Major League Baseball has an issue when it comes to the safety of pitchers. For the third time in recent memory a pitcher has gotten struck in the head by a line drive.
Last season Brandon McCarthy who pitched for the Oakland Athletics took a liner off the back of his head and the result a epidural hemorrhage, brain contusion and skull fracture that required emergency surgery. He missed the remainder of the 2012 season and signed as a free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Just this week he suffered a seizure, which was due to the head injury he suffered.
In May, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ got hit in the left ear. The result a contusion and a minor fracture of the skull that will heal without requiring surgery. When he fell to the ground Happ suffered sprained ligaments in his right knee.
Today Tampa Bay Rays starter Alex Cobb had this unfortunate situation happen.
McCarthy Tweeted this in regards to safety “there is no discussion to be had. It’s simple. Want money? Invent something that protects pitchers heads at all levels, make a ton of it.” MLB had a padded hat tested out by a number of players and it still hasn’t been implemented. Now might be the time to reconsider that.
Also, along with the padded hat a light weight mask could get made that doesn’t impair vision as there’s still a risk that a ball doesn’t make contact with the hate.
For the most part a pitcher getting struck by a line drive is rare, MLB at this point has failed in regards to keeping its pitchers safe. Now there’s a chance to right the wrong.