MLB Player Pierced in The Chest By Maple Bat

[Tigger29]

I see what may end up happening in baseball, and that makes me think of something else... Nascar.

I mean seriously... racing means going fast... so what do they do?  They slow down the cars.
Now the whole HANS device thing.  I know it's supposed to be safer and all but come on.

My point is that there is an inherent danger involved with professional sports, and the players know this from the get-go, and this is one reason why they make the kind of money that they do.

Don't get me wrong, if the maple bat is really all that dangerous compared to other bats (I have done no actual first hand research to determine this or not) then I'm not necessarily against the idea of banning it, but if players are preferring it over other types of wood then there must be some kind of reason why.

My fear is that they will start making changes to the sport in the name of safety, and that eventually these changes will begin to change how the sport is played and next thing you know there are a bunch of guys out there using nerf balls and nerf bats with velcro gloves while wearing retard helmets.

[grizz441]

Maple bats have more pop, I've used both.  Most players will agree.

And ash splinters off also, and can injure people.  People have been seriously injured by flying bats, flying balls.  Heck in college i hit a foul boul and cracked open some fan's face at texas a&m when he wasn't looking.  Sure he was just a drunk aggie, but he's still a human being!   (Hopes waffle does not see this)

[RoGenT]

That guy was pretty lucky. I know bats break now and then but that is one of the few times I've actually heard of it striking someone to the point where it did some minor damage. I do recall long time ago when I was at a game, the bat went flying out of the batters hand and struck a little boy right on the elbow. The player gave him a signed bat afterwards.

[MORAY37]

So just since these bats have become popular in the last few years there's already 3 instances of people getting hurt, Baseballs gonna be around for a long time and there's just gonna be more serious injuries.

Since 2001 there have been three instances of people getting hurt? 3?  You're saying this is the most pressing issue?  

Since 2001, there have been 21,870 Major league baseball games (Regular season only, 162x30 /2= 2430 games per season x 9 seasons including 2001)

Now, statistics are difficult to come by, as MLB teams keep these things close to the vest, but there is a bit of a baseline to research how many spectators are hurt by balls.

One lawsuit I found reported that in a five-year span at Fenway, injuries caused by foul balls ranged from 36 to 53 fans per year. Multiply that stat by 300 professional baseball teams networked through Major League Baseball, and at minimum, you may have 10,000 fan injuries per year caused by foul balls.

Lets just take the bottom number and say each MLB ballpark has 35 fans significantly injured every year. (This seems insanely low, but we'll use the bottom floor here.  I've seen a fan beaned at almost every game I've been to)  So, League wide, that comes out to ~ 1050 fans per year are significantly hurt by the ball per year.(30x35=1050)  

Times 9 seasons, that's 9450 fans.... and you're pointing to the three instances that a certain type of bat caused an injury?  

I find it amazing that baseball didn't learn a damn thing from hockey, and put up more netting.  They will when a fan dies though, which will be too late.

[grizz441]

Since 2001 there have been three instances of people getting hurt? 3?  You're saying this is the most pressing issue?  

Since 2001, there have been 21,870 Major league baseball games (Regular season only, 162x30 /2= 2430 games per season x 9 seasons including 2001)

Now, statistics are difficult to come by, as MLB teams keep these things close to the vest, but there is a bit of a baseline to research how many spectators are hurt by balls.

Lets just take the bottom number and say each MLB ballpark has 35 fans significantly injured every year. (This seems insanely low, but we'll use the bottom floor here.  I've seen a fan beaned at almost every game I've been to)  So, League wide, that comes out to ~ 1050 fans per year are significantly hurt by the ball per year.(30x35=1050)  

Times 9 seasons, that's 9450 fans.... and you're pointing to the three instances that a certain type of bat caused an injury?  

I find it amazing that baseball didn't learn a damn thing from hockey, and put up more netting.  They will when a fan dies though, which will be too late.

Baseball in Japan(or is it Korea?) has netting up all over the place to protect fans.

[trax1]

Since 2001 there have been three instances of people getting hurt? 3?  You're saying this is the most pressing issue? 

Since 2001, there have been 21,870 Major league baseball games (Regular season only, 162x30 /2= 2430 games per season x 9 seasons including 2001)

Now, statistics are difficult to come by, as MLB teams keep these things close to the vest, but there is a bit of a baseline to research how many spectators are hurt by balls.

Lets just take the bottom number and say each MLB ballpark has 35 fans significantly injured every year. (This seems insanely low, but we'll use the bottom floor here.  I've seen a fan beaned at almost every game I've been to)  So, League wide, that comes out to ~ 1050 fans per year are significantly hurt by the ball per year.(30x35=1050) 

Times 9 seasons, that's 9450 fans.... and you're pointing to the three instances that a certain type of bat caused an injury? 

I find it amazing that baseball didn't learn a damn thing from hockey, and put up more netting.  They will when a fan dies though, which will be too late.

For one the commissioner of MLB baseball  Bud Selig said that this was one of the games most pressing issues.  And yes those 3 incidents would not have happened if they would have been using ash bats, ash bats crack, with the maple bat they shatter, and it's not like it's just me saying this about banning maple bats, this has been a big issue for a few years now, research it, and a lot of players don't use them just because they know the danger involved with them when they break and don't want that on their conscience.

As for saying that they have more pop, they don't, it's all in the players head, MLB & the players union spent over $100,000 to have a university investigate this fact, they determined that a maple bats has absolutely no advantage over the ash bats.  It's like a corked bat, everyone believes it makes you hit the ball better, but recent researched has shown that it doesn't, in fact it may hurt the speed at which the ball leaves the bat.

The reason some players started using them was because in 2001 Barry Bonds started using one and they saw the numbers he was putting up, so they thought that it was the bat giving him those numbers, but we know now the reason he started putting up numbers like that was because he was juicing.

[dedalos]

I was watching the Cubs game today when in the 2nd inning Cubs rookie Tyler Colvin was pierced in the chest by a broken bat when he was on 3rd base, it didn't look too serious at first when it happen, you could see some blood, but not all that much, turns out that it didn't just give him a scratch  but had pierced his chest, he's gonna be in the hospital for several days having a procedure to prevent a collapsed lung.  The bat that broke was a maple bat, which tend to break into larger pieces then the ash bats, maybe now after this MLB will finally ban maple bats, this was bound to happen sooner or later.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100919&content_id=14847072&vkey=news_chc&c_id=chc

Quick!  Lets ban the bat, the tree, and the game.  They are all obviously dangerous 

[grizz441]

For one the commissioner of MLB baseball  Bud Selig said that this was one of the games most pressing issues.  And yes those 3 incidents would not have happened if they would have been using ash bats, ash bats crack, with the maple bat they shatter, and it's not like it's just me saying this about banning maple bats, this has been a big issue for a few years now, research it, and a lot of players don't use them just because they know the danger involved with them when they break and don't want that on their conscience.

As for saying that they have more pop, they don't, it's all in the players head, MLB & the players union spent over $100,000 to have a university investigate this fact, they determined that a maple bats has absolutely no advantage over the ash bats.  It's like a corked bat, everyone believes it makes you hit the ball better, but recent researched has shown that it doesn't, in fact it may hurt the speed at which the ball leaves the bat.

The reason some players started using them was because in 2001 Barry Bonds started using one and they saw the numbers he was putting up, so they thought that it was the bat giving him those numbers, but we know now the reason he started putting up numbers like that was because he was juicing.

Maple bats are also more durable and last longer usually, depending on the dimensions of course.  And they have more pop.

[IrishOne]

doesn't the use of maple bats have something to do with emerald ash borers killing ash trees?  it's a big problem here in WI, I can't remember if I read of some connection with baseball or not.  anyways, ash trees are dying like crazy here.   don't use them to make bats!   ok, thats my $0.02

[Saxman]

The reason some players started using them was because in 2001 Barry Bonds started using one and they saw the numbers he was putting up, so they thought that it was the bat giving him those numbers, but we know now the reason he started putting up numbers like that was because he was juicing.

Corked bats have been around a LOT longer than 2001. Players have been corking bats (and doctoring balls) almost from the game's inception.

[IrishOne]

Corked bats have been around a LOT longer than 2001. Players have been corking bats (and doctoring balls) almost from the game's inception.

talking maple bats, not corked bats

[sntslilhlpr6601]

There is a solution.

www.batglove.com

Ash bats break too. When they helicopter like that it's usually because of the very thin handles that a lot of the players prefer nowadays. And most maple bats need thin handles to cut down on weight.

Maple bats don't have any more pop, it may just seem that way to the hitter because he's swinging a heavier bat. Maple is more dense than ash so the same model bat will be heavier in maple.

I remember reading somewhere a while ago about mlb pushing the bat manufacturers to get the players to order thicker handle bats. But really the best solution is just a simple piece of tape. I'd use it.

[Masherbrum]

There is a solution.

www.batglove.com

Ash bats break too. When they helicopter like that it's usually because of the very thin handles that a lot of the players prefer nowadays. And most maple bats need thin handles to cut down on weight.

Maple bats don't have any more pop, it may just seem that way to the hitter because he's swinging a heavier bat. Maple is more dense than ash so the same model bat will be heavier in maple.

I remember reading somewhere a while ago about mlb pushing the bat manufacturers to get the players to order thicker handle bats. But really the best solution is just a simple piece of tape. I'd use it.

You DO realize Grizz knows more about this topic more than ANYONE else here?!!!

[Reschke]

OK first off....I can't stand pro baseball...bunch of over payed and under played....P*%(&'s if you want to know the truth.

Second...they still have pro baseball!!!!

Seriously you baseball fans listen to what Bud "I can't make a decision and stick with it" Selig??? I mean come on...three injuries since 01 and its a "pressing" issue? My lord find something else to whine about and then lets talk.

[grizz441]

OK first off....I can't stand pro baseball...bunch of over payed and under played....P*%(&'s if you want to know the truth.

Over payed?  Sounds like jealously to me.

Underplayed?  They played 162 games a season + spring training.