Rob Manfred Looking for "Balance" When it Comes to the Issue of Extended Safety Netting
Last week a little girl was hit by a foul ball during an Astros/Cubs game, an incident that went viral due to the dismayed reaction of Chicago’s Albert Almora Jr., who needed to be consoled by his manager and teammates.
The scenario sparked national discussion on the extension of protective netting at MLB ballparks, and I was lambasted as a “pussy liberal social justice warrior” for suggesting that we should take measures to prevent little girls from getting hit in the face by 100 MPH baseballs. Traditionalists complained, saying that kids shouldn’t be sitting behind 1st or 3rd base while arguing that fans should simply “pay attention” to the game, as if that alone will prevent you from being clocked when Giancarlo Stanton rips a screamer towards your noggin. They also argued that extended netting would alter sightlines during a baseball game, which I understand, but I think anybody who has ever sat behind home plate or near the dugouts will tell you that it takes about five seconds to get used to it.
So I’ll triple-down on my take:
I don’t think extending the netting down the 1st and 3rd base lines is a pussy liberal opinion. I don’t think adding safety measures to protect children is a pussy liberal opinion. I also don’t think booting kids into the upper deck makes a lot of sense either. Find me a ballpark where everybody is paying attention to 100% of a three-hour or four-hour game and I’ll empty my bank account into yours.
It doesn’t happen, not even in blue collar Philadelphia, where people talk on their phone or to their friends or shove nachos in their face while watching the game, like in this photo, after the jump:
That’s the typical baseball fan experience. You yourself might be a hardcore dude, but most people aren’t. A lot of folks like to relax, enjoy the atmosphere, watch some of the game, get a beer, or do whatever. You bring your kids and feed them ice cream out of a baseball helmet, sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and all of that shit.
Anyway, here’s commissioner Rob Manfred speaking about the issue on Tuesday, via ESPN:
“It’s very difficult given how far the clubs have gone with the netting to make changes during the year, because they really are structural issues,” Manfred said. “But because safety is so important, I’m sure that conversation will begin and continue into the offseason.”
…
“Look, I think it is important that we continue to focus on fan safety,” Manfred said. “If that means that the netting has to go beyond the dugouts, so be it. Each ballpark is different. The reason I hesitate with ‘beyond the dugout,’ I mean, a lot of clubs are beyond the dugout already. But there is a balance here. We do have fans that are vocal about the fact that they don’t want to sit behind nets. I think that we have struck the balance in favor of fan safety so far, and I think we will continue to do that going forward.”
I think that’s a fair way to look at it. As we’ve pointed out before, Major League Baseball teams were recommended at the beginning of last season to expand their netting to the far ends of each dugout, which all 30 did. So it’s not like the league is poo-pooing the issue or turning a blind eye, not at all.
Anyway, you have my opinion. I personally am fine with sitting behind netting if it helps protect children (and adults and senior citizens as well).
If that makes me a pussy liberal, then I am a pussy liberal.