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To: toma29
Big topic in baseball right now are the “hot” metal bats. College has adopted new rules for this year that severely limit the speed at which a ball can leave the bat; trying to make metal bats more like wood. High school will adopt the rules next year. I don't have an issue with the new bat rules but anyone who thinks the risk of injury will be taken out of the game is as crazy as suing the bat manufacturers is.

Two years ago in a high school game I was coaching my 10th grade pitcher throwing about 75 mph had a pitch get away from him and hit the batter, who had turned and ducked, on the brain stem. After 45 min of life saving first aid the boy was life flighted out and died 2 days later. 2 weeks later one of my players got nailed right on the ear flap of the helmet by a pitch that was 91 mph on the gun; he got up and trotted down to 1st. Sometimes things just happen.

It ordeal was terrible for everyone, the coaches, my players (especially the pitcher), the fans, the other team, the kid's parents but no one ever talked about suing. The player's parents sought out my pitcher to tell him they didn't blame him, that it was an accident, and that he should keep on playing. I have always been impressed with the class and grace those parents showed at the most difficult of times; when I read about this lawsuit I'm even more impressed.

40 posted on 12/08/2010 11:13:57 AM PST by fungoking (Tis a blessing to live in the Ozarks.)
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To: fungoking

I feel for you.
When I was a teenager, I watched from 2nd base as my cousin Mark was hit in the chest with a foul tip (he was playing catcher).
The ball rolled a couple of feet from him, he picked up the ball, threw it to my cousin Eddy (we’re from a small town, lots of cousins), then he collapsed on the spot...they never got another heartbeat from him...


43 posted on 12/08/2010 11:24:50 AM PST by Maverick68
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To: fungoking

Personally, I’d like to see NCAA and UIL adopt a wooden bat rule like MLB. There would be fewer home runs, but you would hear the crack of the ball on wood rather than the clang of the ball on aluminum.


46 posted on 12/08/2010 11:27:53 AM PST by VRWCmember
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