Reliever Zack Britton wouldn’t mind of stadiums went “all the way” with protective netting, extending it down each foul line. Third baseman Gio Urshela said he wants it “around the whole stadium.” Outfielder Cameron Maybin said to install what’s needed, and then go farther. “More than necessary,” Maybin said.
Less than 24 hours after the Cubs’ Alberto Almora Jr.’s line-drive foul ball hit a 4-year-old girl in the stands, forcing her to be sent to a hospital, it was clear that the incident was still on the minds of Yankees players, at least several of whom feel stadiums should add more netting to protect fans.
“There should be more,” Urshela said. “That stuff can’t happen. It’s really bad for everybody.”
The New York Yankees reconfigured their upcoming starters for their home series with the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
Urshela said he doesn’t let his 5-year-old son attend games without sitting near netting.
Same for Britton, who has two children.
“I know the fans want the interaction,” Britton said. “Every team has extended netting. I’m not sure how much you can do with it, unless you completely close off the stands at some point. I think you obviously could. … That would be the next step.”
Two years ago, a young girl was hit in the head by a foul ball at Yankee Stadium. That incident brought forced Major League Baseball to push teams to extend netting to at least the ends of dugouts.
Some teams, like the Yankees, have taken it further, putting up netting just about halfway down the foul lines.
On Wednesday, the child who was struck was sitting just beyond the Minute Maid Park third base dugout — and just beyond the netting.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he doesn’t let his children sit without being protected.
“When my wife and I started having kids,” Boone said, “the first time they were in a park, one of my first things was: ‘Make sure you’re sitting in a place where A) you’re paying attention, or B) you’re protected. It can be a scary situation. It’s important that we do all that we can to protect our fans.”
Even with the extended netting, players fear for fans.
When asked about his reaction when he sees balls rocketed into the stands, Maybin didn’t even wait for a reporter to finish.
“Cringe,” Maybin said. “Absolutely, you cringe. You always cringe and hope nobody gets hit and hurt. I’ve seen some people get hit pretty hard.”
He added that he believes Yankee Stadium’s netting is just about the perfect length.
“For me,” Maybin said, “I think it should at least go down toward the outfield. Maybe not the whole (foul line) like but it needs to go down pretty far. You hate to see stuff like that happen.”
About Sky Line Net Installations:
Sky Line Net Installations Inc. is a 100% independently owned Canadian Company. Specializing in design, engineering, supply and installation of sports and industrial barrier netting systems since 1980, we are considered the leaders in innovative design and performance throughout Canada. Our expertise allows us to match the best pole and line support materials along with the best foundation designs to the finest netting materials for our customer’s requirements anywhere in Canada.
In 2002 we became affiliated with Coastal Netting Systems in California. Coastal is recognized for their excellence in engineering and manufacturing of the finest steel poles for the netting industry in North America. We have hundreds of successful pole and netting systems in place in all types of environments. With decades of design engineering and field experience we stand behind our products and performance with the best warranties available.
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