It's not surprising it took a traumatic, almost tragic, accident for baseball to re-examine its stance on fan safety. It's a subject MLB has talked about for at least three decades -- but rushing to judgment is not one of the game's trademarks.
However, a serious injury to a young girl hit by a brutal foul ball in Yankee Stadium last week seems to have been the tipping point to resolve an issue that has tormented baseball for a long time. An enhanced protective netting almost certainly will be in place in all major league parks for the 2018 season, but it remains to be seen just how extensive it will be -- and how hotly it will be debated.
And it won't come as a shock that those who figure to benefit will also be the ones to complain the most. When it comes to watching baseball, many fans value their viewing experience more than their own safety. They feel extended netting will impede their vision, when in fact it requires only a minor adjustment over a relatively short period of time. Peter Schmuck addressed this issue in his column in the Sept. 27 edition of The Baltimore Sun and it is something that can't be taken lightly any longer.
