Another Pitcher Hit in the Face

[RetiredCoach]

Understand that I am in no way faulting you for your decision. It is just that in the absence of emotion my economist mindset finds the mitigation of some risks without regard to other more substantial risks very interesting. I ask similar questions of parents who display a "Baby on Board" sign in the back of their minivan.

I appreciate your viewpoint. I come from a math/statistics/computer science background and probably view the world, mostly, as you do. You, probably also enjoyed the book, "Freakanomics", and quite possibly, "The Signal and the Noise". But this experience took this decision out of the "thinking realm" and put it into, "There's no way I'm ever going to let this happen to DD again!" realm.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Same argument do you make her wear a seat belt? My answer as long as I pay the medical bills you will wear the mask! PLus anyone spend a small fortune on braces? After spending a chunk of change on teeth, why risk it? It only takes one bounce as my dd found out when she got hit in the eye and almost lost her vision. Then the silly mask wasn't silly anymore.

 

[Slappers]

Understand that I am in no way faulting you for your decision. It is just that in the absence of emotion my economist mindset finds the mitigation of some risks without regard to other more substantial risks very interesting. I ask similar questions of parents who display a "Baby on Board" sign in the back of their minivan.

I've read a lot threads on here about face masks and you just seem dead set against them. Your statement here is the probably the best one I recall seeing that explains your rationale which I for one, don't understand. Residential swimming pools use chemicals to help mitigate the risk of illness or death by patrons. Cars are designed to help mitigate injury in an accident. I don't see how wearing a mask is any different in risk mitigation?

I agree with the fact that each player/family should have the right to choose whether to wear one or not but I don't understand the total disdain for them.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Well, I got hit this morning. I wear a face mask and I was pitching batting practice, using tennis balls. It hit me right in the left shoulder blade. There is just no time to get the glove on those line drives. At least my students saw it. Both of them wear masks, though.

It is much easier to just put the face mask on the kid at 8yo, than it is at 14.

 

[riseball]

Same argument do you make her wear a seat belt? My answer as long as I pay the medical bills you will wear the mask! PLus anyone spend a small fortune on braces? After spending a chunk of change on teeth, why risk it? It only takes one bounce as my dd found out when she got hit in the eye and almost lost her vision. Then the silly mask wasn't silly anymore.

Actually, no the risks associated with not wearing a seat belt are substantial and well quantified. The point is that every day kids are exposed to much greater risks, which parents deem as perfectly acceptable than not wearing a mask while playing softball. It is typically based on emotion that parents choose to mitigate some risks while refusing to acknowledge or disregard others. You cannot help but notice that there is a level of hysteria surrounding the use of masks by female softball players which is virtually non-existent in the realm boys baseball.

 

[riseball]

Well, I got hit this morning. I wear a face mask and I was pitching batting practice, using tennis balls. It hit me right in the left shoulder blade. There is just no time to get the glove on those line drives. At least my students saw it. Both of them wear masks, though.

It is much easier to just put the face mask on the kid at 8yo, than it is at 14.

Unfortunately you must be a statistical anomaly since either you or one of your students seems to take one to the noggin at least once a week.

 

[riseball]

I've read a lot threads on here about face masks and you just seem dead set against them. Your statement here is the probably the best one I recall seeing that explains your rationale which I for one, don't understand. Residential swimming pools use chemicals to help mitigate the risk of illness or death by patrons. Cars are designed to help mitigate injury in an accident. I don't see how wearing a mask is any different in risk mitigation?

I agree with the fact that each player/family should have the right to choose whether to wear one or not but I don't understand the total disdain for them.

I am not against them, I just find it odd that a parent would be so passionate about once piece of gear to mitigate one risk while not even considering another which will serve to mitigate more substantial risks.

In addition I know of softball/baseball families where Sally will not go on the field without a mask but Sammy is fine to play baseball without such protection. Are we to assume that Sally is a favored child and/or does not have the requisite defensive skills?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

^ You have to realize that I do this as a job, so I see more girls than the normal dad, would. So, statistically, it is bound to happen. Plus, if I see 20 girls a week and 3 games, everyone tells me their stories.

In my own playing days, which spanned 15 years - I never saw any fielder get hit in the face. I think it is because of the bats and hitting lessons that the girls are hitting these line drives. We would have NEVER pitched behind a net. I don't think that they existed.

 

[Slappers]

I guess it depends on what is considered a more substantial risk. Outside the use of a mask and maybe an EvoShield for pitchers and infielders, my take is substantial risk has been mitigated. Balls to the shin, arm, shoulder etc hurt but they aren't nearly as bad as a potential major injury to the face/head and heart.

I pitched and played 3rd at high levels of BB. I can only remember having one shot hit at me at third where I was in a defensive position trying to get out of the way. It ripped the webbing out of my glove and still made it to the fence.

 

[iMlearning]

Remind her than not wearing it didn't seem to help her vision either.

I did and she had a quick response back that "it was a fluke." She's very confident in her fielding abilities but sometimes things just happen that you can't control. Her TB coach won't let her play without it now but he's the one that told her that college coaches wouldn't take her seriously if she did.