In light of J.A. Happ’s recent head injury from a line drive off the bat of Desmond Jennings, it is time for a change. I’m not just overreacting to one isolated incident because head injuries for pitchers are becoming more common. Last year, it was Brandon McCarthy (like Happ, a fractured skull). In 2011, it was Juan Nicasio (fractured C-1 vertebrae). In 2008, Chris Young (another fractured skull). Unfortunately, these have not been the only head injuries suffered by pitchers. I understand that injuries are a part of the game, and that pitchers know the inherent risks when they take the mound, but these injuries may be preventable to some degree. With new technology and innovations in materials, padding, and protective headgear, Major League Baseball needs to act now, before it is too late.
Over the past few years, MLB officials have been experimenting with new ideas in hopes of coming up with a solution. Now, unless MLB ever decided to put up the cage in front of the mound like teams do in batting practice, head injuries will never be eliminated. Since I don’t think that ever will or should happen, pitchers will always be at risk of getting drilled by a line drive. Because of that, MLB has been testing products designed to significantly reduce the amount of impact a batted ball makes on a human head.
One of which is a padded liner for baseball hats that is made out of Kevlar. Kevlar is a synthetic fiber that is used in a variety of items such as racing tires, motorcycle safety gear, bulletproof vest, and other military grade armor. At first, one may think that the padding would be heavy or obtrusive to a pitcher, much like a batting helmet. However, Kevlar is a light-weight material and when fitted inside a baseball cap, it would only weigh about five ounces. So, how does it help prevent damage done by a 100+ MPH baseball? When a batted ball strikes Kevlar the material absorbs the force and impact of the object and distributes it evenly throughout the head, thus greatly reducing the damage done to the point of impact. Think of it being like a bulletproof vest. When a person gets shot while wearing a bulletproof vest, they still feel an impact, but it is greatly reduced. So, head injuries like a bruise or minor concussion may still occur, but that is a lot better than fracture skulls and excessive bleeding.
Head injuries will always be a part of the game for pitchers, but they don’t have to be as significant and dangerous. MLB owes it to their players to use any technology that it can to help prevent such traumatic injuries. Hopefully, MLB will find a product that they feel comfortable with to implement in the near future. It would be a real shame to see another one of these injuries or possibly even a death occur knowing that something can be done.
-Eric Tichelbaut
Follow me on Twitter @etichel07
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