America’s Ball Club Bio
Nick Conte is currently studying abroad at the University of Dundee
in Scotland, but he was raised in Seattle and moved to Paris for high school.
He’s been playing sports competitively since he could walk – his first word was
ball. As a long time suffering Mariner’s fan, he grew up idolizing players like
Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson and Jamie Moyer and played baseball for multiple
all-star teams. The move to France forced a switch of focus to basketball and
soccer, but he adjusted well. His International School of Paris basketball
jersey was retired, and he is currently captain and president of Dundee’s championship-winning
soccer team and Vice President of Sports for the university’s 25,000 students.
Nick’s been writing blogs based on his international travel for years, and was
awarded the prestigious Community, Action and Service honor for his efforts. Nick’s
eager to share his love of sports with fellow fans of America’s Ball Club.
This week on MLB Player Profile we have one of the most dynamic and exciting players in the game today - Michael Nelson "Mike" Trout. Trout was born August 7, 199, in Vineland, New Jersey and currently plays centerfield for the Anaheim Angels. The 23-year-old has already set several MLB records including the youngest player in MLB history to reach the 30-30 club and to record 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases. Trout also has a longer list of awards and achievements than some players ever hope to accomplish; AL MVP (2014), 3× All-Star (2012–2014), MLB All-Star Game MVP (2014), AL Rookie of the Year (2012), 3× Silver Slugger Award (2012–2014), AL Hank Aaron Award (2014), AL RBI champion (2014), AL stolen base champion (2012), Hit for the cycle on May 21, 2013 and AL Outstanding Player (2014). Impressed yet?
Let’s start from the beginning. Mike’s father, Jeff Trout, was drafted in the 5th round of the 1982 draft by the Minnesota Twins, but never left AA ball. Mike inherited his fathers athleticism and then added a whole bunch of his own. Mike possessed more than tremendous athletic ability however, he had something far rarer…he carried an incredible patience and demeanor. By the time he was 9 years-old Mike was excelling in leagues where the kids were three years older than him. Under his father’s guidance, Mike developed his natural instincts and built a solid foundation of skills. During his high school career it wasn’t Mike’s lights out power, shut down pitching or even his mature attitude that caught scouts eyes - it was his blinding speed. Mike consistently was timed at under four seconds from the batters box to first base - and he is a righty! In his senior year, Trout hit a New Jersey High School record setting 18 home runs. Angels scout Greg Morhardt confided to his friend-Mike’s father that mike was the fastest and strongest 17 year-old he had ever seen.
In the 2009 draft Trout was drafted in the first round and was the 25th overall pick by the Angels - who used their compensation pick from the New York Yankees for Signing Mark Teixeira. With a cool $1.2 million signing bonus Mike started for the Arizona Angels of the rookie-level Arizona League. Trout hit .360/.418/.506 with 25 RBIs and 13 stolen bases over 39 games. He finished the season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Class A Midwest League.
Prior to the 2010 season, Trout was considered the third best prospect in the Angels organization and 85th overall best prospect in baseball. Mike continued to impress. At the start of the 2010 season he hit .362/.454/.526 with 39 RBIs and 45 stolen bases in 82 games for the Cedar Rapids. Bear in mind that Trout was only 18. He was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game and Baseball America named him the second-best overall baseball prospect only behind Dominic Brown. Trout was quickly promoted to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the Class A-Advanced California league and at 19 years of age Trout was the youngest player ever to be named the J.G. Taylor Spink Award as the Topps Minor League player of the year. By the beginning of 2011 he was named by several analysts, including Jonathan Mayo as the number one prospect in baseball. Still not impressed?
On July 8th, 2011 Trout made his debut against the Seattle Mariners. On his first day in the majors he went 0-3 but in his next game trout recorded his first career hit. Two weeks late, on July 24th Trout smacked his first home run. In his first 12 starts for the angles he had six RBIs. On August 30th Trout became the youngest player in Angels history to hit two home runs in one game. He only appeared in 40 games for the Angels in 2011 and still won Minor League Player of the year.
Trout began the 2012 season with the Salt Lake Bees of the AAA Pacific Coast League. He was quickly brought up after displaying .403/.467/.623 averages. Trout was named with co-outfielder Torii Hunter as American League co-player of the week in early June - and the rest is history. Trout went 13-for-25 for a .520 batting average coupled with 10 runs scored and four stolen bases and on June 27 against the Baltimore Orioles, Trout had his third career 4-hit game- all were recorded in the month of June. He then broke then the Angels’ franchise and American League rookie record when he crossed home plate in 14 consecutive games. His 26 stolen bases tied Jerry Temp for the Angles rookie record before the All-Star Break and for the month of June he was named AL player and AL rookie of the month. In 2012 he appeared in his first All-Star game. He scored 32 runs in July to tie the Major League rookie record with Hal Trotsky - who set the record back in 1934. Trout became the first rookie since the all-time-great Joe DiMaggio’s to drive 55 runs in and score 80 runs in half a season. With a .344 batting average Trout set the rookie record for a batting average through 100 games. Trout became the youngest player ever to hit at least 20 home runs and steal at least 40 bases in a season. On September 9th, Trout became the first player in baseball history under the age of 22 to hit a leadoff home run in back-to-back games. Trout became the first player in MLB history to hit 30 home runs, steal 45 bases and score 125 runs in one season. The list goes on and on. Mike Trout has deserved everything he has received. He is the epitome of hard work combined with great talent. On March 28, 2014, the Angels announced they had signed Trout to a 6-year, $144.5 million extension.
(through April 29, 2015)
.306
595
103
321
391
107
This week on MLB player profile we have a player that I have been meticulously following growing up. I always admired his dedication and talent. This beast of a man turned out to be the youngest ever two-time MLB All-Star (2012, 2013), NL Rookie of the Year (2012), Golden Spikes Award winner (2010) and a Home Run Derby Finalist in 2013. he earned all of these accolades before his 23rd birthday. This man-child was named “The Chosen One” by Sports Illustrated in 2009 and his beard has it’s own twitter account…can you guess who it is? Yeah you’re right, it’s Bam-Bam himself, Bryce Harper. Harper came into this world with a glove in one hand and a baseball bat in the other. The kid was destined for success.
Harper attended Las Vegas High School. In his second and final year of high school he hit. 626/.723/1.339 and after he earned his GED in 2009, he became eligible for the 2010 amateur draft. Harper was notorious for incredible bat speed, throwing out baserunners from his knees with a wicked 96 mph fastball and holding down a solid 3.5 GPA while attending religious education classes nearly every morning before school. One concern that scouts had before he was drafted as a 17 years old as the first overall pick by the Washington Nationals was his criticism for angry outbursts and repeatedly poor behavior. That came with maturity however and the Nationals did not hesitate to draft him. He was drafted as an outfielder - not as a catcher - this was done so that he could debut in the MLB earlier. At 18 years of age Harper waited until twenty-six seconds before the signing deadline. Totally worth the 5-year $9.9 million contract which included a cool $6.25 million signing bonus, and eight semesters of college tuition. No biggie for an seventeen-year old kid. For college, Harper elected to enroll at the College of Southern Nevada. In only 66 games he hit 31 home runs -19 more that the previous school record - 98 RBSs and hit .443/.526/.987. In the 2010 NJCAA World Series Harper hit for the cycle, and went 6-for-7 with 5 RBIs. Reasonable justification for winning the 2010 Golden Spikes award. He was also featured in an episode of ESPN E:60 and was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in the 2009 May edition. In August of 2010 Harper was the second youngest player ever selected to play with the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League, only two days older than when Fernando Martinez was selected in 2006. With a .343 batting average he helped lead the Scorpions to a Arizona Fall League Championship.
In April 2011, Harper went to see a doctor about his eyesight. In the first 20 games after receiving prescribed contact lenses, Harper boasted an impressive .480 batting average, collecting 7 home runs and 23 RBIs. From this he was selected to represent the United States in the 2011 All-Star Future game and shortly after this appearance he jumped up to AA ball, and by the start of the 2012 season Harper was playing AAA ball with the Nationals’ affiliate team. On April 27th 2012 he was called up to the big leagues. Harper made his debut on the 28th of April and collected his first hit - a double - against the LA Dodgers and got his first RBI that same night with a sac-fly in the ninth-inning. On May 6th Harper stole home plate, and on May 14th, collected his first major league home run - the youngest player to do so since Adrian Beltré in 1998. This helped cement him as NL Player of the month. He made the 2012 All-Star roster and in doing so became the youngest position player to ever make it to an All-Star game, and at the end of the season was named NL-Rookie of the year.
He led the 2013 season with a bang…or two. Harper slammed two home runs on Opening Day. With his electric first half of the season, Haprer was selected to be a starter for the 2013 MLB All-Star game. Harper’s 2013 batting average, OBP and slugging percentage at the time was better than, Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle, Mel Ott and Jimmie Foxx when they were 20 years old. That seems like a pretty good group of players to be compared with. Following this, Harper was selected to participate in the 2013 Home Run Derby. He was the second-youngest player to participate in the Home Run Derby and the youngest to ever make it to the final round. He was only 20. He didn’t stop there though, Harper hit his 17th homer of the season on August 6th marking his 39th career homer. This bumped himself past all-time-great Ken Griffey Jr. on the list for the most home runs by a player under the age of 21. At the start of the 2014 season Harper suffered a left thumb injury when sliding to 3rd base on a three-run triple, causing him to have reconstructive surgery. He returned on June 30th and was selected to participate in the 2014 MLB Japan All-Star Series. On April 18, 2015, Bryce Harper hit the longest home run of his professional career with a 461 foot home run. His longest ever was 502 feet at the International Power Showcase HS Home Run Derby, he used an aluminum bat however. Harper is Signed through 2016 to a two-year $7.5M deal with the Nationals. Harper is 22 years young and along with his beard, only shows room for growth.
The
Best/Worst Managerial decisions in the 2014 MLB Season
We all imagine how successful our teams
would be if we managed them. However, many fail to understand that managing a
professional team comes with exorbitant amounts of pressure – especially with
half the nation is tuning in to scrutinize your every move. In this article we
examine those risks, gambles, rewards and failures that MLB managers took last
year. After careful deliberation here are the top three best and worst managerial
decisions of the 2014 MLB season.
Worst
Decisions: The following decisions were chosen for their season
defining moments.
3. Don Mattingly benching All Star Yasiel
Puig for crucial game 4 against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League
Division Series title game.
This for me was simply a ridiculous
move. We all are well aware of the
controversy that orbits around the Cuban native with his seven-year $42M
contract coupled with numerous media clashes and reckless driving charges but
you can’t argue with numbers. Given Puig was only 1-8 from his previous games
in the series he nonetheless led the Dodgers offensively that season with a .296
average, .382 OBP and 92 runs scored. To bench him in such a crucial game was a
mistake Don Mattingly won’t soon forget.
2. Matt Williams pulling Jordan Zimmermann
in the game 2 of National League Division Series
The Washington Nationals had a fantastic season
- a favorite by many to win the World Series. In game two of the National
League Division series against the Giants, Jordan Zimmerman retired 20 Giants
and only allowed three hits but gave up a two-out walk in the 7th
inning. Manager Matt Williams controversially decided to replace Zimmermann with
in Drew Storen – which immediately backfired. Storen gave up two hits and the game-tying
run. The Nationals never recovered and proceeded to lose 2-1 in a gritty 18-inning
battle.
1.
Bob Melvin Leaving Jeff Samardzija off the AL Wild Card Game Roster
The 30-year-old All Star was a key stone
player and highly contributed to the Athletics success in 2014. He boasted a
2.99 ERA in nearly 220 innings pitched, but when it came down to the AL wild
card game against the Royals, manager Bob Melvin left him off the roster.
Fast-forward over an exhilarating seven
innings - the A’s are up by four runs, Jon Lester – two time world series
winner – gives up an RBI single to Lorenzo Cain to
cut the lead down to three runs…. the rally begins. The bullpen starts to
deteriorate and gives up a further two runs. The A’s couldn’t hold on to their one-run
lead. A sac fly in the bottom of the 9th sends the game into extra
innings. In the bottom of the 12th inning, Royals catcher
Salvador Perez steps up and hits a walk off single to end the A’s
season. But it still leaves us scratching out heads, Jeff Samardzija an All
Star pitcher who was a full time reliever for the 2011 season - had three days
rest and could have mustered out an inning or two…why would you leave him off
the roster in a season deciding game?
Best
Decisions. These
decisions were made based on potential enhancement for the future of the club.
3. Buck Showalter putting the winning run on
base in Game 3 at Detroit
I know, controversial. In game three the
Orioles were clinging on to a mere one-run lead after Victor and J.D. Martinez
hit back-to-back doubles. Buck Showalter then intentionally walks Nick
Castellanos to put runners at first and second. Gulp. Hernan Perez steps up to
the plate and grounds out to double play to end the inning. Many criticized
Showalter for putting the winning run on base and potentially jeopardizing the
game, but he showed confidence in closer Zach Britton
and the Baltimore defense to get the job
done – and that’s exactly what they did. Got to respect that. The Orioles
proceeded to sweep the Tigers and claim the series victory.
2. Seattle Mariners signing Nelson Cruz
The Seattle Mariners were a competitor in
the West, barely missing out on a wild card spot in 2014. Over the past few
years the Mariners have lacked a solid power
hitter that can rack up the RBI’s but heading into the 2015 season with one of
the best pitchers in the game – Felix Hernandez backed by All Star Golden Glove
winners Kyle Seager and Robinson Cano coupled with Cruz’s dangerous offensive
capability – MLB home run leader for 2014. A very aggressive move for the Mariners
but it was a necessary one. They are now looking like a likely contender for
the division title.
1.
The
complete Chicago White Sox makeover
Topping off our list at number one is the
Chicago White Sox’s makeover. Finishing 4th in the AL Central was heartbreaking
for White Sox fans, but with exciting new additions such as Melky Cabrera, Jeff
Samardzija, and Adam LaRoche, the White Sox fans have something to smile about.
The White Sox have taken matters into their own hands by solidifying their line
up during the 2014-2015 off-season and many anticipate a successful White Sox
season.
So what do you think of our list? Give us
your feedback in the comments section below or ping us on Twitter or Facebook
with your ideas!
Best/Worst Nicknames in Baseball History
They’ve been the catalyst to media careers. They’ve helped define an athlete by encapsulating who they really are. They’ve built more personal connections with the fans, encouraged creativity and molded reputations. These monikers have electrified crowds and fostered creative chants and songs. These are the greatest nicknames in the history of baseball. Birth names can be forgettable, hard to pronounce or simply not awe inspiring enough. There are so many great nicknames out there, it’s hard to narrow it down, but nonetheless, here they are, the top three greatest nicknames in the history of baseball. The top 20 Honorable Mentions that were considered are listed below:
3. Ted ”The Splendid Splinter" Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was accompanied by an array of nicknames including: "The Kid", "The Splendid Splinter", "Teddy Ballgame", "The Thumper" and "The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived.”
His most popular nickname was indeed, The Splendid Splinter. Williams had a hollow 6'3" frame, but when he stepped up to the plate his power was comparable to a man built like a bull. With such power, and with such slender frame, Williams earned him his nickname as the Splendid Splinter. During his long career as a Boston Red Sox (1939–1942, 1946–1960) player, Williams boasted a lifetime batting average of .344, a solid 521 homers and an impressive 2,654 hits. Williams is regarded as one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. His Number 9 jersey lies retired at Fenway Park, he was a 19 time All-Star - in which he won MVP two of those 19 times - a four time AL home run champion, a four time AL RBI champion and a six time AL batting champion. He won his last batting champion title at the age of 40. His Induction to the Hall of Fame was well deserved. The Splendid Splinter was one of the greatest to play the game, so it is only fitting that his nickname mirrors that.
2. “Charlie Hustle” Pete Rose
Mr. Charlie Hustle has to be included. The all-time MLB leader in hits (4,256), three time World Series Winner - winning MVP in the 1975 World Series - 17 time All-Star and MLB All-Century team, gave everything he had, every single game he played. Rose left nothing on the field. The man would sprint to first base if he drew a base on balls - who does that? Rose rebranded the term hustle, and with his nickname, inspired countless others to do the same. No matter what your opinion is on Pete Rose, you cannot take away from his effort. Charlie Hustle is one of the best nicknames, not only in baseball, but in all of sports. The debate on whether Rose should be inducted into the Hall of Fame or not is another story entirely (Check out our thoughts on the matter by clicking here), but the least we can do here at America’s Ball Club is honor him on this list for his incredibly accurate, catchy and inspiring nickname.
- George Herman "Babe" Ruth, Jr.
Babe Ruth has been argued as one of the best to ever play the game, so is his nickname. Babe. Mr. Jack Dunn singed Ruth to a contact, at the time Ruth was only 19, so Dunn had to sign papers making him Ruth’s legal guardian. Friends, teammates and the media called him “Jack Dunn’s baby” and the name morphed into the moniker that anybody who calls themselves a sports fan knows, Babe Ruth. The Number 3 Jersey is retired for the Yankees, he is a seven time World Series Champ, a 12 time AL home run champion and MLB All Century team and MLB All-Time team. He seems to have an inexhaustible amount of nicknames, The Jidge,The Colossus of Clout, The Sultan of Swat, The Great Bambino, The Bam, The Behemoth of Bust, The Big Fellow, The Big Bam and the Caliph of Clout. He was the most dominant player of his generation, and it’s hard to mention baseball without this man’s name popping up. Many people forget that his name, “Babe” is a nickname, but even so with the sheer volume of creative, awe inspiring names that orbit his memory is enough to earn him a top spot on the list.
Worst
Some nicknames are intimidating, clever or just plain cool. Some of the all time great nicknames in sports include: Mike “Iron” Tyson, Earvin "Magic" Johnson or Walter “Sweetness" Payton. Unfortunately most athletes don’t have influence on what other people call them. Sometimes athlete’s nicknames highlight blunders or features that perhaps aren’t the most flattering. These creative names are too catchy to forget, these are the top three worst nicknames in baseball history. The Top 20 Honorable Mentions are listed below:
3. Hugh "Losing Pitcher" Mulcahy
Hugh Noyes Mulcahy was a pitcher in the majors from 1935-1947. In his time there, he never once completed a full season in which he recorded more wins than losses - hence the nickname “Losing Pitcher.” In 1938 Mulcahy lost 20 games and two years later in 1940 he lost 22 games. His career ERA rests at 4.49 and has a total win-loss record of 45-89. He still however, made the 1940 All-Star game. This proves that a pitchers wins is not representative of his quality. He played for a team that lost over 100 games every year for the three consecutive years. Mulcahy started every fourth day in those three years. Ouch. Mulcahy was widely known for performance on the mound, but he soon gained national distinction for something entirely different. Mulcahy was drafted in 1941, and in doing so, became the first ever MLB player to be drafted into the Army before World War II. Mulchay made his return to the MLB after serving four years for the US Military, but the nickname still haunted him, even up until his unfortunate death in 2001.
2. Gabby “Old Tomato Face” Hartnett
Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett played from 1922-1940 with the Chicago Cubs and in 1941 played as a player/coach with the New York Giants. He was a six time All-Star and NL MVP (1935). Hartnett was the first MLB catcher to hit over 20 home runs in a single season. One of the greatest moments of Harnett’s career that cemented him into our history books was his walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, which ended the 1938 regular season, and put the Cubs in first place. The home run was know as the Homer in the Gloamin’ from that day forward. He was given the nickname "Gabby" as a rookie due to his reticent personality, but as he matured, Hartnett was given the nickname “Old Tomato Face” and, well, I bet you can guess why he was called that. Hartnett was inducted into the hall of fame in 1955.
1. Johnny “Ugly” Dickshot
If John Oscar Dickshot didn’t get enough grief for his last name, he certainly did for his looks. He was a good sport about it, he was the self-proclaimed "ugliest man in baseball.” The self-deprecating humor quickly caught on, and the name “Ugly” stuck with him. Dickshot played for three teams: Pittsburgh Pirates (1936–1938), New York Giants (1939) and the Chicago White Sox (1944–1945). In 1945 season he went for an impressive .302 batting average, 10 triples and 18 stolen bases. Dickshot, may not have boasted great career numbers - .276 batting average - but he has cemented a spot on numerous lists, including ours, as one of the worst nicknames in baseball history.
Safety in Baseball
How do we improve safety in baseball?
America’s Pastime…nearly 170 years of history. In a game shaped by tradition, the introduction of new rules, equipment or ideas has been, and always will be, difficult. Over the past few years all sports have been pressured to increase player safety. In football the strength of pads and helmets has been increased, and new, stricter rules on tackling have been introduced. Same goes for other heavy contract sports such as ice hockey. How do we make such a unique, wonderful and traditional sport safer? In this article, we will examine the historical development of safety equipment, and how we as a generation can further enhance safety. One thing to bear in mind before our exploration, it is impossible to eliminate all injuries in any sport, let alone baseball. Accidents happen. Accidents causes injury. It’s inevitable, but it’s the risk we all take when stepping onto a sports ground. We can only attempt to minimize the risk of serious injury, not prevent it entirely.
History
Historically, the introduction of baseball safety equipment met firm resistance. Over the decades however, not only has safety equipment become traditionally accepted as an integral part of the game, but a necessary one. Baseball equipment helps protect players from serious injury to their face, head, chest and shins. This wasn’t always the case though. In the early stages of baseball, there were no gloves, no helmets and no catcher's gear. Just a bat and ball. Over the years the glove has developed from a thin piece of leather strapped to one’s hand, to various designs of intricate web of leather and synthetic material. The batting helmet, once nonexistent, has evolved from essentially a set of ear muffs, to a sturdy plastic helmet able to withstand 120mph wayward fastballs. The masks have changed from an adapted fencing mask to the hockey style masks. Their shin pads from newspaper stuffed down their socks to hard plastic protectors. Their chest pads from sheepskin to the modern thick polyfoam. Roger Bresnahan became the first player to don the full suit of armor, on opening day of 1907. Prior to this, catchers didn't have much protective gear and in 1908 Roger Bresnahan developed a leather batting ‘helmet’ - it looked more like an awkward boxing glove fashioned into a hat than a helmet. It was not mandatory and only a few players in the whole league wore it by choice.
1920 Ray Chapman was hit in the head by a pitch while at bat, and died less than 12 hours later…yet helmets were still not mandatory. It did encourage Phillies' manager Pat Moran to hand out helmets to his players in 1921. There term helmets is used loosely in this context - they were cork-cushioned hats. These were used over the next twenty odd years, but it was not until 1953 when the Pittsburgh Pirates mandated it the use of a safety cap. This safety cap was designed by Charlie Muse who based them on hard hat that construction workers used. In 1956 the National League required the use of batting helmets for all players on all teams. Two years later, the American League followed suit. In 1960 the first helmets with earflaps were introduced.
However, no-ear-flap helmet’s are still used by first and third base coaches. Prior to 2008, coaches were not required to were safety gear. It was only after the unfortunate death of Michael Robert Coolbaugh in 2007. Coolbaugh died after being struck by a line drive while acting as the first-base coach in a minor league game did the MLB require safety helmets for coaches. In 2009, a new baseball helmet was invented by Rawlings that could withstand a baseball traveling 100 mph from only two feet away. Four years later, in 2013, these helmets were mandated across the MLB for all batters.
Techniques
To inherently improve safety, we have to start at the beginning. One of the most heavily overlooked and most common risks in baseball is actually not from impact injuries, but from tendon and ligament damage. Young pitchers are not made fully aware of the risks that comes with over pitching, poor technique or the over use of off-speed pitches. Bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments are delicate in children as they are not fully developed. Children are more susceptible to long term injuries from internal strains to shoulders, elbows and wrists than players who’s muscles are fully developed. Injuries that children obtain at such a young age can cause lifetime reoccurring injuries and can even lead serious permanent damage. To help reduce injuries like these, coaches need to properly manage pitching rotations, and ensure that players are getting taught the correct and safe way to throw. Teaching children good mechanics for swinging, throwing, fielding, running and sliding at a young age will carry on into their later careers.
Some teams and leagues require that children under the age of 12 wear batting helmets with built in face-masks to protect their eyes, mouth and nose from errant balls, but many people focus on how to protect the batter, but what about the pitcher? A strong armed high school or college pitcher can reach speeds of up to the mid 90s, but line drives can travel over 125 MPH off the bat. The pitcher is only 60 feet away, the closest person to the batter without protective gear. This being said, one essential thing that all players should be taught at a young age to help improve player safety is how to play defense as a pitcher. Learning how to square up immediately after the pitch is thrown is vital to a players safety.
Rules
The most common way to get injured in baseball through impact injuries is from hard slides, usually to break up a double play or sliding into home plate. Base runners that slide in hard with their studs up, arms flared in an attempt to put off the middle infielders can cause serious injury to themselves and players around them. Serious injury can occur from sliding headfirst into these plays as well. One way to reduce these risks it to simply eliminate them, or punish them. Players who slide in maliciously, recklessly or head first should be subject to immediate ejection.
Equipment
Safety balls, face shields, mouth guards, and safety bases (base’s that are not easily removable) are all available, but are not required. Safety balls are baseballs made with rubber centers instead of the traditional cork and twine. Safety balls aim to prevent, the rare, but deadly commotio cordis injury. This injury comes from a forceful blunt blow to the chest that can cause cardiac arrest. These safety balls are softer, and more forgiving and heavily reduce the risk of this fatal injury. The introduction of these balls and other safety should be mandatory for children’s league, with considerations for older leagues.
Walls
We can’t stop outfielders from trying to make heroic plays, but we can help them stay safer. Many injuries come from simply not knowing the where the wall, or knowing where the wall is and just underestimating how hard it is. Requiring fields to have an obvious and larger warning track can help players understand where they are in regards to the wall and by making the walls softer and more forgiving will help reduce significant impact injuries.
Bats
In 2011 the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR), a composite bat safety standard was invented. Essentially what that means is the ball speed is reduced from 125 MPH to around 100 MPH. This gives fielding players more time to react to the ball. These composite bats reduce the ‘trampoline effect’ of the ball, meaning the ball doesn’t have as much bounce as it leaves the bat. In light of 18-year-old Brandon Patch’s untimely death in 2003, when he was struck in the head from an batted ball, the reduced offensive productivity seems like a worthy sacrifice for safety. As of January 1, 2011, all non-wood baseball bats must be BBCOR certified to be used in NCAA and collegiate play.
Any other safety tips for us? Let us in the comments below!
