Good morning, all. I hope your week is off to a great start.
Never again should a pitcher be second-guessed. Never again should a pitcher be criticized for getting paid huge money. Would you, for example, position yourself 60 feet, 6 inches (less once the pitch is delivered) from a weapon that could end your life? On Saturday night I sat down to watch the Colorado Rockies host the Philadelphia Phillies. As a broadcaster for the Hartford Yard Goats, the Rockies AA affiliate, I had more than a passing interest in the game. Five former Yard Goats were in the starting lineup that night for Colorado, and I had interviewed them all, including starting pitcher Ryan Feltner. With Philadelphia also having a AA affiliate in the same league (Eastern) as the Yard Goats, I remembered some of their players, when they performed for the Reading Fightin' Phils, including Nick Castellanos.
Like those at Coors Field, I gasped and fell silent when Castellanos turned around a Feltner pitch and hit a line drive at 92.5 MPH off his head. Feltner dropped as if he were shot. In reality, he was. After immediate attention from the Rockies medical staff, following a sprint to the mound by catcher Elias Diaz, Feltner somehow managed to get to his feet and with assistance walk to the dugout. Meanwhile, Castellanos could be seen, standing on first base, hands folded in prayer, tears welling in his eyes.
The collision of the ball behind Feltner's ear, a sound I clearly heard over my TV speakers, was so gruesome Rockies TV only replayed it once. I don't blame them.
Feltner was immediately rushed to a hospital. He was diagnosed with a fractured skull and concussion. It may be months before he pitches again. If he announced his retirement today, who could fault him? Who could fault any pitcher? Think about it? Who would want to engage in an occupation that includes the hazard "you could lose your life, after the next pitch?" Yet, that is the warning that should accompany anyone who chooses baseball pitcher as a career. It's as lethal as the surgeon general's message on a pack of cigarettes. Still, people smoke and pitchers pitch.
Other than the immediate aftermath of this sobering incident, there has been little reaction that I could find from the sport or the media, about Felter's dance with mortality. The show continues. I've heard and read little conversation on how Ryan Feltner nearly lost his life Saturday night, playing a sport. There certainly is no where near the coverage that accompanied safety Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills, when he nearly lost his life, following a tackle by the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football last season. In that case the game did not resume. The Rockies-Phils resumed as soon as reliever Peter Lambert concluded his warmups. There was no talk of going home.
I will not get on a high horse and criticize MLB or the game of baseball here. No pontificating or second-guessing will come from this corner. What I am advocating is a study to make the game safer for pitchers. Feltner's injuries should serve as a wakeup call for the sport.
Nearly a quarter of a century into the 21st Century, when we hold in the palm of our hands more technology than what it took to land people on the moon, the technology has to exist to provide protection for the pitcher. Certainly, there must be components to design a helmet light enough for protection but not too heavy to inhibit a pitcher's ability to throw a baseball. Will it insure complete protection for the pitcher? No, but it has to be better than what exists now; nothing.
It's not fair to say Ryan Feltner was lucky, because we don't know. I hope he was. But what are the long term effects on someone whose head was smashed by a baseball? It may be years before we know that answer. Meanwhile, the sport can no longer wait. The pitch clock has run out. MLB needs to form a commission now to implement ways to protect the pitcher. This is more important than pitch clocks, base sizes and outlawing the shift.
In the meantime, here is to every pitcher, who puts his life on the line every game. Whatever you are paid, it is not enough money in my book.
The best team money can buy?
The New York Mets, under billionaire owner Steve Cohen, have MLB’s highest payroll at over $353 million this season. I’m guessing the hedge fund guru never expected his club would pass the season’s quarter-pole with a 20-22 record, but that is where the Amazins’ stand, after splitting a series at last place Washington. The Mets went the entire four games in D.C. without hitting a home run. They haven’t done that in a four-game set in 10 years. They have not won a series in nearly a month and are 6-15 in their last 21 games. During their last four series against Detroit, Colorado, Cincinnati and the Nationals the Mets are 4-9.
The Mets return home to play the club with baseball’s best record (31-11) Tampa Bay. Things could get interesting in Queens if this trend continues, just not as interesting as Mets fans thought, when Cohen doled out all that money.
Somewhere there is a slogan
The NBA’s Miami Heat were the lowest ranked seed in their conference, entering the playoffs. They are now in the conference finals against the Boston Celtics. Their neighbors, the NHL’s Florida Panthers, were the lowest ranked seed in their conference. They are in their conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. Coincidentally, the first coach of the Hurricanes, who was the last coach of the Hartford Whalers, is now the coach of the Panthers, Paul Maurice.
Anyway, with two Florida teams making their leagues’ final four, there has to be a slogan somewhere. Perhaps “South Florida, your hotbed for winter sports.”
That is going to do it for this week’s newsletter. As always, thank you for your support and have a terrific week.
SPORTSCASTER DAN
Ryan Feltner gives baseball a wake-up call
My 10-year old son and I were watching the game when Feltner got hit. I asked my son "why did Feltner get hit?" His immediate response was that Feltner's follow-through with his leg turned him completely around. So his back was to the plate, glove hand behind him, and his body/head came into the flight path of the ball. He then showed me how Feltner should be landing - feet squared to the plate, ready to field the ball. Had Feltner landed properly, he not only is able to potentially catch the ball, but he is no longer directly in the flight path.
You talk about inventing technology to protect pitchers, but that is not necessary. I get why the bad landing happens - pitchers trying to throw as hard as they possibly can to the detriment of their position. Teach pitchers to properly land, ready to field and this stops being a problem. Watch video of pitchers getting hit in the head by line drives and it is nearly universal that their bodies are swinging around due to their follow-throughs.
I hope Feltner fully recovers and continues to play and I hope that a pitching coach works with him to land properly so this doesn't happen again.
thanks dan