It’s a rarity for pitchers to get beaned by a batter’s line drive, but it’s also a reality. With that in mind, Major League Baseball has been scrambling over the past several months to find head protection for its fielders, particularly pitchers.
Unfortunately, the search has not yet yielded the results MLB has been seeking, and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ faced that very scenario Tuesday without any head protection. Luckily, Happ seems to have suffered no significant injuries other than bruising and a cut ear and has since been released from the hospital.
While the search for the right product for pitchers to comfortably wear under their caps has not yet been successful, watch for a new GelDefender product – one made specifically for caps – that will be available May 18.
The comfortable soft gel and the cooling benefits make the newest GelDefender head pad perfect for use under caps, and the design allows the pad to fit inside caps securely.
We’re sending samples to MLB and a few MLB teams that have requested our product, and we hope they and other ball players will choose this new equipment option.
*Scientists have no conclusive evidence as to whether or how the reduction of g forces during impacts reduces the number or degree of concussions and head injuries. GelDefenderTM products provide supplemental padding as well as cooling and comfort benefits when used with helmets and caps. Participants in activities in which head impacts can occur should always use tested and approved helmets for protection. However, no helmet or supplemental padding can protect the user from all serious head or neck injuries that can result from impacts.
