Should we put helmets on pitchers? Topic

Should we put helmets on pitchers?

Votes: 22
(Last vote received: 10/29/2012 10:43 AM)
10/26/2012 10:17 AM
Tim McCarver brought up a point yesterday after Doug Fister was hit in the head, that we'll have helmets on pitchers next year.  That's probably silly; it won't happen that fast.  But is this something we should do?  We have them on catchers, batters, umpires, and base coaches.  The only drawback I can see is that the pitcher looks silly, but I think it's something we can get used to.  
10/26/2012 10:18 AM
I hate like hell agreeing with Tim McCarver.

Batter has a helmet. Pitcher does not.
Velocity of batted ball returning to pitcher > velocity of pitched ball thrown at batter.
Batter - balanced. Pitcher in the aftermath of throwing a ball - off balance.

I think that it can't be the same helmet that the batter wears. THAT would be dumb. But if a hockey player can stick handle, skate and shoot a puck with deadly accuracy while wearing a helmet, there's a helmet that can be made that would protect a pitcher and not impede with the balance required to successfully pitch.

Hockey had to wait for someone to be killed before helmets were mandatory. Baseball had to wait for a batter to be killed before batting helmets were mandatory. Probably will be the same here.
10/26/2012 10:30 AM
I can't believe how far that ball went after hitting him.  That would have been something if it had been caught.  I really can't believe how nonchalant he was about the whole thing - I'm almost surprised he's not dead.
10/26/2012 12:32 PM
1. He is lucky.
2. The fact that it went that far into the OF means that it didn't hit him as flush as it could have. If it hits him, and drops to his feet, we're probably watching Duk Koo Kim out there.
10/26/2012 12:39 PM
I guess his head was angled "just right."  It still looked to me like it hit him pretty hard, though.
10/26/2012 12:41 PM
Will the helmets have facemasks?   If not, Bryce Florie doesn't care.




I ask because batting helmets do not have facemasks.     What, exactly, are we trying to prevent?   Shots off the pitcher's dome?     I'm not saying I'm against it but it certainly seems to be overkill for something that happens once, twice a season and does nothing to keep pitcher from taking it in the face.
10/26/2012 1:30 PM
I'm open to the idea of adding facemasks.  But yes, something that looks like a batting helmet, to protect the head of a pitcher.
10/26/2012 1:48 PM
If Bryce Florie were Gordie Howe, he'd be out there next shift and would make someone eat an elbow.

Pansy.
10/26/2012 2:05 PM
Then you have to design facemasks that don't restrict vision at all.   A hockey shield-type thing?  How does that play on a hot, humid Cleveland evening when the pitcher is struggling thru a 15 minute inning?
10/26/2012 2:10 PM
Posted by MikeT23 on 10/26/2012 2:10:00 PM (view original):
Then you have to design facemasks that don't restrict vision at all.   A hockey shield-type thing?  How does that play on a hot, humid Cleveland evening when the pitcher is struggling thru a 15 minute inning?
A helmet would have kept the midge's out of Joba's face during the playoffs a couple of years ago.

10/26/2012 2:15 PM
Posted by MikeT23 on 10/26/2012 2:10:00 PM (view original):
Then you have to design facemasks that don't restrict vision at all.   A hockey shield-type thing?  How does that play on a hot, humid Cleveland evening when the pitcher is struggling thru a 15 minute inning?
Yea i don't know how it would work.  My guess is it wouldn't.  But helmet w/no mask > no helmet.
10/26/2012 2:25 PM
Why not just thick, padded hats?




Put a bill and a logo on it and you're in business.
10/26/2012 2:28 PM
"You aren't protecting the face so don't bother protecting the head" =
DUMB IDEA!!!!!!!!
10/26/2012 2:37 PM
I do tend to think pitchers are far more likely to get hit in the face than the head.

Simply because they're trying to catch the ball.   It's what you're taught to do.   And, when you're trying to catch something, you're looking at it.    With your face. 
10/26/2012 2:40 PM
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Should we put helmets on pitchers? Topic

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