American Athletics

[GSB]

I am not a proponent of mandating rules and I agree that it is the parents responsibility to make their DD wear a mask. However as noted no college or very few HS players wear masks these days. I think a lot of this is due to the social pressure of players looking weak or scared. By ASA mandating masks at early ages, maybe this will encourage girls to continue wearing them at the HS and college levels, gradually eliminating the stigma of wearing a mask.

I noted no college or very few HS players wear the full body Nerf suits. I think this is due to the social pressure of players looking weak or scared. ASA needs to mandate it. You see how silly that argument looks.

Obviously there is a slippery slope, but it works in both directions. By your implied logic NO safety equipment should be mandated. I wouldn't go that far. Obviously certain types of injuries would be very prevalent without some safety equipment (picture a catcher without gear). Relatively rare injuries are a different species though.

And again, the legitimate justification from ASA's perspective is preserving the viability of the game (and, as NavinR said, legal protection). Equipment mandates to protect against rare injuries don't qualify IMO.

No, I totally agree. My point was just to point out the slippery slope. In one of my first post on this thread, I pointed out that not only pitchers get hit or hurt by balls. If ASA mandates Pitchers wearing the mask then parents will be upset when their 3rd base gets hit. ASA will need to mandate that. Then the center fielder gets smacked and ASA will need to mandate helmets for fielders. Soon we will have the Nerf suits. I think the currently mandated protection is fine. No need for more rules. Leave it to the parents and kids. They will do what they feel comfortable with.

[artomatic]

You know, the founding principle of this country.

welcome back, my friend...
ain't nothin' like Skarp taking a stand and gaining momentum.
Hey Bucket is a better place because of it...

I make my third base coach wear a cup..... She hates it.

Ace, you're killing me...it helps that I know the "Shirley Temple" story...

and regarding this thread: I really hope the player gets better and gets back on that horse, but no matter what your opinion is, it inevitably comes dwn to freedom of choice...

[momo3]

Of course it should be mandated. I guess it doesn't matter until it happens to your precious dd. Men don't understand because they don't understand the pressure of girls at this age. You guys dont understand because you have never been a 13 yo girl. The last thing they want to do is look different from the rest. It's about protecting your children. The balls and bats are different when we were kids. why is that so hard to get. If you make it mandatory it is what it is no argument every pitcher has to wear one. You guys aren't the one on the mound, it's easy to say what should be done when it's not your a** out there. It's a stupid argument, but wait, you probably are mad we have to put our kids in seat belts.

[GSB]

Of course it should be mandated. I guess it doesn't matter until it happens to your precious dd. Men don't understand because they don't understand the pressure of girls at this age. You guys dont understand because you have never been a 13 yo girl. The last thing they want to do is look different from the rest. It's about protecting your children. The balls and bats are different when we were kids. why is that so hard to get. If you make it mandatory it is what it is no argument every pitcher has to wear one. You guys aren't the one on the mound, it's easy to say what should be done when it's not your a** out there. It's a stupid argument, but wait, you probably are mad we have to put our kids in seat belts.

Seat belts are fine. By your logic I am surprised you even let your DD in the car.....

Hey, if your DD wants to wear one, knock yourself out. Wrap her in a mattress for all i care. Many pitchers don't like the obstruction in front of their faces. Seams you want to force everyone else to do something due to your unwarranted fears. I would love to see published stats on pitcher injuries. 10 to 1 that most of them are shoulder and joint injuries and not due to being hit by a ball. Maybe ASA should limit the time that any one pitcher can pitch to only 2 innings a week. If you really loved your daughter you would be arguing for the 2 inning rule and not masks for the fluke uncatchable line drive.

[Skarp]

You know, the founding principle of this country.

welcome back, my friend...
ain't nothin' like Skarp taking a stand and gaining momentum.
Hey Bucket is a better place because of it...

Well I just don't feel right unless I make a grandiose statement of some sort.

Or an asinine statement. Either will do, really.

[Skarp]

Men don't understand because they don't understand the pressure of girls at this age. You guys dont understand because you have never been a 13 yo girl. The last thing they want to do is look different from the rest.

Right. Boys don't experience peer pressure.

And who says I wasn't a 13 yo girl. You apparently haven't seen the "You've been Skarp'd" photo that Art so kindly circulates at every opportunity. I didn't want to look different from the rest. But that damn tiara was just so pretty.

You guys aren't the one on the mound...

Well you would know...but let's try to keep it clean, can we?

[Rich]

"You guys aren't the one on the mound..."

Actually, I am on the mound, just last night....52 years old, reflexes not what they used to be and I'm pitching to 25 year old tournament hulks with illegal bats-so I know what I'm talking about-which is why i think it should be mandatory. i can't wear a mask for the same reason my college pitching DD can't-social pressure. I started wearing soccer shin guards in my 30's because the ball is hit so hard and have actually had my shin guards shattered by balls hit off of them.

I'm glad Skarp brought up our last election. If we live in a society which has voted the way it did last November..Geez, we don't even let businesses fail anymore-nobody has to work, nobody has to pay their taxes, we just borrow more money that we won't ever pay back..our gov't has taken risk out of everything and yet you all are against ASA mandating face masks for pitchers??? I think I'm writing a letter to Obama, he will fix this right after he mandates a playoff system for college football.

[GSB]

i can't wear a mask for the same reason my college pitching DD can't-social pressure. I started wearing soccer shin guards in my 30's because the ball is hit so hard and have actually had my shin guards shattered by balls hit off of them.

I am sorry that you are weak and bow to social pressure. I have been a Los Angeles cop for 20 years. I started wearing a bullet proof vest right out of the academy. Sure I got ridiculed by other officers, they were very thick, hot and made you look fat. Being a "man", I stood up to the social pressure and had enough common sense to wear it daily. Slowly, other officers followed suit. Now 20 years later, it is very hard to find an officer not wearing one. Grow a set and do what you think is right. Regulation is not the answer, personal responsibility is.

[Rich]

". Regulation is not the answer, personal responsibility is."

Even a cop ought to be able to see the irony in this statement from, who else, a cop. Dude, without regulations and laws, you wouldn't even have your job. Be careful what you wish for.

[GSB]

LOL,

Cops enforce the laws, they don't make em. With that being said, I have had to enforce many laws that I don't agree with.