MLB is the largest sport in the world and it’s a very dangerous part of the game. Not only is it an eye-opener for young families to see that their offspring is in harm’s way but the MLB is a very lucrative business to the leagues and teams. It’s time for MLB to step up and not just talk about implementing the netting but to actually do it.
On June 23rd, 2019, the Los Angeles Dodgers were at Dodger Stadium to play against the San Diego Padres. Cody Bellinger hit a foul ball that hit a thirteen-year-old girl who later passed away from that injury. Bellinger was in complete shock while the crowd went wild with joy. On the same day, a fan was hit in the head at Dodger Stadium who later passed away. The Dodgers were in complete sadness after seeing this tragedy.
The fan who was struck by a foul ball at Guaranteed Rate Field had a bad fall and was taken to the hospital. The fan is not critical, but another fan was struck by a foul ball while sitting in the same row. The fan received a concussion, and there is no guarantee that the fan will not have lasting effects. The impact of the ball to the fan led the Indians to advocate for MLB to have netting that goes down to the foul poles.
My Story in 2008
In 2008 I was at the old Yankee Stadium for a baseball game. I was at the top deck, not behind any protective screen, and my back was to the visitor’s dugout. It was the day before the Yankees were going to face the Boston Red Sox, so I had to worry about Boston fans, which made me feel a bit uncomfortable. My photo was taken around 6:30pm.
One of the worst moments in my life was when I had to go to the hospital. I was taken to the local hospital, and I had to wait there for a long time. I was scared. When I came back to the hotel, I saw that my teammates were waiting for me. I tried to joke around, but they asked what was wrong. It was a painful injury, and I was in a lot of pain.
People Will Get Use to the Nets
The first time I went to a game at Nationals Park, I was a little reluctant to take my netting off because I thought it would be more noticeable to the fans. However, I ended up taking it off because I didn’t have any issues with the mesh. At the game, the mesh wasn’t high enough for me to see out of it, but at other stadiums I’ve sat at in the past, I was able to get a good view of the game.
Although fans are split on the subject of protective netting, most agree that the netting is necessary. Fans on both sides are split according to their own personal preferences.
They should have the netting on the sides of the stands so that you can’t see the players, but only the action. The problem with the netting is that it limits fan’s view of the action. It’s also impossible to get the netting up in time to save someone who is hit by a ball during a slide, and it also limits the view for people who sit in the upper deck above the field.
The Chicago White Sox / Orioles New Nets
The Baltimore Ravens are the first team in the NFL to announce plans to install safety netting to their stadium as they are considering adding more to their retractable roof. The Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL will be the first major league team to install nets to protect fans at their stadium. The NHL has decided to install nets on the outside of their arena. The nets will be installed just above the glass and will be the same height as the nets on the ice.
My Case to Commissioner Rob Manfred
The Major League Baseball Stadiums and Ballparks Committee has voted to make all MLB stadiums netless by 2028. The timing of this decision was largely due to the fact that the Seattle Mariners were considering adding netting to be used by visiting teams. The Mariners ultimately went with this plan, making it the first MLB team to do so.
