Talk to your pitchers, PLEASE!

I just told someone about this story the other day. It was actually Harlingen South vs. Midland Lee and the young man was Conrad Flynn from Midland Lee (Grayson CC/Tulane now). It was wild. The ball rolled all the way to the 3rd base dugout at Dell Diamond.

Also, another tip.

Don't walk outside when it's raining with just your socks on.

Your socks will get wet.

quote:

Originally posted by Nfieldguy:
... pitcher drops to his hands and knees to clear the way for the throw. Unfortunately, he looks at the ground to catch his fall.

Sounds like someone needs to talk to their catchers.
You use the term "unfortunately." Where should he have looked -
at the catcher? Then he'd have gotten it in the face.
Maybe instructions to the pitchers should be "drop and roll."

There was an MLB game last year where the pitcher moved from
the mound on the throw down and looked towards 2B to see the
play. The catcher still hit him in the b*u*t*t. Pretty funny.

quote:

During the throw from home to second (regardless of between inning warm up or live action), I've noticed boys on the mound routinely not watch the ball leave the catcher's hand. Talk about putting one's self in harms way....

Nfieldguy,

We actually see pitchers get hit a few times each year. There’s even a larger number of near misses. Last year it actually happened in the Aflac Game. Austin Maddox is a catcher who has one of the strongest arms we have ever seen (has thrown 96 on the mound). Chris Jenkins was pitching and turned towards 2B well out of the path of the throw. Maddox let it rip and the ball hit Jenkins on the throwing arm wrist. Jenkins was done pitching for awhile but luckily there was no serious damage. He was very lucky.

We have seen pitchers hit in the back of the head before. I think you bring up a very good point. All it takes is one time, one bad throw! It is much more common than what some might think. Can’t tell you how often, we’ve heard people gasp when that throw towards 2B whistled past a pitcher who has turned towards 2B looking away from the throw or simply ducked and got low without keeping his eyes on the throw. We can only figure that many pitchers are not instructed in this area.

BTW... We have seen this happen several times after the pitcher has thrown his warm up pitches and the catcher throws to 2B between innings.

All good advice....and I understand were talking about the throws down to 2nd primarily...

But I'm telling you, there will come a day (if it hasn't already...as I haven't seen the latest Baseball Express catalog) when some sort of cap with protection built into the lining will be made available, if not required for pitchers.

No, it won't stop all injuries (forehead, face
and anything below the cap line on the backside)

Yes, I'm sure it will be hot as heck (but perhaps warm during these scrimmages)

Yes, it will be "un-traditional" for the great game, but then again so are bats made of the latest HRDR098ZTECHALLOYKILLYA

So you designers out there....put something together...attribute any success to me of course...liabilty issues should be directed to my attorney, Jackie Childs.

Like the post is titled though, Talk to Your Pitchers PLEASE