What Will It Take?
Over the weekend, El Segundo Rounder pitcher (and teammate of mine) Mitch Mendenhall's name was the latest name added to be added to the list of men's fastpitch players (mostly pitchers) who've had to visit the hospital to be treated for injuries inflicted by a poly core ball. Mitch took a line drive off the ankle Saturday night, and wound up spending his evening in the ER at a Palm Springs hospital. He suffered a bad bone contusion, and was placed in a cast, and was unable to pitch any further during the weekend. On Sunday, he was limping around on crutches, in a good deal of pain, trying to grin and bear it.
Unfortunately, "grin and bear it" is about all men's fastpitch players have been able to do when it comes to the poly core controversy. It is a subject that players certainly have strong feelings about, though they have little, if any say in the choice of balls used. At the Fastpitchwest Forum, where readers can post their comments on a variety of topics, the forum on Balls and Bats is the most read topic on the board. (Over 1600 readers have viewed with 50 individual commentaries) Injuries have become so commonplace, they scarcely get noticed. When they do, someone writes a column like this one, some lip service is given to change, then tournaments go right back to using them.
Nearly two years after Pueblo Colorado pitcher Kyle Kouka was seriously injured by a line drive, July 7, 2002 little has changed. Two years later, Kouka is still suffering from the injury. One would have thought that the seriousness of Kouka's injuries would have gotten someone's attention, and a switch to a more sensible choice in balls for the men's game. Yet we continue to see the rock hard poly core balls in use in Southern California, and elsewhere. Oh, I suppose that they probably outlast the cork center balls, but then again, so would a croquet ball. At least pitchers -- and other players taking a "shot" from a cork ball can walk away with bruises, not wind up in the hospital. Scores of pitchers and infielders have stories to tell about the injuries they have suffered with these balls. One of the better posts I have read on the subject was written by Jamie Baker in 2002. How can it be that two years later, we continue to see unnecessary injuries caused by a ball that doesn't belong in men's fastpitch? There are some good quality, durable cork center balls that strike a compromise for hitters and pitchers. How many people must be injured before we get rid of the poly core and choose a ball that doesn't maim or serious injure players? What will it take?
(See Fastpitchwest Forum - Balls and Bats )
Unfortunately, "grin and bear it" is about all men's fastpitch players have been able to do when it comes to the poly core controversy. It is a subject that players certainly have strong feelings about, though they have little, if any say in the choice of balls used. At the Fastpitchwest Forum, where readers can post their comments on a variety of topics, the forum on Balls and Bats is the most read topic on the board. (Over 1600 readers have viewed with 50 individual commentaries) Injuries have become so commonplace, they scarcely get noticed. When they do, someone writes a column like this one, some lip service is given to change, then tournaments go right back to using them.
Nearly two years after Pueblo Colorado pitcher Kyle Kouka was seriously injured by a line drive, July 7, 2002 little has changed. Two years later, Kouka is still suffering from the injury. One would have thought that the seriousness of Kouka's injuries would have gotten someone's attention, and a switch to a more sensible choice in balls for the men's game. Yet we continue to see the rock hard poly core balls in use in Southern California, and elsewhere. Oh, I suppose that they probably outlast the cork center balls, but then again, so would a croquet ball. At least pitchers -- and other players taking a "shot" from a cork ball can walk away with bruises, not wind up in the hospital. Scores of pitchers and infielders have stories to tell about the injuries they have suffered with these balls. One of the better posts I have read on the subject was written by Jamie Baker in 2002. How can it be that two years later, we continue to see unnecessary injuries caused by a ball that doesn't belong in men's fastpitch? There are some good quality, durable cork center balls that strike a compromise for hitters and pitchers. How many people must be injured before we get rid of the poly core and choose a ball that doesn't maim or serious injure players? What will it take?
(See Fastpitchwest Forum - Balls and Bats )
