Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 10:43 am
To be honest, I would be really surprised if anyone were killed by a hit ball from a metal bat. Sure you might see a broken bone here or there, or a person blinded, but no more than you see that with wooden bats. These types of injuries are more likely at the high school and little league level. I've played at third base in games where I was in for a bunt and the guy swung away and with wooden or metal bats the ball is moving. Every time I was able to get a glove on it (not always catch it mind you) if it was hit at me. The fact is that a trained Division 1 baseball player should be able to react to a ball coming at high velocity. The old addage that the hand is faster than the eye is quite true. Its amazing how long it seems for the ball to reach your glove when in fact it took less than a second to get there. I doubt that they will ever get rid of metal bats at the college level. By the way, I've actually seen a metal bat bent by a pitched ball on the handle.