Another Pitcher Hit in the Face

[riseball]

Riseball, I love your posts, and your dd and you(bucket dad) made it thru to play at high travel level and to excel at college. Stop with the boys baseball non sense though. At 10U girls are playing 35-45 feet at the corners and pitching at 35 feet. Even you know that a good pitcher and a batter with sound mechaniques that the ball will rocket thru the middle or hot shots at the corners. Move up to 12u, 40 feet, 14u 43 feet. Corners pretty much the same playing distance. I forget the distances for the boys but I think by the time their 14 they pitch and 60'9in and 90' foot basepaths. They slowly move up the basepath distances while the girls play at 60' feet from 10u from the get go. Point of the post, girls have a less reaction time to field than the boys. There is a utube clip comparing the differences for boys and girls and their reaction times. Cant find it now, working.

In the Majors (12U) division of LL the field is exactly the size of a women's fastpitch softball field with the exception of pitching at 46ft vs 43ft. I truly enjoy watching the boys attempting to play baseball at speeds relative to softball. Assuming that reaction time was a factor and somehow baseball was inherently safer, how do you explain the overall higher incidence of injury in baseball vs softball? If the base paths and pitching distances were a factor you would expect the incidence of injuries for baseball players as they moved to the bigger fields to decrease. However, the data at hand does not support this as it appears that the incidence relevant injuries actually increases. Unfortunately there is no precise way to measure the effectiveness of masks in preventing serious or much less minor injuries as the data required is not collected.

The bottom line is that there are inherent risks in both sports which can be effectively mitigated through the use of face masks. And it would appear from any data available that baseball poses an equal if not higher risk when compared to softball. Yet I expect that on www.discussbaseball.com (if that site actually exists) that conversations regarding the use of face masks are exceedingly rare. Sitting back after a long day of softball, sipping a cold adult beverage one can only wonder why that is the case.

 

[softballphreak]

I unfortunately saw it with my DD 2 weeks ago...took a bad bounce at 3rd. We thought she was okay and while walking to the pitcher to hand her the ball, she blacked out, came to and a bit later started throwing up. She's 15 and very stubborn!

Hopefully, she was immediately seen by a doctor.

 

[NVfishing]

I was worried this weekend when my DD was moved from 1st to pitching. She opted not to wear the mask. She usually wants it.

 

[SCDad]

In the Majors (12U) division of LL the field is exactly the size of a women's fastpitch softball field with the exception of pitching at 46ft vs 43ft. I truly enjoy watching the boys attempting to play baseball at speeds relative to softball. Assuming that reaction time was a factor and somehow baseball was inherently safer, how do you explain the overall higher incidence of injury in baseball vs softball? If the base paths and pitching distances were a factor you would expect the incidence of injuries for baseball players as they moved to the bigger fields to decrease. However, the data at hand does not support this as it appears that the incidence relevant injuries actually increases. Unfortunately there is no precise way to measure the effectiveness of masks in preventing serious or much less minor injuries as the data required is not collected.

The bottom line is that there are inherent risks in both sports which can be effectively mitigated through the use of face masks. And it would appear from any data available that baseball poses an equal if not higher risk when compared to softball. Yet I expect that on DiscussBaseball.com: The Leading Discuss Baseball Site on the Net (if that site actually exists) that conversations regarding the use of face masks are exceedingly rare. Sitting back after a long day of softball, sipping a cold adult beverage one can only wonder why that is the case.

Riseball is correct here. Youth baseball at 60 foot basepaths, and 46 foot mounds, is far more dangerous than any level of softball. The field size is nearly the same. The ball velocity off the bat in baseball is much higher.

That is why youth baseball is moving to 70 foot basepaths, and 50 foot mounds. To think in youth baseball, the MASK is never mentioned, nor seen.

Baseball is in the lead here. The most dangerous type of ball, hands down, is Major 12 baseball on 60 ft. basepaths, and 46 ft, mounds. Until this aspect of the ball and stick game gets resolved, the issue of softball with the same basepaths, and 43 ft circle will go no where.

Only that the parents (player) decide on whether or not to where a mask. The mask is coming back for softball, though. Slowly but surely. More pitchers are being smart and wearing it. Colleges are seeing more of it and it will slowly be accepted.

 

[iMlearning]

Yes

I unfortunately saw it with my DD 2 weeks ago...took a bad bounce at 3rd. We thought she was okay and while walking to the pitcher to hand her the ball, she blacked our, came to and a bit later started throwing up. She's 15 and very stubborn!

Hopefully, she was immediately seen by a doctor.

Yes. .. got to spend time in the ER again Moderate concussion. She's cleared to pay this week.

 

[riseball]

Riseball is correct here. Youth baseball at 60 foot basepaths, and 46 foot mounds, is far more dangerous than any level of softball. The field size is nearly the same. The ball velocity off the bat in baseball is much higher.

That is why youth baseball is moving to 70 foot basepaths, and 50 foot mounds. To think in youth baseball, the MASK is never mentioned, nor seen.

Baseball is in the lead here. The most dangerous type of ball, hands down, is Major 12 baseball on 60 ft. basepaths, and 46 ft, mounds. Until this aspect of the ball and stick game gets resolved, the issue of softball with the same basepaths, and 43 ft circle will go no where.

Only that the parents (player) decide on whether or not to where a mask. The mask is coming back for softball, though. Slowly but surely. More pitchers are being smart and wearing it. Colleges are seeing more of it and it will slowly be accepted.

FWIW - The fastest exit speed I have personally measured in a HS softball game is 75mph while speeds in excess of 100mph are common in HS baseball. This represents a significant difference in kinetic energy. At any distance or field configuration the data that I have seen does not support the notion that baseball is somehow safer than softball.

 

[SCDad]

FWIW - The fastest exit speed I have personally measured in a HS softball game is 75mph while speeds in excess of 100mph are common in HS baseball. This represents a significant difference in kinetic energy. At any distance or field configuration the data that I have seen does not support the notion that baseball is somehow safer than softball.

I will not go that far. Youth baseball, on the same size field as softball, is more dangerous than softball.

Once baseball goes to 90 foot basepaths, and 60 foot mounds, everything changes. The reaction times due to distance are comparable, with quicker reactions probably needed for softball. Not only that, because of the longer distances in baseball, the probability of direct contact to the pitcher lessons significantly.

Youth baseball is in the lead in how to handle the danger, for it is the most dangerous, in my opinion. Until they get their act together (or until someone dies, though it has happened) little will change. Softball is more proactive, and lets MASKS be worn and supports it.

What baseball has done is scale back the bats. Softball has only tried to keep them the same as 5 years ago. For those in softball wanting the hottest bats. You are too late ... they were 5 years ago. Today's bats are not as hot. Baseball is very serious about limiting the bats. Softball, not so much. But I think they will be more so in the future.

I do not count big league baseball. These players get paid, That dynamic alone changes the whole equation.

 

[riseball]

... Not only that, because of the longer distances in baseball, the probability of direct contact to the pitcher lessons significantly...

Sorry, but if you do the math that is simply not correct.

 

[softballphreak]

Just saw a Cincinnati Reds batter get hit in the head. Glad someone was smart enough to require helmets.

 

[riseball]

Just saw a Cincinnati Reds batter get hit in the head. Glad someone was smart enough to require helmets.

Yeah, about 58 years ago.