Fan Safety

[southsider2k5]

This is anecdotal evidence and in no way demonstrates a valid trend. My neighbor owns a Ferrari. That must mean everyone's neighbor owns a Ferrari.

 

Luckily there is no way to notice that people at baseball games aren't paying attention...

[Balta1701]

Luckily there is no way to notice that people at baseball games aren't paying attention...

How dare you describe Alexei's defense like that...

[Panerista]

Luckily there is no way to notice that people at baseball games aren't paying attention...

This all assumes that paying attention makes any difference as to whether or not someone who isn't a professional in the stands can catch a baseball coming off a bat.

[Dick Allen]

One problem these days is with cell phones, there are more pictures and videos taken at the park than ever before. The closer some get, the more photos and video they want to document their experience. It is a bad recipe. I am agsinst nets as I hate watching games from behind them, but if it does come to it, and nets are installed, I will understand.

[greg775]

Not at all coincidental. When we go to Sox game, I actually watch 90+% of the pitches. My wife probably watches half, if that. The rest of the time she is watching:

 

Her phone

Ads on the scoreboard

Her phone

Woman in the next section over with a bad haircut

Her phone

The left fielder's ass

Her phone

The Diet Pepsi vendor

Awesome post. It's amazing how cell phones dominate life. Very sad. In the old days, can you believe once you left your house or work you were unreachable. If there was an emergency you'd hear the public address, "Will Robert Smith report to fan accomodation; Robert Smith." I respect those guys who go on dates and end the date when their date takes a cell phone call during dinner or whatever they are doing. It is disgusting and said how everybody is controlled by the cellphone.

 

I admit it, if I am close to the action, I still bring my glove to games.

Smart move, but a line smash still might carom off your glove. Who knows who the carom will hit.

 

I was about 15 rows back from the Sox dugout on Sunday when a foul ball went into the club level but caromed downstairs and hit a lady right on top of the head. She had no idea it was coming.

How was the lady? Blood? Knocked unconscious?

 

Bottom line, when you go to a sporting event, you shouldn't be in danger.

Exactly. No other business except sports enters a six month period of doing business aware that 50-100 patrons will be injured as a customer. The reason baseball has resisted change here is on the ticket is says let the buyer beware. If you are hit with a ball or bat the team is not liable. Problem is that may not be enough for a team to avoid liability. People must sue.

Edited September 3, 2015 by greg775

[southsider2k5]

This all assumes that paying attention makes any difference as to whether or not someone who isn't a professional in the stands can catch a baseball coming off a bat.

 

The first step is to pay attention.

[shysocks]

The first step is to pay attention.

Sure, but he's right. Most fans aren't catlike corner infielders who can react to a laser hit into the stands.

 

The reality is that to a lot of people, the game itself isn't the only attraction at a baseball game. Now your effing phone shouldn't be one of them, but somebody could just as easily get hit while paying a beer vendor.

 

There's no good reason the fans should be in danger. Just put nets up, it's common sense.

[Dick Allen]

Sure, but he's right. Most fans aren't catlike corner infielders who can react to a laser hit into the stands.

 

The reality is that to a lot of people, the game itself isn't the only attraction at a baseball game. Now your effing phone shouldn't be one of them, but somebody could just as easily get hit while paying a beer vendor.

 

There's no good reason the fans should be in danger. Just put nets up, it's common sense.

Where do the nets stop? I would venture to guess the White Sox are currently being sued by someone hit by a ball in the upper deck. It seems more people are getting hit and injured now than ever before, and IMO, that has to do with cell phones. Email, pictures, internet...people aren't paying as much attention.

[shysocks]

Where do the nets stop? I would venture to guess the White Sox are currently being sued by someone hit by a ball in the upper deck. It seems more people are getting hit and injured now than ever before, and IMO, that has to do with cell phones. Email, pictures, internet...people aren't paying as much attention.

I agree that phones are a huge problem, but I think MLB has to adapt to that reality and expand the nets down the foul lines.

 

I don't know how far. I'm sure people armed with studies about the average child's reaction time or whatever could figure that out, but there's a good common sense solution. Net off the most vulnerable areas and you'll have fewer injuries and fewer lawsuits. That's a useful enough goal, we don't have to wipe the lawsuits out.

[Kyyle23]

The first step is to pay attention.

 

This is a terrible thing to think though, this is thinking only of yourself and nobody around you. If your 5 year old is in the middle of a crowd of people where the ball is coming to, and has no idea what is going on and takes one in the face, do you say "you should have been paying attention"?

 

You cant just sit back and say "I brought my glove and i pay attention" and think that is good enough.

[LittleHurt05]

The first step is to pay attention.

 

A first base coach was killed by a line drive foul ball. Was it his fault for not paying attention? Fans have about the same amount of time to react as he did.

[Jake]

A first base coach was killed by a line drive foul ball. Was it his fault for not paying attention? Fans have about the same amount of time to react as he did.

 

Great point. And in the case of fans (at least at non-Sox ballparks), it is almost guaranteed to hit somebody even if it whizzes past one particular person

[greg775]

I saw today somebody on the Indians hit a home run and drilled it pretty good and some fan in the second row of the bleachers totally whiffed on catching it and it rocketed into the third row.

 

There were people in the third row who didn't even see the ball because the uncoordinated slob totally missed the line drive homer. That ball woulda caused some injury (at least a big bump/bruise) had it hit the guy in the row behind the fan who committed the error.

Obviously they can't put up nets in the outfield, but somebody today almost got drilled and there woulda been nothing they could really do about it.

[Kyyle23]

I saw today somebody on the Indians hit a home run and drilled it pretty good and some fan in the second row of the bleachers totally whiffed on catching it and it rocketed into the third row.

 

There were people in the third row who didn't even see the ball because the uncoordinated slob totally missed the line drive homer. That ball woulda caused some injury (at least a big bump/bruise) had it hit the guy in the row behind the fan who committed the error.

Obviously they can't put up nets in the outfield, but somebody today almost got drilled and there woulda been nothing they could really do about it.

 

Easy to say this sitting at home watching on TV

[Dick Allen]

One thing they need to do is stop letting people go down the aisle during the inning. There are 2 types, either the people who pay no attention, or the people who have to stop and watch and block the view making it unsafe for many. That is not even mentioning the disruption they cause when they get back into their seats.

 

Make it like hockey. Make them stay on the concourse until in between innings.

[greg775]

Hopefully some teams will lose lawsuits for mega millions, thus baseball will finally put up nets.

[Balta1701]

Hopefully some teams will lose lawsuits for mega millions, thus baseball will finally put up nets.

Would baseball or teams be insured for things like that?