A little girl who was hit in the head off a line drive hit by Yankee third baseman, Todd Frazier at the Yankees-Minnesota Twins game in the Bronx on Wednesday, Sept. 20, has revived the MLB’s longstanding controversy surrounding baseline netting.
Sports Illustrated’s article about Wednesday’s game says that the “Baseball Rule,” which is printed on the back of game tickets, “imposes a limited duty on the part of teams to protect fans from foul ball injuries.” Courts have mandated that the MLB place netting in the “danger zone” directly behind home plate. However, fans who purchase seats behind either dugout assume responsibility for potential injuries as they have a longer response time.
Fans at Saturday’s Yankees-Toronto Blue Jays game at Yankee Stadium agreed that victims of foul ball injuries should be more aware of their surroundings. Corinne, 20, a Yankee fan from Rochester, NY, acknowledged that less netting “does pose a problem for safety,” but later defended the MLB. “With the seats that you buy you should be thinking about that, especially with a small child,” Corinne said.
Laura and Jason Clay from CT, who attended the game with their four year old son, also agreed that parents should be more observant at games, especially with a young child. “Our culture in the United States is that no one takes responsibility for things that they’re at fault for, so we want to blame Todd Frazier for hitting the foul ball into the stands, but it’s like, that’s part of the game. You need to be paying attention,” Clay said. Clay noted that he was “watching every pitch” at a baseball game he recently attended with his son in CT.
It should be acknowledged that the back of each seat at Yankee Stadium reads, “Be alert for bats and/or balls.” This is in addition to similar signs on the glass at the bottom of each section and reminders from the announcer. While The Yankees are considering additional netting, the Cincinnati Reds, the Seattle Mariners, the Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres have confirmed they will add baseline netting before their 2018 seasons.