Using a pitching Mask

softballin101

Addicted to Softballfans
Using excessive equipment wasn’t as big in the early 2000’s as it is now. Matter of fact my coach for years was old and frail but only pitched. I have only had a middle shot hit at my face once and most hits up the middle, I field in the rare occasion that I pitch but I have a question for the group, I think a mouthpiece is enough protection but I don’t want to be judged for not wearing a mask. Has anyone here ever had a mask protect their head/face? I know there are a few horror stories out there where 2 or 3 pitchers were seriously injured from a middle shot but most pitcher wear masks now or even screens
 

Matth

Active Member
There was a fellow on my team who took a shot up the middle to his face. He had to have reconstructive surgery. In my league only one pitcher wears a mask. Getting hit in the face is rare, but it happens. Why are you opposed to wearing a mask?
 

Party mafia

Well-Known Member
Using excessive equipment wasn’t as big in the early 2000’s as it is now. Matter of fact my coach for years was old and frail but only pitched. I have only had a middle shot hit at my face once and most hits up the middle, I field in the rare occasion that I pitch but I have a question for the group, I think a mouthpiece is enough protection but I don’t want to be judged for not wearing a mask. Has anyone here ever had a mask protect their head/face? I know there are a few horror stories out there where 2 or 3 pitchers were seriously injured from a middle shot but most pitcher wear masks now or even screens
Why not wear a lax helmet or a worth mask to protect your face and head? It only take one shot up the middle.
 

softballin101

Addicted to Softballfans
There was a fellow on my team who took a shot up the middle to his face. He had to have reconstructive surgery. In my league only one pitcher wears a mask. Getting hit in the face is rare, but it happens. Why are you opposed to wearing a mask?
I wouldn’t want to wear one if not necessary
 

Pretty

Softball is cool
I wouldn’t want to wear one if not necessary

well if the dudes in the highest level in the sport are using them, I venture us common folk should probably consider strongly using them. No one says you have to use one but i myself pitch in tournaments and use one. Can I Field the position sure? Do I feel safer, yes. The lacrosse helmets don’t really limit my vision and still can cover the bases when I have to and field a throw. So to protect my brain it seems like a no brainier, pun intended
 

Country469

Well-Known Member
Guys who don't wear one are at a disadvantage anymore. You are a target up there, OP if you're asking about this , youre thinking about it, and if you are thinking about it you can't be effective. A mouth piece will nothng to help you unless you get hit in the mouth. between the eyes doesnt do ****, or the side or the head. Or the forehead, or the neck. You probably play league and fine, the % it happens is small, but eventually if you pitch enough you will get drilled. No one sees them all. I've taken some absolute shots off my body, by some guys roided out and swinging hot bats, and I can attest that while a mask has never saved my life, being confident it will save me is what keeps my head turned the right way and my eyes on the ball. It literally makes you a better pitcher anymore.


God damn fools pitch with no masks on real talk.
 

ilyk2win

Addicted to Softballfans
Do you wear a cup?

In order of importance in terms of protection:
Cup
Face/head (damage here will cost you MUCH more than damage to your junk)
Shins
Wrist

It's not just line drives that can destroy your face, it's the bad/unexpected hop that puts you in harms way as well. I have a couple marks on my lacrosse helmet.....I don't like the idea of wearing it, but glad I do.
 

HitDingers

New Member
We had a guy take a shot to the mouth in co-ed ball this past week. Rec ball is the worst about hitting the middle, a lot of guys at that level have no bat control. Pitch those guys outside and they try to pull it and hit it back up the middle because they can't hit it opposite field.
 

milesej05

The Rookie
LAX mask does not hinder vision nearly as much as one would think, and (most) everyone has a job to go to on Monday. If you are debating wearing a mask, then go buy one.

Guy in FL died last year after getting hit in the had pitching.
 

blakcherry329

Well-Known Member
Cut out the middle "T" bar of a LAX helmet and vision is perfect. You won't even notice it's on after awhile. Not sure why anyone would be adverse to wearing some sort of mask, at this point. Not every field is turf. Like ilyk2win said, it's more for the bad hops off of crappy fields than line drives.
I don't wear a cup or wrist guards, but shin guards are a must, imo. All my years of baseball/softball I've never come close to being hit in the little cherries;).
IMO, not wearing a mask is kinda stupid. Pride goeth before a fall.
 

EA Sports

Addicted to Softballfans
Wear a helmet/mask. I can assure you that you will get hit while pitching. Anyone who says they won’t is a liar and doesn’t pitch very much.
 

SaucyJack

New Member
After taking a line drive in the face this past season, I'd be wearing one. I was lucky to only walk away with a busted nose(not too serious a break) and a couple of nice black eyes.

It's not a very comfortable feeling :)
 

Hiltz

Built for comfort
I've been wearing a mask for the last few years. I'm a utility guy and if I'm anywhere on the IF dirt, the mask is on. I'm not even worried about the hard shots, it's the crappy bounces that scare me. And even though I haven't taken a single shot to the mask in the 4-5 years I've been wearing it, I'm much more confident with it on.

A mouthguard is more designed for protection against concussions by keeping your jaw in place. On a direct impact to the mouth it's actually not gonna do a damn thing. And as already mentioned, it's obviously not gonna do anything if you get smashed in the nose, eye, or forehead.
 

etnstudios

Addicted to Softballfans
I took a couple bars out with a cut off wheel on mine, gtg, even make sunshield visors for them.



this video is what made me buy a mask. i bought one very similar to what the pitcher in the vid is wearing and haven't looked back.

I've been wearing a mask for the last few years. I'm a utility guy and if I'm anywhere on the IF dirt, the mask is on. I'm not even worried about the hard shots, it's the crappy bounces that scare me. And even though I haven't taken a single shot to the mask in the 4-5 years I've been wearing it, I'm much more confident with it on.

A mouthguard is more designed for protection against concussions by keeping your jaw in place. On a direct impact to the mouth it's actually not gonna do a damn thing. And as already mentioned, it's obviously not gonna do anything if you get smashed in the nose, eye, or forehead.

i advise people who get mouthguards to get ones made for MMA/boxing. they might do a little more than protect your chompers as they are designed more for shots in the face.
 

jcmichaels42

Addicted to Softballfans
I cringe now when i see a pitcher without a mask. I can't imagine pitching without one now. Hell, I even recently picked up a rip it fielding mask in case I'm in the infield.
One league I play in, only 1 pitcher out of 12 teams actually wears a mask. Very unsettling, especially when everyone says "well no one ever hits middle in this league." Right....until the one time someone does and a guy ends up in the hospital. Just wear a mask.
 

dunkky

Well-Known Member
are we in kinder garden?? make your own judgement. it's a common sense. you know the risk and you know the consequences. how many people here have to say wear a mask. A solid ball that travels 100 mph can potentially strike your skull. answer is freaking damn simple.
 

softballin101

Addicted to Softballfans
are we in kinder garden?? make your own judgement. it's a common sense. you know the risk and you know the consequences. how many people here have to say wear a mask. A solid ball that travels 100 mph can potentially strike your skull. answer is freaking damn simple.
So far only one person has responded as far as getting hit by a ball coming back at them. I wasn't asking whether or not I should get a mask but who's actually been hit in the head while pitching.
 

tonys1

Moderator
I wasn't asking whether or not I should get a mask but who's actually been hit in the head while pitching.

Not sure what you're trying to accomplish, but here, I'll tell you a story or two.

One of our pitchers wearing a plastic infielders mask got hit in the face with a .40/375 while pitching last year. While the mask absorbed a good part of the impact, he still had a bruise on the cheek. The impact cause the mask to move to the side and that cause some tears to his face.

While watching another game, I saw a pitcher with no mask get hit with a .47/230. Split his nose wide open, heard he ate through a straw for a couple of days.

The end.
 

defos

Well-Known Member
Our pitcher got drilled just above his eye last year with no protection. Dropped like a rock and was unconscious 3 or 4 seconds. Concussion, missed some work and was limited a few more days when he returned to work. Couldn't play for 2 weeks. He now wears a Rip-It mask, which is minimal protection.
 

etnstudios

Addicted to Softballfans
have a buddy that was wearing a rip it mask and got hit. the top corner of it ended up cutting him open but probably saved a lot of hospital bills if not his life. playing with 44 375s. enough stories yet?
 

kvander

Addicted to Softballfans
So far only one person has responded as far as getting hit by a ball coming back at them. I wasn't asking whether or not I should get a mask but who's actually been hit in the head while pitching.
You started out by calling it "excessive equipment", but also state that you know of situations where people have been hit in the face. What's the point of your question?
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=softball+pitcher+face
 
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