With all the talk these days about concussions and the dangers of them it is amazing to me that we have not done more to protect Major League Baseball pitchers.
During a game on Sept. 4 Los Angeles Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker took a 105 mile per hour come-backer off the head from Seattle Mariner Kyle Seager.
The result was a laceration to the skull and bleeding on the brain, which required surgery to stop.
How is it that we can be so worried about concussions in hockey and football but we barely pay any attention to the head injuries in baseball?
Admittedly there are less in baseball than there are in hockey and football but does that make it right?
There are enough cases of pitchers getting hit in the head by come-backers.
Current Blue Jay J.A. Happ got hit in the head during a game in May 2013 that resulted in not only a head injury but also a knee injury, Miami Marlins pitcher Dan Jennings got hit in the head during a game in Aug. 2014 and sustained a concussion, which knocked him out of the lineup for nearly a month. There are many more instances of pitchers getting hit in the head but just because it happens to a small number of pitchers does not mean it should be ignored.
A good question is how are you going to make it safer for players to avoid head injuries?
Well as hitters, Miami Marlins outfield Giancarlo Stanton has started wearing a helmet with a protective cage that wraps far enough around his face to cover any exposed part of his head. Make those mandatory.
The argument of some players not wanting to wear them is not valid. The National Hockey League has mandated that all new players to the NHL are required to wear a visor, whether they like it or not. The MLB could do the same.
As for protecting pitchers wearing a helmet is not quite as easy.
There is a level of tradition that has to be upheld but protection needs to be considered alongside tradition.Â
There are companies who produce protective liner for the inside of ball caps that are supposed to be protective but it isn’t going to completely prevent head injuries. It is at least a start.Â
While I admit that you are never able to completely rid the sport of any injury the least we could do is come up with ways to protect the players as best as we can.
Head injuries are a big deal and taking a 105 mph come-backer to the head is a big deal and is something we need to work towards stopping.
Getting hit in the head is only a small part of the injury risks a pitcher has on the mound as they also have to look after their arms, as well as avoid getting hit by come-backers on other part of their bodies.
Imagine being the parent of a pitcher who gets hit by a come-backer.
Now imagine if that come-backer hits the player in the head and knocks them out of the game and potentially ends their career.
It is time we do something to protect pitchers so this does not happen.
