Nets down the foul lines?

[Ohtaniland]

I just don't think the 'they're professional athletes' is fair. The pitcher is 100% the most at risk person in the stadium.

The velocity of a pitch that travels 96mph can increase to 130+mph after it's hit. Can a 70 year old man or a 4 year old kid be expected to get out of the way? I guess playing on the freeway is safe and fun if you're alert.

[Stradling]

But every fan that purchases a ticket and chooses to sit in the seat has accepted those risks by purchasing a ticket in that area. It's like going to Sea World, you might get wet if you sit in this section. It's your CHOICE.

Yes you might get wet but you probably won't drowned.

[Slegnaac]

Yes you might get wet but you probably won't drowned.

Or be scarred for life.

[Doug Van Oort Sr]

You still don't get it.  People choose to buy those seats, they know foul balls are hit, and they may get hit.  They still buy the tickets. It's an acceptable risk they choose to take.  I don't need somebody else to decide they need to make my world safer for me.

[Ohtaniland]

You still don't get it. People choose to buy those seats, they know foul balls are hit, and they may get hit. They still buy the tickets. It's an acceptable risk they choose to take. I don't need somebody else to decide they need to make my world safer for me.

So you're saying that if your wife or child (don't know if you have either) was hit and killed by a baseball or bat that left the field of play you would not seek any damages from the Angels or MLB. Yeah right!

[gotbeer]

But every fan that purchases a ticket and chooses to sit in the seat has accepted those risks by purchasing a ticket in that area.  It's like going to Sea World, you might get wet if you sit in this section.  It's your CHOICE.

 

I chose to go outside.  Doesn't mean I should get hit by a car.  

[laagamer]

We've had this thread before. I'm in the put nets up crowd. Scotty it's an absolute joke to say put your phone down and you'll be fine. The last game I went to a foul ball went into the stand just past the dugout, by the camera well. I sit in the 200 section pretty close to there. As soon as the ball went into the stands you could tell it got someone. People in the area stood up and were waving their arms for the usher to get the paramedics. Next thing you know a towel gets tossed in the stand from with the camera well or the visitors dugout, a second later another towel. Paramedics shows up and a few minutes later paramedics are assisting two women, who got hit, I assume one off the deflection. Both bleeding from the face and one looked like she was going to go into shock. Putting nets down the lines is an absolute no brainer to me. For those in the no net camp, there's nothing I will say to change your mind, but it's an absolute safety issue with or without the distraction issue. I'm seriously shocked we haven't seen someone get killed from a foul ball.

Totally has been someone killed in the past I think.

But you're correct that I'd never want nets at a baseball game.

I'm just an inconsiderate asshat like that.

EDIT: At most I'd consider extending backstop nets to the end of the dugout to protect the true "can't react" liners. But even then I'd never sit there again.

Edited August 23, 2015 by laagamer

[ELEVEN]

But I do provide hookers and blow if hosting.

RSVP

[laagamer]

The actual figure as of 2014 was estimated at about 1750 per year, including some very serious injuries. This article mentions a girl with a shattered skull, for instance. And this stat doesn't include injuries from bats that end up in the stands.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-09-09/baseball-caught-looking-as-fouls-injure-1750-fans-a-year

And according to this article, the players union actually REQUESTED netting as part of the contract negotiations in 2007 and 2012. The owners refused. If the PLAYERS are feeling strongly enough about this to request it collectively, perhaps the MLB owners need to listen to them.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/boston-red-sox-fenway-park-mlb-broken-bat-injured-fan-safety-netting-060715

Great post. Interesting info.

Still don't want nets.

[Doug Van Oort Sr]

I bring my grandkids to games all the time.  NO I would not seek damages.  I think it's insane that people don't take responsibility for themselves.  Am I being forced to sit in those seats?  Did I have  a gun pointed at my head to purchase seats in what could be considered a 'Hot Zone" for foul balls or parts of bats?  Everybody wants to live inside this perfect little bubble that nobody gets hurt or dies.  If you live by this theory you would never leave your house. I'm more worried about the idiot parent that has a little kid in his arms and almost drops the did to catch a foul ball or home run

[Doug Van Oort Sr]

I chose to go outside.  Doesn't mean I should get hit by a car.  

but it is a possibility. I'd suggest you stay inside

[gotbeer]

The thing is this.  It's easy for us guys who may have played the game in some form to say it's easy to get out of the way of a line drive, or even catch it.  But I would say 50% of guys and 80% of women and children will not.  And these are people that are paying attention.  

 

The other disconnect I don't think people understand is this.  Most balls that go into the stands are lack of a better word foul tips.  Of the thousands of foul tips that go into the stadium, very few fans get injured.  And probably most of the injuries occur from fans fighting for the ball.

 

Of the other types of things to go into the stands are line drives, bats, and players.  Which compared to foul tips are a very small %, maybe a a few game if the fans are lucky, and mostly down the line where you can react.  It's those that are behind the dugout where injuries probably occur most.  And as a %, you may have an injury rate of less than 1% for foul tips and even line drives down the line.  But you go that dugout area, and the line drive injury rate probably skyrockets.  The screens would help mitigate that other types of injuries.

[ABC]

When will they demand that the pitcher wear a helmet with face mask to protect them.  To me, every pitcher that takes the mound is in more danger than I am sitting in the stands.

 

1750 fan injuries vs how many pitchers getting injured?

[ABC]

You still don't get it.  People choose to buy those seats, they know foul balls are hit, and they may get hit.  They still buy the tickets. It's an acceptable risk they choose to take.  I don't need somebody else to decide they need to make my world safer for me.

 

So you don't benefit from food safety, building safety, air quality, water, auto and countless other regs, laws and rules?

 

[ABC]

Why isn't anyone talking about adding nets to the outfield beyond the wall?

[Stradling]

Why isn't anyone talking about adding nets to the outfield beyond the wall?

Because of reaction time is my guess.

[ABC]

I was being a bit facetious however 99% of the population cannot judge a homerun ball coming at them. Even if they could there's nowhere to run to. 

[Slegnaac]

Really they need better protection for the players in the dugout. We have all seen screaming line drives ricochet through there,or errant infield practice throws bean some innocent player.

[ABC]

Place nets in front of batters. Protect them from pitchers.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

It's not about a pussy society about people's well being. You don't have time to protect yourselves down there.

The argument of 40 years of home halo games and no deaths wins.

[Ohtaniland]

I bring my grandkids to games all the time. NO I would not seek damages. I think it's insane that people don't take responsibility for themselves. Am I being forced to sit in those seats? Did I have a gun pointed at my head to purchase seats in what could be considered a 'Hot Zone" for foul balls or parts of bats? Everybody wants to live inside this perfect little bubble that nobody gets hurt or dies. If you live by this theory you would never leave your house. I'm more worried about the idiot parent that has a little kid in his arms and almost drops the did to catch a foul ball or home run

You're right! They should remove all of the netted screens behind home plate and the player dugout screens. Let's make it equally fun and fair for everyone to fend for themselves in the ballpark.

The screens in front of the players dugout is a clear indicator that there is a huge risk of injury or death to the players but why should Major League Baseball care about that minor issue.

[Stradling]

The argument of 40 years of home halo games and no deaths wins.

Until someone dies.

[Doug Van Oort Sr]

You still have not explained why I need a net in front of me when I purchase a ticket knowing that I could be hit by a foul ball or bat leaving the field of play.  I understand the danger and I accept that when I lay down my money and say yes, I want to sit there.  If I don't I can buy a ticket on the club or view level where it's a little safer, and cost less money.

[Lhalo]

Some batboy died at a college game this year. We need to ban bat boys.

[Stradling]

I won't be able to convince you. However the safety of many is more important than you're right to a net-free view of the game. If I was an owner I would have a net that goes much further than they have now. I would look into a different type of net perhaps one more like a fishing line, something a little less obtrusive.