Gear of hypocrisy

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Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
Watched three college teams today. One is a top 15 team. Not one player had a helmet without a mask. That surprised me.

Exactly 50% of the pitchers I saw wear a mask.

One team was a Louisvile bat team, one was a Mizuno team, one seemed to be a Wilson team? They swung both Demarini and Louisville. Could be a “swing what you bring” team but I didn’t see anything except Wilson.

One of the hottest hitters in softball is swinging a Xeno.

Thats it for my survey, y’all
 
Apr 8, 2019
117
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I think it's just playing the laws of probabilities. Getting hit in the face while at bat (whether by foul ball or pitch) is exceedingly rare at that level and players would rather not have their vision obstructed. Taking a foul ball off the ankle or getting hit by a pitch in the elbow is more common.
How is the vision obstructed?
I think it's just playing the laws of probabilities. Getting hit in the face while at bat (whether by foul ball or pitch) is exceedingly rare at that level and players would rather not have their vision obstructed. Taking a foul ball off the ankle or getting hit by a pitch in the elbow is more common.
How is their vision obstructed? The ball is coming straight at them. If anything it should help narrow their focus. I never understood that comcept
 
Oct 1, 2014
2,219
113
USA
Did anyone here see that Georgia vs Georgia Tech game this past weekend where the Georgia player took a high inside fast/rise to the face. Dropped her like a sack of potatoes. Couldn't ell at first whether she had a cage on her helmet or one of those side pieces (forget what they're called right now?). I was imagining a bloody mess and possible broken bones but fortunately she had on the mask and ultimately got up, and took her base (HBP). Next batter up di not have the mask but rather the side piece. Given the angle, speed and location of that pitch it would have very likely gotten past that side protection and done some damage, of course we'll never know that for sure but looked quite probable.
I'm not suggesting that we mandate one protective device over the other, or using any at all but it should make you think.
 
Apr 8, 2019
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28
How many defensive players are getting injured by these metal cages on the batters helmets? Eric F. Had posted a video of his DD taking a pretty good shot from a baserunners mask.

Almost seems less safe having face masks to me...
Never heard that one but you don't have a ball coming at you between 50 & 70mph either
 
Apr 8, 2019
117
28
I personally love the no cage batting helmet.. Look, there is no difference between baseball and softball in that regard, this isn't just a little kid thing as Little League is pretty rigorous in their safety standards.

To me it's more of a "it's always been done like this, so we keep doing it".

If you WANT to wear one, wear one. Shouldn't be baked into the rules, just like fielders masks aren't baked into TB and HS rules.
Agreed, and if you choose to wear it, you shouldn't be ridiculed
 
Jul 16, 2020
6
3
Ok, watching a little college softball this morning and a two way player (pitcher and batter) is up to bat. She has on elbow protection on both elbows. She has on a shin guard and foot protector, BUT no face mask on her batting helmet. She fouls an inside FB right back at her own face and the ball luckily catches the brim of her helmet missing her face by inches. One can only determine that the jaws, eye sockets, noses and teeth are expendable but the elbows and shins are vital.
View attachment 21165
You know it wasn't that long ago NHL goalies didn't wear face protection. Come on coaches, evolve already.
 
May 7, 2015
842
93
SoCal
Agreed, and if you choose to wear it, you shouldn't be ridiculed

Is anyone ridiculing someone who IS wearing a helmet cage? Seems the other way around.. My point is that I'm not for ridiculing anyone, whether they choose to not wear one or not.

I stated that I thought the aesthetic of not wearing one looked pretty good, I also commented why is it mandated for TB and rec leagues when it is not mandated for travel baseball and little league when the metrics are seemingly very similar (pitched ball flight time, reaction time, etc).

TB does not mandate fielders masks, so why mandate helmet cage when the probabilities of getting struck in the face are IMO higher for fielders than they are for batters.
 

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