After reading about the boy who was killed while pitching, I wondered what safety equipment you felt kid's should be wearing when pitching. I know we all have opinions on bats and field sizes. But somethings are not going to change this season, so what can we do to protect our own kids?
Our son has always worn a heart guard since starting kid pitch in rec ball. I think we purchased it from Play it Again Sports brand new for $35. It's a grey dri-fit short sleeve shirt with a triangular type guard in the center. He was catcher for a long time and is now pitching. He's playing 12U and knows it's part of his uniform just like a belt or hat. Doesn't add any more bulk and he has never complained about being too hot with it.
I think heart guards are a good start but I believe I read somewhere and I may be wrong but they don't really offer any protection against getting hit in the heart at the wrong time? Not sure if the Evo Shield does either can anyone site test showing they actually do more than stop it from hurting if hit at the wrong time?
Heart guard or some sort of a chest padded dry fit and a cup is about all you can really do, outside of a helmet or something. Come backers and line drives are part of the game, unfortunately.
All you can do is mitigate the speed by regulating the bat, the ball or both...
I personally would like to see the ball be restricted, since there are obviously still hot bats or bats one the edge of legal. The leagues/directors mandate the ball in play anyway, so why not take it to that level, like they do in softball - it's far easier to restrict the compression characteristics and ball flight of a ball being used than it is to police the bat tampering and doctoring of perfectly legal by rule yet adjusted bats - not to mention composite bats are inherently hotter the more they are used - the best pop on one of those bats is closer to the end of it's life cycle, hence the rolling and shaving and all of the "accelerated breaking in"
Pitcher's protection
Posted - 08/23/2012 : 15:58:57
