Why my DD will always wear a mask when pitching.....
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- Dec 7, 2011
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I will remind us all what a D1 coach told a bunch of campers:
"Leave you masks in your bags - we will teach the right way to field a ball......."
The message was taken as "you use a mask and you have no place on my team."
I am not trying to tar & feather any one coach I am just representing the anti-mask sentiment out there.
"Leave you masks in your bags - we will teach the right way to field a ball......."
The message was taken as "you use a mask and you have no place on my team."
I am not trying to tar & feather any one coach I am just representing the anti-mask sentiment out there.
- Jun 18, 2010
- 2,615
- 38
Man that rubs me the wrong way.... RB, not directed at you (messenger) but at the message. Softball is an important part of my families life, but not worth her taking a shot to the face or head standing in the circle 38' from the batter wielding the latest, hottest, bat.
OT... Last Sunday, I was throwing front toss baseballs from behind a screen. A line drive came back and hit me in my throwing elbow (the only little bit of my body that was not behind the screen). The pain went all the way up to my shoulder and is still killing me today. I had no time to react.
Do D1 coaches tell players not to wear face masks on their batting helmets? If a coach tells my DD they do not want her to wear a face mask, all they have to do is put in writing (signed by the coach and AD) that they are instructing her not to wear it......I am not a big fan of litigation, but I like my chances of winning a HUGE lawsuit if my DD was ever injured in that circumstance.
You can attribute this to poor fielding mechanics, glove slapping, composite bats etc....but every year a MLB pitcher or two gets clocked and I am pretty sure they have fairly good reflexes and fielding technique. It happens rarely but it happens, and no matter what precautions you take, your daughter's next pitch might come screaming back at her head. So either take your chances or wear a mask (mine will wear a mask until her last pitch).
don't get me wrong, I am in favor of the mask. But the pitcher in that video was not in a ready position to field the ball or protect herself. She could have just as easily been wearing a mask and been hit in the throat or chest. Pitchers need to be taught how to protect themselves.
Agreed,, my daughter took one to the face while pitching last spring on varsity.. she was wearing a mask and was a little shaken up, but finished the game... I felt sick to my stomach everytime I thought about what would have happened with no mask,.. She's got great reflexes but this one got to her.
- Dec 7, 2011
- 2,366
- 38
Anyone know of any action being taken to reduce the pop of bats?
I know they are checking bats these days with that special machine (in college) but what about changing the specs completely back to something MUCH more safer (like wood - But not wood cuz of the expense I remember having when I played baseball....)
I would also love to see the game move back to where only big hitters got home runs......
I know they are checking bats these days with that special machine (in college) but what about changing the specs completely back to something MUCH more safer (like wood - But not wood cuz of the expense I remember having when I played baseball....)
I would also love to see the game move back to where only big hitters got home runs......
halskinner
Banned
- May 7, 2008
- 2,637
- 0
Some years ago I was at an 18u tourney, before helmet masks were required. Pitcher had one get away, high and inside. The ball made a bee-line for the batters face. I was behind the backstop. I had time to determine the ball was coming straight towards the batters face. The batter's eye,s got big, then she closed them and jusdt stood there as her nose got flattened, blood went all over her, the catcher and the PU.
She had more than enough time to react, she failed to react to the SELF-DEFENSE situation and it was a painful lesson.
I have spoken to pitchers that had worn masks. They told me their vision was restricted by them and they would move around (not stay where they were supposed to). They did not like them at all and had all refused to wear them.
I have never worn a mask when pitching but I would not want anything on me that could restrict my field of vision AT ALL.
The masks do not prevent facial injury as some must seem to believe. They DO, however, spread the force of the impact out over a larger area so that impact force is not taken in an area of only a couple square inches, it is spread out over a large portion of the face.
The injury will not be as severe but you will still get hurt and feel like you have been hit it the face with a frying pan! A pitchers mask IS NOT THE SAME AS A CATCHERS MASK.
The best you can hope for is that no facial bones are broken or crushed.
Did anyone read the article I posted recently called "Pitcher / batter self-defense drills"? These are proven methods to greatly improve their reaction times to a self-defense situation. If you think drilling a pitcher just like a baseman is all you can do to improve their defense skills and reaction time, YOU ARE A FOOL TO THINK THAT. It is not the same.
Someone mentioned bringing litigation against the bat company for making a "Hot" bat. Think again, it wont work. Several years anm unfortunate young pitcher was hit in the face by a lkine drive, major damage including a crushed eye socket. This happened after my article on the self-defense drills came out. The incident made the national news. That article was used by the attoirneies for the bat company in their defense. The kid's coaches, parents and ind private instructor were all asked what type of training the pitcher had been given for defense skills. Same as all the rest of the fielders. Then they were asked what specific training they had provided for self-defense specific to that particular position. They had never heard of it before. The case was made that those responsible for training did NOT do everything they should have done to prevent such an injury.
I'm sorry for sounding cruel or heartless here. If your daughter gets hit in the face you must ask yourself if you did everrything possible to prevent that injury. If not and she does get seriously hurt, you can blame yourself. The information has been public since 2000.
The drills I spelled out in that article DO work. I have had emails in the past from parents who got the article and practiced their daughter on the drills. Then it happened, screaming line srivew coming at the face. Her reactions were correct and faster than lightning, in her Dad's words. She caught the ball in her glove right in front of her face, no inury. However, she had to be pulled as it scared her so bad her entire body was shaking and she was in tears, but she was unharmed,
I wrote the article, it was published and made public and I mention it at every opportunity. I jhave done what I can do to help make the game safer for young pitchers. Now the big question; HAVE YOU???
She had more than enough time to react, she failed to react to the SELF-DEFENSE situation and it was a painful lesson.
I have spoken to pitchers that had worn masks. They told me their vision was restricted by them and they would move around (not stay where they were supposed to). They did not like them at all and had all refused to wear them.
I have never worn a mask when pitching but I would not want anything on me that could restrict my field of vision AT ALL.
The masks do not prevent facial injury as some must seem to believe. They DO, however, spread the force of the impact out over a larger area so that impact force is not taken in an area of only a couple square inches, it is spread out over a large portion of the face.
The injury will not be as severe but you will still get hurt and feel like you have been hit it the face with a frying pan! A pitchers mask IS NOT THE SAME AS A CATCHERS MASK.
The best you can hope for is that no facial bones are broken or crushed.
Did anyone read the article I posted recently called "Pitcher / batter self-defense drills"? These are proven methods to greatly improve their reaction times to a self-defense situation. If you think drilling a pitcher just like a baseman is all you can do to improve their defense skills and reaction time, YOU ARE A FOOL TO THINK THAT. It is not the same.
Someone mentioned bringing litigation against the bat company for making a "Hot" bat. Think again, it wont work. Several years anm unfortunate young pitcher was hit in the face by a lkine drive, major damage including a crushed eye socket. This happened after my article on the self-defense drills came out. The incident made the national news. That article was used by the attoirneies for the bat company in their defense. The kid's coaches, parents and ind private instructor were all asked what type of training the pitcher had been given for defense skills. Same as all the rest of the fielders. Then they were asked what specific training they had provided for self-defense specific to that particular position. They had never heard of it before. The case was made that those responsible for training did NOT do everything they should have done to prevent such an injury.
I'm sorry for sounding cruel or heartless here. If your daughter gets hit in the face you must ask yourself if you did everrything possible to prevent that injury. If not and she does get seriously hurt, you can blame yourself. The information has been public since 2000.
The drills I spelled out in that article DO work. I have had emails in the past from parents who got the article and practiced their daughter on the drills. Then it happened, screaming line srivew coming at the face. Her reactions were correct and faster than lightning, in her Dad's words. She caught the ball in her glove right in front of her face, no inury. However, she had to be pulled as it scared her so bad her entire body was shaking and she was in tears, but she was unharmed,
I wrote the article, it was published and made public and I mention it at every opportunity. I jhave done what I can do to help make the game safer for young pitchers. Now the big question; HAVE YOU???
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It is my understanding that composite bat manufacturers are now making the bats as hot out of the wrapper as they will be after use. Therefore, they do not get "hotter" and exceed the standards after break in. That is a step in the right direction, but the bottom line is players are getting bigger/stronger/faster. Pitchers are also getting faster, and a 60MPH fastball that is crushed will get back to the pitcher faster than a 50MPH fastball that is hit with the same velocity.
