving that other injuries to the body are not important, the point is that there is some very good equipment being made now that can greatly lessen the risk of injury to the face and that should be open to discussion for mandating, especially for rec leagues.

I agree. The problem is that the discussion never moves beyond facemasks. It is a knee jerk reaction taking the place of a comprehensive player safety initiative. Again it is symbolism over substance. Kind of like fighting urban crime by establishing midnight basketball leagues.

 

[sleepwalker]

I was watching the LSU vs Rice college baseball game a couple of nights ago. During the game where Rice defeated LSU, the LSU pitcher took a line drive to the face. The announcer then went on to talk about the pitcher's high school days of playing short stop.

The announcer, who I'm guessing was a former MLB pitcher, was then asked if he ever took a line drive to the face. I thought his answer was very interesting. He stated that he was lucky that he never took a line drive to the face. He stated that in reality sometimes balls come off of the bat so fast that you don't see them but can hear them go by and he knew that it was a close call.

If the REC league that my dd started playing in 12 or 13 years ago had mandated that a pitcher wear a protective face mask while pitching, my dd would have worn a protective face mask. My dd wanted to pitch and play softball. Had the league mandated a face mask for pitchers, I would have taught my dd to pitch with a face mask. My opinion is that requiring a face mask in a REC league wouldn't be a deal breaker for the majority of little girls.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[PA SB Dad]

If the REC league that my dd started playing in 12 or 13 years ago had mandated that a pitcher wear a protective face mask while pitching, my dd would have worn a protective face mask.

I promised myself I was not going to comment in this thread. However, I would like to know why it requires a league rule before parents can get their player to wear a piece of protective equipment they feel is necessary. Boys should wear a cup - no cup, no play. Same with batting helmets, face masks, heartgards, etc. Parents have the ability to enforce these rules on their children without the league stepping in. It is almost like the parents don't want to discipline their child, and would rather point to a rule to make their child comply so that they don't have to be the bad guy.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Show your parents and league this video. The pitcher of this team didn't even bring her facemask to games because she said it looked silly and she ended up leaving it at home. So our coach got a facemask from one of our players and let the pitcher borrow it. Video shows what happened




Pitcher played the rest of the game, and went to fall asleep in her own bed that night. Not a HOSPITAL bed.

It was his call, but I wonder why the umpire called time so quickly.

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

It was his call, but I wonder why the umpire called time so quickly.

I think maybe because he is the President of the league. So he might have felt obligated to to see how she was ??

Also the ball came off the bat HOT, so just seeing how she was doing. The pitcher continued to pitch 3 innings after this too. Facemasks saves the day.