One of the most challenging aspects of the game of baseball is that players put themselves in harm's way every time they take the field. However, even though batters who get hit by a pitch or pitchers who get hit with line drives are in a vulnerable position, they must put those possibilities out of their minds when they do their jobs. The impact of getting hit with a baseball can range from minor to devastating.
Batter's Body
When a batter gets hit by a pitch at shoulder-level or below, he will most likely be able to stay in the game after shaking off the impact. If the baseball hits the batter squarely, it can cause significant pain. It is much like getting hit with a very hard punch. Many batters wear protective gear on their forearms and elbows to lessen the impact and prevent injury. This protective gear may embolden the batter, knowing that he can dig in at the plate and that he won't get hurt if he gets hit by a pitch.
Batter's Head
All batters at every level of baseball must wear protective batting helmets every time they are at the plate. Getting hit in the helmet will lessen the impact of the baseball, but batters can still suffer concussions while wearing a helmet if it doesn't fit perfectly and the helmet rattles upon impact. If the player gets hit below the level of the helmet, he may suffer a broken nose, cracked teeth or other facial injuries.
Line Drives
Few individuals in sports are at greater risk than a pitcher when he lets go of the baseball while delivering a pitch. If the batter hits a line drive up the middle, the pitcher may have no way of protecting himself. Pitchers have suffered devastating injuries when hit by line drives in the head and face. Pitchers have no protective equipment other than the glove on their fielding hand. In September, 2000, Boston Red Sox pitcher Bryce Florie was hit by a line drive while pitching against the Yankees and suffered three fractures around his right eye socket, a nasal fracture, a fracture of the medial wall and a fracture of the floor of the socket. Florie needed surgery to repair his eye injuries.
Tragedy
High school summer league pitcher Brandon Patch was struck in the left temple after throwing a pitch in July, 2003. He died as a result of the injury. Fatalities in baseball are rare, but they can occur because of the pitcher's inability to protect himself after releasing a pitch. In July 2003 in Montana, 18-year-old pitcher Brandon Patch was struck in the left temple by a line drive hit off an aluminum bat. Patch's family sued the bat manufacturer, claiming that the ball's velocity off the bat was higher than it should have been. A jury awarded Patch's family $850,000 as a result of the death.
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