Adding to Baseball Safety

By: Noah

In order to keep players as healthy as possible, baseball safety should always be a priority at all times. While baseball is not a hazardous sport in general, people sometimes underestimate the possibilities for injuries. Fortunately, it’s fairly simple to increase safety in baseball, mainly by increasing awareness on everyone’s part. To increase awareness of this issue, we will cover some important baseball safety points in this article.

The pitching position is undoubtedly one of the most difficult and we often see serious injuries in this position. Even major league pitchers are prone to injuries, but when it comes to younger players, whose bones and muscles aren’t fully developed, the dangers can be even greater. That alone is a good reason for the pitcher not to overdo it and to know when to stop if they are feeling pain. Many pitchers won’t admit when they’re hurt especially in the heat of the game which is why managers and coaches need to be aware of the signs of pain or injury. There are often guidelines for how many innings a pitcher should play and how many pitches they should throw and avoiding injury means following these guidelines. There has been a lot of talk about whether or not it is safe for metal bats to be in baseball. Because they are sturdier than wooden bats, many hitters choose to use them instead. Also, when the ball is hit, there is more impact. Quite naturally, this is the very reason they are considered to be more dangerous. Advocates of getting rid of metal bats say that team players on the field do not have the necessary time to respond to the ball being struck. Some studies seem to suggest that wooden bats can reduce accidents in baseball, especially in relation to younger ball players. If you or your child’s baseball group lets you use metal bats, then this might be an issue worth addressing. Even if everyone has to frequently replace their wood bats, safety should still be the key concern.

The sun can be a dangerous factor in baseball. This is because it can produce blistering heat, create sunburns and blind players when they are running to catch the ball. Players should always put on sunscreen in order to be shielded from sunburn. Hats and visors are extremely important. These can aid the players from shielding the sunlight from getting their eyes. The sun is something players should always know about. It will not have the same position in the sky for the entire game. When sun blindness is a danger, players should be reminded to be extra careful when running the bases or chasing after fly balls. This is one of the unpredictable things that baseball players have to learn how to handle. Baseball is a sport that never gets boring. By using these few safety suggestions, players will have fewer instances of getting injured, although do not have the power to predict when things will go wrong.

Editors note: Of course the use of helmets come easily also to mind!

Learn Baseball Safety

Every year there are large amount of reported injuries caused by playing baseball. To avoid this, parents, coach and kids need to learn baseball safety. All injuries can’t be prevented from happening, but taking precautionary measures can at least give players the best possible chance for injury-free participation in the game. Here are some safety requirements and safety tips that every player, parent, and coach need to know:

1. Preseason Physical Examination – This physical examination should address the most likely areas of medical concern of a player. It will also identify youngsters who are at high risk of physical injury. Coaches are advised to let player’s parents or guardians sign a participation agreement form once the result has been released. Coaches should also ask for informed consent form from the parents or guardians that tell they are allowing the children to be treated in case of an emergency during the game or practice.

2. Always let kids wear helmets – Helmets should be worn by all players at bat and on the base paths. All base coaches, players rotating through the hitting drills, and players who are practicing their swings in the on-deck circle must also wear helmet. Coaches should encourage their players to stay alert during the game. Kids on the bench should also be taught to pay attention to what’s happening on the field.

3. Communication – Players need to communicate and call for the balls. This will prevent players chasing after fly balls collide with other players or objects such as fences while they run. Players in pursuit of the same fly ball can communicate by calling, “I’ve got it” or “You take it.”

4. Throwing safe – Coaches need to teach their players the proper, safe setup and execution of the throwing drill. Players should always throw ball in the outfield and be perpendicular to one of the two outfield foul lines. Players should never walk behind other throwers, they should throw in the same direction, and partners should make eye contact before making a throw.

5. Batting – To avoid any injury, players must stay clear of players who may be swinging bats. A player planning to swing must check all around him or her to make sure that no one is in jeopardy of being hit. Players should never stand behind a batter since it is possible for bats to be released in the follow through swing.

Baseball is a game played with swinging bats, hard balls, and fixed objects like fences. Common sense goes a long way in forming playing environment. Thus, it is very important for parents and coaches to guide kids in taking necessary safety precautions. One of the most effective ways that lets kids learn baseball safety is by using the discovery method, a technique where kids discover the answer for themselves.

It works by giving kids demonstration of the skill they need to do, then, letting players tell what is going on with the drill and letting them find out the technique or skill themselves.