Whit Merrifield has had sufficient. The Atlanta Braves second baseman was hit within the head Tuesday night time by a 94.5 mph Jeff Criswell pitch within the seventh inning of the Braves’ 3-0 win over the Colorado Rockies. Merrifield was visibly offended after the incident, shouting at Criswell whereas being attended to and as he was strolling off the sector. The veteran handed concussion protocol, however vented postgame in regards to the risks of recent pitching.
“No repercussion on [Criswell’s] half, and I imply, with out being overly dramatic, that was my life on the road proper there,” Merrifield mentioned, in line with a report from The Athletic’s David O’Brien. “So, I’m sick of it, it’s occurring manner an excessive amount of. I watched Taylor Ward get hit within the face final 12 months and should get reconstructive surgical procedure. Justin Turner bought hit within the face final 12 months. It’s occurring at an exponential fee. Guys are getting hit within the hand, Mookie Betts broke a bone in his hand this 12 months. It’s simply ridiculous, and it must be mounted. Or, God forbid, one thing horrible’s going to occur.”
Pitchers are throwing more durable than ever they usually’re doing it extra persistently than ever. Sports activities Illustrated’s Tom Verducci detailed the rise of velocity in 2023 as pitches within the triple-digits jumped from 1,056 in 2019 to three,348 in 2022. On Tuesday, Ben Joyce of the Los Angeles Angels threw a 105.5 mph pitch for a strikeout, the quickest strikeout pitch since MLB began monitoring pitch velocity in 2008.
As velocity has elevated, there have been loads of research in regards to the toll it takes on a pitcher’s arm. However what’s the impact on hitters? Merrifield, who’s a member of the league’s Competitors Committee, lamented the truth that Criswell will transfer on unscathed. He continued to pitch within the sport and he won’t ever have an at-bat during which he could possibly be retaliated towards.
In that manner, the sport used to police itself to a sure diploma as a result of pitchers needed to step into the batter’s field. Hit anyone with a fastball? Put together for 95 mph straight to the again the following plate look. That is a factor of the previous, now, because the designated hitter has taken over in each of the American and Nationwide League.
From one angle, that is a part of the sport. Hitters know the realities of moving into the field. Over time, they’ve armored themselves up with an growing quantity of elbow and arm guards. From one other angle, although, pitchers are employed to get batters out and a mistake in accuracy might be expensive — even probably deadly. To Merrifield, modern-day pitchers have sacrificed accuracy for an even bigger quantity on the radar gun, endangering each themselves and the hitters they face.
It will likely be attention-grabbing to see how the following few months play out as Merrifield undoubtedly brings the problem to the Competitors Committee. Pitchers who hit a batter within the head needs to be punished. As with soccer’s concentrating on guidelines, a pitcher needs to be ejected from the sport and suspended for one sport. There must be some type of consequence for lacking that poorly with a pitch.
There might be arguments that such a rule could be unfair, that the pitcher wants the inside half of the plate. It is true that they do they usually’re free to nonetheless use the inside half. They’re even free to return inside a bit extra to brush a hitter again. However there must be a line someplace.
Ought to the league select to maintain going as it’s then Merrifield is true: one thing horrible goes to occur.
