Hard Hat

After seeing Pirate pitcher Chris Jakubauskas get hit in the head with a scorching line drive recently, I feel like changes need to be made with the equipment usage in baseball and other sports. The pitcher after his delivery is completed is about 57 to 60 feet away from home plate. After pitching the ball, some pitcher's balance is not spectacular. I do not know how fast the ball is coming off the bat upon contact, but it has to be on high levels of velocity. My feeling over the years comes to one conclusion. That is, pitchers should wear a full batting helmet strictly for protection and safety. It may not be comfortable and may not match the uniform code, but safety should be a major concern when you are 60 feet away from danger. The pitchers reaction time is limited in such short areas with Jakubauskas reaction to the line drive. I was watching College Women's Fast Pitch Softball and thought the same thing. These young ladies are only 43 feet from the batter. It may not be comfortable, but a full batting helmet on with the team logo on the front is vital for protection from serious injury. It is hard to fathom that Hockey Players 40 years ago did not wear protective head gear. Head injuries can be devastating. Athletes need to protect themselves from Head injuries.