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2009
Wright Taking The Right Precautions
An article by Former Writers
Let’s rewind back to Saturday August 15th, 2009. It was a warm, sunny afternoon at Citi Field. The Mets and Giants were in the midst of a pitcher’s duel between two of the best in the game in Johan Santana and Matt Cain.
All was going as planned, and both pitchers were in the midst of a shut out until the fourth inning. It was then that disaster struck. After throwing three consecutive fastball’s to the biggest bat in the Mets lineup (David Wright), Cain let one get away.
That’s when it happened, a 95 mile-per-hour fastball collided with the helmet of Wright. Had it not been for the helmet, Wright could have been killed. Luckily, the injury was not life-threatening and Wright was able to leave the game under his own power.
Still, Wright did not walk away unscathed he suffered a concussion and was sidelined for nearly two weeks. The full extent of his injury will not be known until he can go out onto the field and show that he can produce the same way he could prior to the injury.
Tonight, at Coors Field, David Wright is scheduled to make his return to the Mets lineup, but he’ll be using some different equipment. Wright will be one of the first players in the Major Leagues to wear the Rawlings S100 batting helmet.
Mets fans may have already caught a glimpse of this new helmet if they tuned into Fox’s Saturday telecast of the Mets and Cubs game, in which Ryan Dempster wore Rawlings’ newest creation.
Now to the average baseball fan, this doesn’t mean a whole lot. However, this is a monumental step for the safety of baseball players.
The helmets, which are significantly bigger and bulkier feature much more padding and are thicker than their predecessor, the Rawlings Cool-Flo helmet, which was introduced in 2006.
The helmet is also being marketed as being able to withstand a 100 mile-per-hour pitch, while still providing adequate protection to the player.
Granted, even if he had been wearing the new helmet, Wright still would’ve been injured, but that injury might not have been as severe as it was. Also of note is that Major League Baseball is mandating the use of the S100 helmets for every minor league player starting next year.
This is certainly a step in the right direction in preventing what have proved many times to be career changing injuries.
About the Author: Former Writers
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He looked so freaky in that thing. I think it’s not very aerodynamic he looked slow coming around third. lol
It looks ridiculous. He looks like the Great Kazoo from the Flintstones. That has to be redesigned.
you beat me to it. Lol.
To me this is basically…Great idea, horrible design. Not only does it make you look like a bobblehead, and it seems to be extra weight that’s not helpful.
I guess it’s okay for now because David Wright should wear it, although I’m not sure what purpose it serves after the concussion…
That helmet is so big that it has its own zip code!
What if he comes back to Citi Field on Friday and gets a walk-off hit, then forgets to take it off before his teammates bang on it?
That helmet that Wright wore looks like a space helmet.
HEY!!!! What happened to the Home Run Apple???
Oh, there it is–on David’s head
It has nothing to do with looking cute or style, they need to tone down the look a bit. And they’re going to force the minor leaguers to wear it through out the season? That should make our minor leaguers play better. As soon as they put on the helmet they’re gonna wanna make it to the big leagues so they could wear the normal helmets. Lol. I understand about protection, but, c’mon, that’s crazy. And this idea came from a top baseball brand?
Where’s the chinstrap?
Lol. And the face mask? And the Visor? And the Shoulder pads? And the Thigh pads? And the knee pads? The Playbook in the wrist band?
Did any of you “fashion experts” stop and think that the reason for this new helmet is to provide protection against all of those 90 plus mph fastballs?
Until you yo yo’s have to stand 60 ft 6 inches from a guy hurtling a baseball at your “mush filled” heads with the intent of defending his turf….SHUT UP!
I guess the other 600+ “mush filled” MLB players who said they won’t wear the new helmet, just don’t get it. Even “mush filled” Ryan Church, who was never the sharpest tool in the shed to begin with..
Alan, dude, relax, take the underwear out your a#$. Guess Keith Hernandedz is a 601 “mush filled” for constantly cracking jokes on Wright, huh? I was all for players wearing since the game over the weekend at Wrigley when the pitcher for the cubs was wearing it. And it doesn’t you’re a “fashion expert” if people think the helmet is too much. “…think that the reason for this new helmet is to provide protection against all of those 90 plus mph fastballs?” No, really? As soon David takes one to the helmet, Kinsler in Texas and the pitcher from the Dodgers pitcher in Arizona on the same day it’s all of a sudden a cause for alarm. What about the past 30 years? Trust me, dude, I did have 90 mile per hour fast ball come at me before, so think before you talk.
Put a lid on The Great Gazoo jokes. David Wright has resumed wearing his old helmet. Wright said the newly designed one from Rawlings, which can withstand 100 mph blows, is too bulky and didn’t fit properly. He wouldn’t say he’d never go back to it, but not this season. Wright, by the way, passed Howard Johnson for second on the franchise’s all-time list with his 215th career double during a three-hit game. The leader is Ed Kranepool with 225.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2009/09/wright-ditches-dome-misch-halt.html#ixzz0Q5sZ3vNo
Congrats on Wright for passing Hojo. Wow, he’s up there.