Chicago White Sox pitcher vows to wear protective padding in cap
Chicago White Sox reliever Dan Jennings wasn't wearing protective padding in his cap when he was struck by a line drive last year, but now says that's a mistake he'll never make again.
While pitching for the Marlins last August, Jennings was struck in the head by a line drive off the bat of Pittsburgh Pirates' Jordy Mercer. He remained conscious after the hit but left the field on a cart.
After seeing an ESPN "Outside the Lines" report about pitchers' head protection last month, Jennings educated himself and now vows to wear protective head gear from now on.
"If it happened again and I wasn't wearing anything, I'd feel pretty stupid," Jennings recently told ESPN:
"Jennings asked the White Sox equipment staff for the opportunity to try what is worn by Houston Astros righty Collin McHugh -- Safer Sports Technologies' SST Pro Performance Head Guard. Soon after, Jennings said, he began using the 1.6-ounce hard carbon fiber partial insert with Kevlar padding on the side where he got hit.
"I'm thrilled," said Matt Meier, founder and CEO of the Georgia-based company. "His well-documented incident is what we're trying to prevent."
Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have not tested or approved the product, but Meier said when his company tested it at speeds in the low 90s, it took four or five such impacts before it started to crack."
There is currently only one product approved by MLB and the MLBPA, and New York Mets reliever Alex Torres is the only pitcher that wears it.
Jennings' teammate Hector Noesi and Yankees pitcher Esmil Rogers use a Kevlar insert made by Unequal Technologies, although it has not been approved by MLB/MLBPA.
Pitchers are allowed to use any protective headgear, regardless of whether it has been MLB/MLBPA-tested and approved, as long as it doesn't interfere with play or conflict with licensing agreements.
(h/t ESPN.com)
