Marching In Against the Nets

Spring training has begun, so we get to start enjoying baseball again. And the things that go with it...

There isn't alot of Biscuits-related news, but we do have some things happening around the league worth noting. Most of them kinda stupid.


AGAINST THE NET!
Teams are scrambling to protect fans who refuse to put down their cell phones and pay attention to the game they paid to see. In our league, Pensacola, Chattanooga, Birmingham already announced they plan to install excessive nettings behind the dugouts.

Pcola Net plan

When I quizzed the Biscuits office about Riverwalk getting more netting I was told there was "no information on that right now". It wont be long before we see all teams kowtow to the demands of the attention-deficient attendees.

NOT PROTECTING THOSE CLOSEST
Another mystery about the nets - why are they being installed BEHIND the dugouts? I have seen people hit and even injured by foul balls and stray bats flying into the dugouts as much or maybe more than what goes into the stands.

Luis Salazar

Wouldn't it stand to reason that if safety was the prime motivator, players would also gain from being sheltered behind the massive nets?

Put them in front of the dugouts if teams want to protect those who sit nearest the danger. If you doubt that, check out Luis Salazar when he gets to town. He lost an eye to a foul shot while standing in a dugout.


DON'T DO IT RIGHT, DO IT NOW
And should we just arbitrarily install nets without first doing a study to determine the places nets are actually needed the most? When the debate about bats breaking dangerously was an issue, every broken bat in MLB was taken and studied over the course of multiple seasons before any action could be taken.

In Japan they leave gloves on seats exposed to dangerous views for fans to use. Because fans there actually WATCH the games they attend.

Obviously, I am not a fan of more nets.
I am a fan of watching the game. If you don't want to watch the game you are at, simply sit where you have less chance of being hit and stop punishing those of us who do watch. 

With most MLB and MiLB games shown either on tv or online, there are plenty of ways to watch the game in the safety of your own home. If you do attend a game, bring a glove or at least pay attention, stop blaming baseball for not protecting your kids. You are ruining it for the rest of us.



PINK POLES IN P'COLA
The Wahoos have installed pink fair/foul poles, replacing the yellow ones.

Yeah, they didn't just re-paint the yellow ones, they bought new ones in pink.

HISTORY LESSON
MARCH 7 1905 NY Highlanders, later known as the Yankees, start spring training in Montgomery, Clarke Griffith and Hal Chase stir controversy when Chase jumps contract to join NY.