Facemasks

In NC the pitching distance is 43' and quite a few other states have done that this year as well, and effective Aug. 1, 2010 all FED High Schools will have to go to the 43' pitching distance.

 

We all agree that wearing a facemask is required for safety standards, but this is the question from Fish:

"Is not having a facemask such an advantage for the hitter? Whats your thoughts TBR?"

Some have said that the hitters get used to it and from me never wearing one, I assume they do...and I also assume there is a big difference in seeing the two sized balls between baseball and softball. But you know what they say about assuming......

However I can say this with complete confidence, if i had a DD playing softball...she's wearing a facemask at the plate and in the field...for that matter, on her dates, too.

 

I've never read the rules about the helmets but I do remember the HS umps threatening to eject the next player that came to bat without a chin strap. That was during the first year the cages were required. May not have been a rule. but that was the impression I had.

 

I really think it has to do with change....Teams do vision drills all the time... they don't have specific ones for helmets with face masks, and those without. Its about keeping your eyes and head on the ball.

At the collegiate level, we use the fall season to institute and make allot of changes.... wearing a helmet with a face mask, is never an issue, since all of them have face masks...

Adapting and changing existing habits......now that is a subject for another thread.......

 

Yeah Charlie, I trust y'alls opinion on this. In baseball when you are trying to focus on a 90+ fb, you don't want a bar to potentially distract or a 12-6 cb. It's hard enough to hit it when you know it's coming with or without a helmet.

 

No rise ball . . .

in baseball. Makes the baseball much easier to hit . . . . it can only move down . . . and far less likely to foul into the batters face.

 

True...but nothing is easy about hitting a baseball, especially one that wiggles

 

The vision really isnt blocked by the mask. The vision "slot" is pretty big since the ball is large. Trying to use one in baseball would require a narrower vision "slot" to protect the face. I can see how some ladies might take a little getting used to them if they never wore a helmet with one but my DD has used one since 10U and wouldnt bat without one.