i'm gonna sound like the bad guy it seems, first off though, it is a shame whenever ANYONE gets hurt playing a rec game, be it softball, basketball, anything, and i don't knock anyone for wearing a mask as a personal preference, (though i may talk a little shyt to 'em esp. if i know 'em)... but the fact is, that's the risk you take when you play the game, esp. at pitcher... just like every time you slide into a base you risk tearing all the ligaments in your knee... seen it happen... and any high fly foul ball could possibly land on someones kids or wives head and knock 'em out, possibly even kill 'em, who knows... but the number of serious injuries vs. the number of pitchers/pitches thrown nationwide, etc. is a VERY rare occurance... i also seen quite a few great plays made by pitchers this year snagging line drives out of mid air that were ripped right at 'em, even by some of the older guys, and NO ONE in our league wears a mask on the mound... but fact is, any one of those plays coulda been a disaster with just a slight change of circumstance...
the 98mph bat rule was a good one to make, esp. for the higher classes of play, (and anyone who doesn't like it can play ISF or utripp, etc.), and leagues are already enforcing their own rules; no composites, etc, plus there's plenty of things individual players are doing to better safeguard themselves as a personal preference, and if it's that serious, then go ahead and join that crowd... but if you're not doing those things on an individual level, which you could, ie, wear a mask on the mound, then you're choosing to take the added risk, and "IF" something happens, it's not the ASA's fault, nor demarini's or worth's for making the bat, or the ball manufacturer's, it's your own fault if anybody's, but i feel it's more just circumstancial, and a victim of circumstance you became... i really don't think they (the ASA) should do any more to make the game "even safer" then it already is though... shoot, we'll be playing with newspaper filled/duct taped wiffle ball bats and tennis balls calling "ghosty at 1st and 2nd" before long...
as for league to league rules, i have no problem for individual leagues enforcing their own modified rules to suit their own fears and concerns... but as for ASA, they've already done enough, and nothing more should be done by them... if anything players need to stay sharp with their skills and keep their heads and wits about 'em when playing.
advice to pitchers, soon as you release, be in a position to field the ball and make a play... don't ever take it for granted... that goes back to little league baseball/softball fundamentals... release, square yourself with your glove up...
that's my 2 cents though...
) Strategy8 is correct in the fact that we all go into it knowing the risk.