NET GAINS

Ken Hoffman pitches solution for Major League Baseball safety concerns

Ken Hoffman
Jun 3, 2019, 9:58 am
Photo courtesy of ABC13/David J. Phillip/AP

This article originally appeared on CultureMap.

"Thoughts and prayers" are a nice, but what are you waiting for, Houston Astros? Extend Minute Maid Park's protective netting all the way to the foul poles now. Let's not have another child get smacked in the head with a 100-mph line drive.

I go to a lot of games. I've seen fans get hit by foul balls and carried out of the stands. I'm surprised that somebody hasn't been killed yet.

A few years ago, Major League Baseball instructed teams to extend the netting to at least the far end of each dugout. That's not nearly far enough. Not even close.

Why not now?

I hear the reasons why some fans don't want the netting extended any farther. They say the netting will interfere with their view of the game. What I think they're really saying is … we don't like authority telling us what's good or bad for us.

"I didn't wear a bike helmet when I was a kid, and I turned out fine."

"I don't need the government telling me I have to wear a seatbelt."

"Why shouldn't schools be allowed to serve soda and French fries in the cafeteria for lunch? Hey, I'll raise my dangerously obese, unhealthy child any way I want."

Well, children should wear bike helmets. It's a smart law. You need to buckle up. Click it or ticket. And our children are fat enough without eating cake and ice cream for lunch.

Get smart

That's not authority telling us what we can or can't do. That's the world growing smarter. It's just common safety sense for baseball to extend protective netting all the way to the foul pole. Do it now.

Netting doesn't affect your view of the game. Rich people, who sit behind home plate in the most expensive seats in the stadium, don't seem to mind being safe. I've sat in those seats a couple of times. You don't even notice the netting. It doesn't lessen your view or enjoyment of the game. And foul balls directed behind the plate typically aren't hit that hard, anyway, that's why they go backwards.

The most dangerous places to sit in a stadium are exactly where there is no netting now, down the foul lines. That's asking for trouble, and a couple of nights ago, trouble arrived.

Sure, a blooper video of a fan holding a baby in one arm, and spilling a beer trying to catch a foul ball with his other arm, is funny. It's also incredibly foolish and lucky.

Continue reading on CultureMap to learn about Ken Hoffman's final thoughts on a solution for MLB.

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Astros take another from the Tigers

Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 2 hits from the 6-3 win

Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

After holding on to win the series opener by one run in a game expected to be more lopsided, the Astros were back on the field Tuesday night to try and keep their newly-created winning streak going. Here is a recap of the second game of this four-game series:

Final Score: Astros 6, Tigers 3.

Record: 81-46, first in the AL West.

Winning pitcher: Brad Peacock (7-6, 4.05 ERA).

Losing pitcher: Spencer Turnbull (3-12, 4.05 ERA).

1) Both teams trade early blows

The Tigers were able to strike first, getting a leadoff home run to start the game against Aaron Sanchez and take an immediate 1-0 lead. Sanchez was able to get through the rest of the inning; then his offense backed him up with five runs over the next two.

George Springer hit a leadoff home run of his own, getting a solo dinger in the bottom of the first before Jose Altuve made it back-to-back jacks in the next at-bat to take a 2-1 lead. Then, in the bottom of the second, Houston tacked on three more runs after Altuve hit a perfectly placed dribbler down the third-base line for an RBI-single then Michael Brantley hit a two-RBI single, extending the lead to 5-1.

Detroit didn't go away, though, putting it to Sanchez in the top of the third by loading the bases with no outs before Sanchez would walk a run home. He would get one more out before A.J. Hinch popped out of the dugout to end his night early and bring in Brad Peacock, making his first appearance since returning from the injured list. Peacock seceded one run on a groundout then got a strikeout to end the inning with Houston still in front 5-3.

2) Astros extend their lead and cruise to third straight win

Collin McHugh was next out of Houston's bullpen to throw in the top of the fifth and worked around a leadoff single to Miguel Cabrera to retire the next three batters. In the bottom of the inning, Martin Maldonado extended Houston's lead to 6-3 with a one-out solo home run.

McHugh returned for the top of the sixth and was able to record another scoreless frame to strand two runners after a couple of singles in the inning. Joe Smith was the next reliever for Houston and put together a quick inning of his own to maintain the three-run lead.
Ryan Pressly took over in the top of the eighth and was able to strand a one-out single by getting back-to-back strikeouts to end the top of the inning. That provided Roberto Osuna with another save opportunity, and he would earn it to close out Houston's third-straight win.

Up Next: This series will continue with game three of four on Wednesday night scheduled for another 7:10 PM start. Justin Verlander (15-4, 2.81 ERA) will be on the mound for Houston against his former team, going up against Daniel Norris (3-10, 4.82 ERA) for Detroit.

The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.

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