Baseball cleats come in rubber, plastic or metal. In past generations, baseball shoes had only metal cleats on the bottom. This is not the best type of cleat to use for young players or when alternate surfaces are being used for game competition. Additionally, metal cleats may be unsafe when weather has altered the surface of the field and left it muddy.
Injury to Defensive Player
One of the biggest problems with wearing metal spikes occurs when a base runner slides into a base. If you go straight in to the base when sliding, the bottoms of your shoes come into the base with sharp metal coming right at the fielder's leg or gloved hand. As a result, the fielder can easily get injured even if the runner has no intent to hurt the defensive player. It's difficult to avoid an injury on a straight-in slide. When a fielder gets cut as a result of making a tag on the runner, it is called getting spiked.
Injury to the Runner
When a player is running at full speed while wearing metal spikes, a missed step can result in a serious knee or ankle injury. Your spikes will dig into the ground with every step you take. If you round second base, for example, and decide that you want to go back to the base and not head for third, you have to reverse field. If your spikes get stuck in the dirt because you have dug in so hard, you can damage knee ligaments or suffer a serious sprained ankle.
Artificial Turf
If you have metal cleats and try to wear them on artificial turf, you will be prevented from doing so. This is to save the field from getting damaged by the metal spikes and to keep you from getting injured. Players did not realize that you could not wear metal cleats during the early days of artificial turf, and they compared it to playing baseball on ice skates. Shoes with rubber spikes are demanded on artificial turf. So if you have metal spikes for grass fields, you will have to go to additional expense to pay for turf shoes.
Muddy Conditions
Players who try to wear metal cleats on soft or muddy fields will lose their balance and will not be able to play with confidence. Mud will cake in between the metal spikes and will prevent a player from getting a decent grip on the surface. This may lead to the inability to keep your feet during a crucial moment in the game. Wear rubber spikes or ripple-soled shoes on a wet field or in muddy conditions.
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