Mitch Williams, here's how to protect pitchers from being hit in the face.

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Mitch Williams has the solution to pitchers being hit in the face: let them do it to batters.  Monday, March 24, 2014

According to Mitch Williams pitchers get hit in the face because they are not allowed to throw inside.  Really, that's what he said...

Williams insisted repeatedly and vociferously that pitchers should be allowed to pitch inside, a euphemism for hitting batters.  Williams never actually stated that pitchers should be allowed to hit batters...  Williams stated that the result has been that batters "dive out over the plate" and pull outside pitches that smash pitchers in the face.

Mitch Williams is a moron.  If the MLB Network had any standards Williams would have been fired long ago.
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Deaden the ball and resuscitate baseball. It's supposed to be a game of hitting, fielding and base running.  Saturday, March 22, 2014

Aroldis Chapman is the most recent pitcher to be hit in the face.  It happened in an exhibition game in Arizona March 20, 2014...

Deaden the ball.  The game was not intended to be played with rockets.  It originated much more like modern slow pitch softball.  Baseball is supposed to be a game of hitting, fielding and base running...

the average speed for fastballs has increased each of the last five seasons to about 91.5 miles per hour (MPH).

91.5 mph!  Released from about 50 feet from home plate!  Are we nuts?

Deaden the damn ball before someone gets killed: player, ump, fan.
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Bring back the pitcher's box. And get rid of the stupid mound.  Thursday, March 20, 2014

All pitchers should be required by rule to RELEASE the ball from the same distance, not start from the same distance.

The pitcher should be required by rule to stand far enough behind the release line so that he accomplishes this...

100 years of stupid rules is enough.
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Getting hit with the ball.  August 18, 2009

August 15, 2009 ...

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda suffered a concussion when he was hit in the head by a line drive. The 34-year-old Kuroda was not wearing a helmet. The ball blasted off Kuroda's head into the seats behind first base...

This morning on ESPN radio I actually hear Mike Greenberg say something semi-intelligent about the pitcher getting hit in the head: MAYBE the pitcher should wear a helmet. Wow! MAYBE!  ...

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Chicago Cubs coach Alan Trammell
throwing batting practice behind the protective screen
 June 28, 2009 By weesh187 from Washington, DC
via Wikimedia Commons

Everyone should wear catcher's gear.  Saturday, July 5, 2008

OK, the outfielders probably don't need it, especially if MLB implements my suggestions about padding the walls. However, the infielders, certainly the pitchers need this protection. I can remember when Eddie Giacomin tended goal for the New York Rangers hockey team with nothing on his head. Even the NHL (National Hockey League) woke up. Today all players wear helmets and face masks. Infielders are taught to get in front of ground balls to block them in case of a bad hop. Bad hops happen often. Have you seen the rockets that batters blast at these unprotected players? Catcher's gear is exactly what they need. Yes, including the face mask. If they do not start wearing this gear, pitchers will need the screen that is used in front of the pitcher during batting practice.
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Summary:

- deaden the ball and/or bat
- move the pitchers back to a common release point
- helmet and/or facemask
- screen like that used during batting practice; hey, if that's what it takes; rules can be adjusted.

Those are essential, logical and fair.  They're also practical.

Oh, and for the Mitch Williams solution of "throwing inside":

How to stop head hunting by pitchers.  Thursday, May 7, 2009

Pitchers are lucky they have not already been replaced by t-ball. To discourage pitchers from hitting batters in the head, punish them. Pretty simple. So far MLB has not seriously considered that. Here is my plan for each occurrence in the pitcher's career: the pitcher is ejected from the game and suspended:
1. a week;
2. a year;
3. forever.
Intent should not be considered.
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