Coolbaugh's death sparks change

[splitterpfj]

First and third base coaches will wear protective head gear next year, in response to the death of minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh.

 

Human nature is strange, obvious change never seems to happen until tragedy strikes.

 

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[Invader3K]

Not to sound cold, but wasn't Coolbaugh struck in the neck? Would a helmet have prevented his death?

[RU Rah Rah]

Can someone refresh my memory: was he actually hit in the head/temple, or was it the neck?

[TooLiveBrew]

He was hit in the neck, iirc. Wearing helmets is a great idea, unfortunately (re. the neck aspect) you can't prevent every injury.

[sbrylski]

Not saying the coaches shouldn't wear helmets, but I think it should be a choice. Pretty soon the fielders will be wearing helmets, then face guards...

[TooLiveBrew]

I hope the final decision is to have it be a choice, but given that the players' batting helmet situation is a rule, I'd guess the coaches' will be a rule too.

[valpocrewsader]

Stupid decision. Another example of the wussification of America. Makes me sick.

[jason21nl]

I think this is kinda dumb. It was a freak accident. I'm not sure if its ever happened before, and if it would happen ever again. If anything, make the coaches stay in the coaches box. They should have enough time to avoid a line drive if they are paying attention. Next nets will go up to prevent balls going into the stands.

[dlk9s]

Stupid decision. Another example of the wussification of America. Makes me sick.

Really? It actually makes you feel physically ill? MLB instituting a harmless, not-at-all-inconvenient rule to try to help keep coaches safe makes you sick?

I mean, I understand if people see it as unnecessarily reactionary, as many rules and laws tend to be, but this falls way, way, way down on the list of things that make me sick.

 

[kgbaseball]

Now the Rockies' 1b coach (who wore a helmet this year) can tell all the other base coaches "I told you so"

[Cooper]

I can't say I was throwing up all over the place after I read this earlier in the day, but I wasn't exactly sighing in relief that they put something in place either.

 

It's pretty much the type of overly agressive reaction we can expect nowadays. Depending on what the requirements will be, it could be just as harmful as it is useful.

 

If they're required to wear the inserts, I don't really have a problem with it. The risk still exists, but there's always going to be a certain amount of risk when one places themselves in the potential path of a high speed projectile.

 

If they're forced to wear motorcycle helmets, I'd argue that it would limit their range of vision and potentially create another dangerous situation while attempting to reduce the possiblity of another.

 

I'm guessing this is being done for many reasons. Insurance, liability and "See! We care!" public relations are probably near the top of the list.

 

Thankfully this type of incident has been limited to freak occurances. Accidents will happen, but fortunately this sort of thing hasn't happened as much as it could. I suppose if it helps someone rest easier at night knowing that Larry Bowa is that much more protected, the inserts are tough to argue with.

 

Now, if we could only get base coaches to stay in their designated boxes out there...

[rluzinski]

I mean, I understand if people see it as unnecessarily reactionary, as many rules and laws tend to be, but this falls way, way, way down on the list of things that make me sick.

 

It apparently makes him sick because of what he thinks it says about American society as a whole. Our sons are all going to be bed wetting, tree huggers John Wayne must be rolling in his grave! That's what I get out of that comment at least.

 

They have to wear helmets. It hurts nothing and may save a life every 30 years. Who cares.

[Oldcity]

Stupid decision. Another example of the wussification of America. Makes me sick.

I shave without shaving cream and use no mousepad.

 

[bullox]

I ate a whole jar of pepperocinis once.

[dadofandrew]

I'm sure some folks were all upset when players had to wear batting helmets. I still cannot believe the NHL has not required facemasks like college, as highsticking is painfully an every game offense.

 

I can't say I even have an opinion on helmets on base coaches...how will this affect anyone?

[temke]

i have seen more pitchers get hit than base coaches.

 

how long before a pitcher has to wear some protective gear?

 

maybe they should wear chest protectors and shin guards too...remember lasorda in the ASG?

 

EDIT: while they are at it, maybe they should make sure the coaches actually stay in the coaches box?

[TooLiveBrew]

Rockies 1B coach = Glenallen Hill

 

http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2007/0725/mlb_a_hill_195.jpg

[valpocrewsader]

I figured a statement like that would catch some flack. I wasn't literally physically sick, but reading the news *did* honestly create an unpleasant feeling in the pit of my stomach. I think it's shameful and embrassing to have every coach mandated to be out there 80 feet from homeplate looking ridiculous with silly little helmets on like they're expecting a downpour of hardballs to rain from the sky at any minute ..... all for a once in a BILLION shot that it ever makes a bit of difference. It's just so reactionary and insane.

 

Why no helmets for pitchers who are 50 feet from a comebacker that could kill him? Or third basemen whenever they are playing way "in"? Why no protective fencing to keep loosed bats and scorched lazers from injuring fans? Why no little league-style facemaskes to keep batters from getting labeled in the face and needing reconstructive surgery? As ridiculous as some of those sound, they all seem more reasonable than this.

 

And what happens when a batter hits a rocket that drills a base coach in the chest and it instantly stops his heart? Chest protectors? I don't know, it just seems stupid to make a change like this just because it happened once when the future probability of it happening again is .0000000000001% -- not to mention the point that a helmet wouldn't even have saved Coolbaugh in this case. Sigh. The best part will be 20 years from now when a base coach gets badly injured in some kind of freak mishap that was caused by the fact that he was wearing a helmet. Then there'll be a lawsuit and/or some reactionary changes made based on that.....

[Fatter than Joey]

John Olerud wore a helmet in the field -- I don't think he was a wuss.

 

Dudes don't get hit in the junk real often, -- yet I presume wearing cups is a good idea.

[splitterpfj]

I don't see why this is a big deal. George Scott was wearing a batting helmet in the field over 30 years ago - so what? When players were first required to wear helmets, a lot of them did resist and complain, but it soon became the norm and no one thinks about it anymore - this will be the same.

[Minigoon]

Reminds me of the complete overreaction by the NHL when they installed the netting at the end of the rinks due to a one in a billion incident. I don't believe there is a rule against a coach wearing a helmet if they would choose to, but to mandate it is asinine.

[RU Rah Rah]

Why no protective fencing to keep loosed bats and scorched lazers from injuring fans? . . .As ridiculous as some of those sound, they all seem more reasonable than this.

I think about this every time I sit behind either one of the dugouts. At a game last year, I was maybe 20 rows back, and an absolute screamer of a foul ball slammed into an empty seat in my row -- right between two women who looked like they were pushing 80 years old. A foot or two in either direction, and there might have been some serious damage.

 

I don't know if you can really do anything about that, though, except to warn people. Putting up a giant screen would be too cumbersome/intrusive.