Another Pitcher Hit in the Face

[softballphreak]

Yeah, about 58 years ago.

Wonder how many serious injuries it has prevented?

 

[softballphreak]

MLB base coaches have to wear helmets, also.

 

[riseball]

If reducing the quantity of injuries is desired people should be required to wear them in cars. How soon do you see that happening?

 

[softballphreak]

If reducing the quantity of injuries is desired people should be required to wear them in cars. How soon do you see that happening?

Softball isn't played in cars.

 

[WaSpeed02]

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.

I think you are comparing apples and oranges. I was a pitcher and had a few close calls from the mound (just over 60 feet away from the plate). But I always felt like I had enough time to react to anything hit at me. Not so with fast pitch. I'd be interested in seeing the comparison between a baseball coming at a pitcher who is approx 55 feet away and that of a softball coming at a pitcher who is approx 35 feet away.

Incidentally, I know that when I pitch BP to my DD, I feel much more vulnerable than I ever did on the mound. I'm certain that if something was hit hard enough at me, I wouldn't be able to get my glove up fast enough. I'm talking a split-second difference between fast pitch and baseball reaction times that spell disaster.

The only reason this issue isn't a bigger deal than it should be is simply because there are 10 times more baseball games being played than fast pitch games. Assuming the popularity of fast pitch increases, so will the incidence of catastrophic facial injury and/or concussion.

Encourage girls to protect themselves. Start them young. They don't wear them for the routine plays. They wear them for the freak line drives of which on-time reaction is impossible to achieve.

 

[Cowdogz]

I think you are comparing apples and oranges. I was a pitcher and had a few close calls from the mound (just over 60 feet away from the plate). But I always felt like I had enough time to react to anything hit at me. Not so with fast pitch. I'd be interested in seeing the comparison between a baseball coming at a pitcher who is approx 55 feet away and that of a softball coming at a pitcher who is approx 35 feet away.

Assuming riseball's figures are correct, a baseball traveling at 100mph gets to the pitcher on a 60' mound faster than a softball traveling 60 mph on a 43' mound.

Seems to me the real issue between the 60' mound and the 43' softball or 46' baseball mound isn't about ball speed and reaction time as much as it is about geometry. Balls on the same trajectory will hit a pitcher at 43', but not at 60'.

 

[klamath632]

Just have to ask; Do you let you DD's ride a bike or swim in a residential swimming pool?

Just have to ask; are you this much of a d-bag to every parent who has seen their daughter injured in a way that was preventable?

 

[riseball]

Just have to ask; are you this much of a d-bag to every parent who has seen their daughter injured in a way that was preventable?

The OP did not seem to take exception to my question. In fact based on his response he thought it was a valid question. Which leads me to wonder why you have your panties in a bunch.

 

[riseball]

Softball isn't played in cars.

No, obviously it isn't. However, the primary purpose of any helmet is to prevent traumatic brain injuries. There is obviously a compelling benefit for wearing helmets while playing softball/baseball. That said there is an equally or greater benefit for wearing a helmet in a motor vehicle. So it begs the question why do we seemingly randomly pick and choose the risks we wish to mitigate based in large part on emotion? I am not saying it is wrong to wear a face mask. I just find it interesting how passionate some softball parents are about the subject, while baseball parents by and large remain silent even though the associated risks are higher.

 

[smddad]

Was this girl seen for a concussion after the blow?