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any opinions re: protective gear for 9 yr old pitcher/batter

T tzz10+ posts
my son is moving up from a level 5 baseball [they are softer than than a regualr ball] to the regular baseball.

he's 9 yrs old; is tall for age but in the middle of the pack for weight.

coach wants him to pitch some. he will pitch against many 10 yr olds.

as for batting, he has never faced a live pitcher other than me and i don't tend to throw heat 'up and in' at my only child. i do have a few mush balls in the bucket 'o balls that i do throw right at him without him knowing, just to get him used to getting out of the way of a pitch. they don't hurt [well maybe a little]

my questions:

1. is there a good method to prepare a batter for a bean ball?

2. do you recommend helmets with cages?

3. do you recommend the HeartGard for pitchers?

4. do you recommend an under-the-jersey chest protector for batters?

i am just wondering what people think abt protective gear at this level. does it do more harm than good? is it over-the-top?

whenever my wife reads abt a kid hurt playing little league she gets worried and wants me to do the right thing.

i never wore that stuff but then again, they taught us to swim by throwing us off the end of the pier in deep water! besides, i don't think they had that stuff in the 70's.

any thoughts?

thank you!
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T Texan1,000+ posts
1. Teach them the proper ways to avoid & turn.
2. No. See Item 1.
3. Have never heard of a youth pitcher being killed by being hit in the chest. May have happened, but I've never heard of it.
4. No. See Item 1. Getting hit by a ball is part of baseball. It is gonna happen. Kids must learn how to handle it. If he can't learn to do so, then he should be allowed to switch sports. Some kids just don't seem to overcome fear of the ball.

Don't make a fuss over a player that has been hit by a ball (unless he is truly injured - as opposed to bruised). This is a mistake some parents make. Most kids can learn to be tough. Some are naturally.

Do ensure he wears his batting helmet when hitting, whether at the plate in practice, in a tunnel with a live pitcher or in a cage with a machine.

Best wishes for your son.
Last edited by Texan
TRhitTRhit10,000+ posts
As long as he wears the batting helmet at all times while batting he is fine

As far as the "heartgard" I don't see the need---yes kids have been hit and died but the ball has to hit them between heartbeats and in the wrong spotto cause a problem---the odds are infitesimal

You cannot play scared in any sport---you cannot go thru life scared
StyleMismatchStyleMismatch100+ posts
I did some reading a while back on injuries from batted balls etc. I found one reference that cited 88 baseball/softball deaths in the last 20 years. Granted, given the large number of kids who play baseball and softball that's a miniscule percentage, but it was far more than I'd expected.

My opinion is that getting rid of the juiced bats would be a good starting point, but that discussion belongs in another thread.

As far as the HeartGuard and a cage on the batting helmet I wouldn't fault a parent for having a young player use them. In our case we've never used either. When my son pitched at age 11 there were two times that monster line drives were hit right at his head. In both cases (after I pried my eyes opened) he was standing there with the ball in his glove and a $h&^ eatin' grin on his face.
LHP2140LHP2140100+ posts
I'm gonna say that its better to start early because HS coaches penalize for backing out unless its at the head. Too stupid to give up runs for a little momentary pain for no long term damage.

My point, get them used to getting hit and get rid of the fear of the ball, they'll let instincts take over and not get hit in the face, etc. One can't avoid the beaners which will come eventually at higher levels, so it is important to prepare your child now.
Last edited by LHP2140

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