High School Pitcher in Coma After Line-Drive Hit

[calebandmiles1]

why dont they just use bbcor?

[Sbckool]

the pitcher should wear some armor like helments, chest plates, and stuff

[huskerjoesox]

damn that ball went off the bat at 130? shit he even if the bat was wood the kid would have still got fucked in the face, kid who hit it must be a beast!

[bestbefore26]

Shouldn't of thrown That fat change up :P

[RobTV123]

I live in newyork and it's not illegal here...?

[AngelsFan04]

BBCOR FTW

[RyantheShort]

When a pitcher toes the rubber, he is accepting the potential danger that he could get clocked in the face by a line drive. It happened to me in Middle School ball and fractured my left sinus cavity and two spots on my nose. I continued to pitch throughout high school and college ball.

[gasitman]

I do not think a wood bat or a metal bat would of made a difference in the ball hitting him in the head. He would of still got hit in the head.

[Meerimu1337]

@gasitman Not nearly as hard though.

[Luvs2splo0g]

@gasitman but he wouldnt have to get his skull cut in two

[will12995]

during one of my high school baseball game, our best hitter hit the ball right to the pitchers nuts, he was wearing no cup, good luck to him

[xoniuqEQuinox91]

@Schaichopath- the moment of impact, dumbass, not the whole video. You and 8 other people are fuckin dumb.

[morethanstupid25]

the banned most of the BESR certified bats, at least for next year, im still using my 2010 limited edition silver demarini voodoo. it's BESR, but this is why they created BBCOR. BBCOR certified bats are made with a metal that allows the ball to leave the bat at the same speed as a wood bat. metal just lasts longer than wood

[vicapher707]

HAHAHAHA FUCK MARIN CATHOLIC

[xWongerdongeR]

@vicapher707 hahahahahha good man

[theAdamandJordanShow]

what are they talking about North Dakota too. In little league they don't let you use wooden bats and make you use aluminum. Get the facts right.

[Xx2013X]

Holy mother fucking god.

[baseball4lifexd]

wat are they talkin about new york has not banned metal bats i live in ny

[cam21fr]

@baseball4lifexd certain areas they have though

[ObamaIsMaBabyDaddy]

@baseball4lifexd Because its banned in the pros only...

[bulldogbaseball11]

well they found the answer to it they made comp bats illegal in high school and college, the new bats are even worse then wood.

[Schaichopath]

"He asked us not to show what happened next"

So... why is this on Youtube then.

[kitlarson]

@Schaichopath

hey fuck you, man

[mothahen123]

@Schaichopath i'm close friends with gunnar and his parents. they weren't able to watch the clip themselves. they didn't want it to be in the news before they were able to handle watching it. so fuck off

[Schaichopath]

@mothahen123 I asked a legitimate question, why are you offended?

[mothahen123]

@Schaichopath it's not on youtube for people to get a laugh out of somebody getting hit in the head. it's about the story and the issue it brings up. seeing the moment of impact is irrelevant

[Schaichopath]

@mothahen123 I see you are inexperienced with Youtube, but my point was that they put it on TV right after saying they were asked not to show it. The hell does that have to do with bringing up an issue?

[MrWhipitout]

i'll drop bombs with wood bats to shitt

[GrizzlyClaw3]

what the hell? at 1:38, wasnt that guy using a wooden bat, and y was the ump going to the pitchers mound? WTF FTW

[TheSFGIANTSFAN]

This is total BULLSHIT. A kid could get hit by a line drive off a wooden bat too. What are they going to do after that? Switch to plastic bats?

[GrizzlyClaw3]

@TheSFGIANTSFAN well, wouldnt bats take strength and control to use, these aluminum bats just take someones swing.

[TheSFGIANTSFAN]

@GrizzlyClaw3 A bat's a bat. You still need control with an aluminum to hit it. But my point is that people will get hurt with wooden bats. What if a wooden bat breaks and it hits a fielder? See there's always hazards with everything. And metal bats are cheaper because in the long run you can use them for 2 or 3 years. A wood bat could last a week and then you'd need to buy a new one. With the economy, not everyone has that kind of money.

[GrizzlyClaw3]

@TheSFGIANTSFAN i totally agree. but i like carbon fiber bats. u know mikens? they beat aluminum by far. but wooden bats in my opinion r the best to use because they reflect americas favorite past time. and for the cracking problem, your suppose to hit the ball label up on the bat, but i know if you dont and it breaks someone can get seriusly injured.

[mothahen123]

@TheSFGIANTSFAN i played last year in the same league sa gunnar. i can tell you right now that nobody at the high school level will get hurt by a shattered bat. that sort of thing only happens in the pros. we broke a ton of bats throughout the season and only one of them actually resulted in the bat splitting in two. a metal bat is way way more dangerous than a wood

[jobedied]

Too much money and pay offs being thrown around by bat manufacturers this has been happening for 30 years but not much change. Sorry folks when it comes to money excitement and action Wood bats are out the door. Although I totally agree aluminum should never be used. But this is America profits and money rule and safety takes a back seat right along with tradition. Many managers,leagues and colleges want the pay off incentive money.

[sizemo7]

They should ban metal in HS and college. Yea a wood bat can potentially have as much pop as a metal bat but only when hit perfectly on the sweet spot which is much smaller on a wood bat compared to metal and composite bats. As for wearing headgear when im pitching...never.

[Magny80]

@stanley I agree, there is no difference between the 2 bats. People just assume the metal bats are the cause of the injuries. Wooden bats can also produce the same result.

[taydumnator]

thats why in softball pitchers wear face masks ....... maybe baseball should do that ? haha

[0923stanley]

theye taken multiple tests and its the same between wood and metal so shut the fuck up

[sizemo7]

@0923stanley.. yea it is the same..when you hit it right on the sweet spot. The sweet spot is less than half the size in a wood bat compared to metal bats.

[BaseballCardFreek]

Man... thats the last thing everyone thinks about when going to play a baseball game

is leaving in a coma

[koolkid2932]

dont be a pussy

[zzzzdreamzzz]

i hit the pitcher right in the nose with a line drive once, softball, still took her out, she deserved it though, she was just mean and a bully. got a few high fives that day lol.

[Ch33ky360]

in every sport people get hurt its just part of the game of all sports. just cause one kid gets in coma dosent mean aluminum bats have to be banned, as a baseball player everyone tthat plays the game dosent want them banned and besides wood bats shatter and are dangerous when they break

[chimpmunkboy]

hes okaii just a scrach hehehe

[Laurpog]

Poor guy, hope he recovers well.

But there is still one thing to say:

Wooden bats break very easily and the pieces hurtle straight towards the pitcher-like a pointed dagger of wood. What happens when a pitcher gets stabbed or hurt from one of those? Are we going to have to hit the ball with a towel so no one will get hurt?

Face it. Sports are dangerous. And by playing them you're succumbing yourself to risk. You can't avoid it by banning metal bats.

[Serdikhan]

@Laurpog Critic's can't be trusted anymore. They must think they're so awesome/great, they can get away with anything they say

[mastachief117spartan]

@Laurpog a towl would be cool :), but you are correct

[bukakee1]

Did anybody see David Huff from the Indians get nailed by Alex Rodriguez? I still don't understand how wood bats are the answer because he was taken away on a stretcher.

[bukakee1]

Hows he doing? I just read he threw out the 1st pitch at a A's game, so he must be making good progress.

[yllib82]

You have to be a little uneducated if you are trying to convince that wooden bats are no more safer than aluminum bats.. here a few quick facts.. for one aluminum mats are lighter and the big difference is the ability for the wooden bat to ABSORB more of the energy from the pitch. Metals bats are unable to absorb a lot of the energy creating a sweat spot almost anywhere.. to try and argue there isnt much a difference is ill advised

[jobedied]

@yllib82 not only ill advised but not true aluminum bats are a danger as you say.

[strikeout52]

Maybe you guys should do some research on the trampoline effect of metal bats, then see if the ball comes off wood the same speed.

[iluvblue3]

what the fuck does a bat have to do with a kid being hit in the face by a ball i mean come on... fuck....

[wadz396]

Yes I feel bad for this kid...we all do... But a ball can be hit just as hard with a wooden bat, but all it is, is that a wooden bat has a smaller sweet spot and it is harder to get that powerful hit... But from banding a mental bat wont change anything from a ball hitting someone in the game. It can still happen just as easly with a wooden bat. Baseball is a sport, and all sports are dangerous in ways so don't try to change it...Again but I am not trying to be a bitch about what I just said.

[RUDOG44MAG]

Wood bats are a semi-solution to the problem, but not the cure, Theres still going to be a risk. The Pitcher is the bravest man in the game. Do the research on the longevity of a wood bat vs.' "metal" or "composite". I don't want to buy a new wood bat every other week. I work for a living. LOL!!! I hope it all works out. If wood is the final call. I'll stroke my wood :-).

[RUDOG44MAG]

I really hope Gunnar has a full recovery, but lets face it, every sport has its hazards, even going psycho over a chess game. Metal bats are a thing of the past. Today it's about the composite bat. Most bats you can't even use under 40 degrees. Kids strive for the "long ball" and that's a shame. If High School and College go to wood bats, you're going to have a bigger problem with performance enhancing drugs. My suggestion would be to eliminate certain types of baseball bats.

[bukakee1]

I dont mean any disrespect, but how is a wood bat safer? Seems like its not with what you hit it with, its how hard you hit it. Why not just mandate the cage face that is used during practice?

[imhtwo]

Simple answer here, if they want to use metal bats dont join the team or league. If no one plays i think they might get the picture. But even with wooden bats, as bad as it suck, it will happen again.

[carolinabaccyspitter]

This is just a freak accident. There was no way he could have gotten out of the way. These things just happen in sports, it's just one of the risks you take by walking on the field. With that said, I hate how nowadays people begin to freak out about situations AFTER they happen. It's always the parents that freak out when something happens to little Jimmy. If you don't know the risks of something then don't let your kids do it. Good luck man and I hope your on the mound again soon.

[MrDwaddy]

I feel sorry for the guy that got hit but these things happen in sports from time to time. Why is it that when something like this happens they always want to check the equipment? Now days guys are beasts and keep getting better and better at their trade. What will happen when a pitcher gets hit with a wooden bat?

[d1zzy318]

man for everyone that is talking shit, if you were a pitcher and had a ball coming at you at 130 mph, you have no time to react to the ball your still in your rotation from the mound, your not expecting the ball to come back at you, these kind of accidents happen rarely not all the time so pitchers aren't suppose to be aware of the ball coming right at you cuz your taught to pitch the right way...

you all are stupid...

Wish you luck man hope you pull threw

[matthewct1]

Wood bats all the way!!!! Metal bats are for skirts.

[strikeout52]

realmofoz, you might actually be mentally challenged, so im not gona be too harsh on you, but there is no way to get out of the way of a 130 mph line drive going strait at your head.

[realmofoz]

this is retarded. I used to fat pitch and never got hit in the head. I always ducked or got out of the way if I could not catch what was coming to me. Sure line drives are scary but this kid obviously was not paying attention or just doesn't have the skill to be pitcher, it takes more than pitching to be up there on the mound. I think this is a freak accident and it sucks but banning metal bats is going to be expensive plus they hit better with metal...use a heavier bat...

[corduroytv]

@realmofoz you were not there, you have no idea what you are talking about

[jmstrategery]

@realmofoz- you have got to be kidding me. it's one thing to call this a freak accident and disagree with banning metal bats, but to come online and insult a kid who is fighting for his life after a tragic brain injury and imply it's his own fault is just absolutely reprehensible. and you do this under the anonymity of "realmofoz". you are a douche.

[FandangoMyMango]

@realmofoz you do know this kid is in a coma right? Would you want soulless doucbebags on the internet trying to put you down while you are fighting for your life. You might be mentally retarded so il take it easy but to talk about how he is not fit to be a pitcher while he sits in a hospital bed is inhumane. I hope you get hit in your tiny pathetic balls tomorrow

[JPLP101]

LMFAO ! "Troll"

[freezedriedpoop]

And when the wooden bat breaks and some pitcher gets hit with a shard of wood and dies, I guess they'll have to use wiffel ball bats. This is fucking retarded.

[softsXeballchick3]

geez, softball players use metal bats. and the mound to the plate is shorter. i just dont see why they should ban them, one freak accident

[treid100182]

Get Well Soon, Buddy.

[imhtwo]

There is one reason why they dont use wooden bats and that is Money. Wood bats break and have to be replaced.

[FandangoMyMango]

@imhtwo You cant replace someones life.

[imhtwo]

@FandangoMyMango thats why its called life .

[FandangoMyMango]

@imhtwo Isnt replacing metal bats with wooden bats a small price to pay for someones life? How much would you pay for your loved ones? You cant put a price on someones life. THAT is why its called life.

[AlvaroAndfriends]

I strongly hope he recovers that sucks so badly.

[Tinchade]

Kid should have ducked.

[kinnoinen]

So why can't the pitcher use some head protection? There are plenty of baseball helmets available. In some countries you can't even play without one.

[444nice]

My prayers go out to the player and his family. But people have to understand that physical sports involve a certain degree of risk. I've personally seen rugby injuries that involved legs, jaws, and arms being broken. My father was at a minor league baseball game where the bat broke and severed the batter's jugular vein (I'm not making this up-the guy lived). And I'm sure everyone is aware of the power of a baseball hitting the chest. It can result in immediate death. You can't sugarcoat sports.

[WorldGamerX]

Will the Video ever be release??

[e3754]

shit happens.

[pointman131]

The pros never used metal bats, so that should not be an argument here. Baseball is a sport, and not unlike most other sports, there is some danger involved. If it were easy everyone would do it. I feel bad for the kid. A very good friend of mine got hit in the face ptiching two years ago. Pitchers are going to get hit, that's all there is to it. If you use a wooden bat, ball speed will fall, but not enough to avoid a trip to the ER if you catch it with your grill. I say no to the ban personally

[billeybop]

I pray he comes out ok. I'm pulling for you fellow!

[Gandhiablo]

They need aluminum gloves

[bukakee1]

So there is no available video of this?

[FandangoMyMango]

@bukakee1 You sick fuck he is my friend.

[mets558]

This is why i dont play in metal bat leagues anymore. I pitch, and ive been hit with a ball from a metal bat in the knee, and it took about 3 months to heal fully. i had a limp for most of that time. I play American Legion now, which is wood bat only, and my team won the CT state championship. I would have to say that wood bat leagues are much more fun because it feels more like baseball. Plus, I became a better hitter using wood. All leagues should be wood no matter what.

[DevilDog0311ooRAH]

@mets558 lol who the hell cares what you do

[mets558]

@DevilDog0311ooRAH

ur kind of a troll arent you?

[DevilDog0311ooRAH]

@mets558 troll? lmfao what are u 12 years old. all i am saying is why are you writing your whole baseball story on youtube like any one gives a shit. your kind of lonely aren't you? lol if you can't find a hug find jesus.

[strikeout52]

the batter hit the ball into the kids head

[isreal194]

Can some one please explane to me why some one thowing a ball to a guys face has anything to do with the bats?

[jerdeb4evr]

Go back to sleep

[FandangoMyMango]

@isreal194 the batter smashed the ball and the line drive struck Gunnars head. He has a name he is not kid. His name is Gunnar and he is friends with my cousin

[strikeout52]

Anyone who says he should have moved out of the way or this kid isnt a real baseball player is an idiot. The ball was going 130 mph and there is no way he could have gotten out of the way or caught it. Anyone with a soul would be more sympathetic to a kid who is in a coma right now. This could have all been prevented if wood bats were used.

[jerdeb4evr]

What is it ...90' from mound to plate? That gives him a reaction time of less than a second

[tocaeltumbao]

Fuck, I wanted to see the video. This is the same yahoo clip.

[m16figure8]

man that sucks.

[locovi11]

@gandhiablo i couldnt agree more with ya i got a returning fast ball 2 my nutsack

[KDizzledontask]

Don't ban the bat...better your reflexes or pitch something they can't hit...

[papercuter2]

Im sorry can anyone tell me what went on? from what i saw it was someone getting injured by the ball or the metal bat and they said that metal bats are bad and how are they? not an insult im just unclear of what is going on =[

[darmstrong11]

When a ball is hit with a metal bat it has the ability to travel at very fast speeds, more so than with a wooden bat. So the pitcher threw it, and the batter hit the ball back up the middle at over 100mph, struck the pitcher in the head and messed him up. That is the quick rundown.

[silvereagle2061]

no more metal bats

[He805]

My prayers are with Gunnar now.I hope he gets well soon!

Greetings from Norway

[rockhardsolid1]

Show the footage!!

[pubtor]

wow

[nadiaTeeze]

We're such a reactive culture.  How many kids play baseball every year with metal bats? How many kids get seriously hurt? Is this incident statistically significant at all? anyone?

[NYatheist]

I recall seeing once that quite a few youth league players have been killed from various causes, even things like being hit by lightning, when they failed to vacate the field after the umpire called off the game. A minor league( pro ) base coach was struck in the head and killed by a batted ball in recent years, as a result helmets are now mandatory for base coaches, in the majors as well. So yes is the answer, baseball has significant hazzards that need to be addressed, especially for youth.

[NYatheist]

The problem is that most leagues use aluminum bats because they last longer, therefore put much less of a demand on the budget. So it's a matter of money, which is no small concern. If I recall right a manufacturing company has experimented with a metal bat with a surface that has the ball react much like wood. That appears to be the solution if it can be produced. I hope to hear the young man has a full recovery and our national pastime becomes safer and these injuries become very rare.

[Gandhiablo]

If the pitcher gets beaned, does he take first base?

[Gandhiablo]

Head protection?

It's called a glove

[CQBatchelder]

@Gandhiablo Pshhh, if he was a real baseball player he would have caught it

[LucasMcQuinn]

You're an ass. I know the kid who was hit and he's a great player, but that doesn't matter. He's in a coma and your practically saying he sucks.

[jerdeb4evr]

he did

[Gandhiablo]

Keep your eye on the ball" goes for pitchers too

[nheitz]

No human is that fast. You got less than a second to move.

[Gandhiablo]

I was that fast

Picking line drives outta the air like stealin candy from a baby

[Gandhiablo]

Poor kid

[78UNKNOWN]

They need softer balls like tennis ball

[elspoko]

Yeah and nerf bats.

[Duxhockey77]

ew no

[cazyblood3]

wow

[avalon747]

If your hit in the head by a ball that's been hit with a wooden bat the same thing will happen, don't ban the bat, change the head gear!!!

[Movies96B]

Omg, someone with logic appears!

[darmstrong11]

@avalon747 But with a wooden bat the ball tends to travel with less velocity, allowing the pitcher more time to get out of the way. It is a matter of reaction time, the pitcher didn't move into the way of the ball, but it was an unfortunate incident that might have been avoiding, or at least happen less frequently, if the players were using wooden bats.

[cardnil2012]

well it is diffrent because you cant hit a baseball nearly as hard with a wood bat. That is why the MLB dont use em and cuz of weight. and other things im sure

[DermochelysCoriacea]

@avalon747 Nobody would deny that, but the ball travels at a faster velocity with metal bats.

[mdcollins16]

your stupid theyre not gonna make pitchers wear headgear, and wood bats dont have as much pop thats y theyre changing the rule real soon i hope

[GeminiAzules]

ive busted wooden bats.  they are more dangerous if the pieces go flying.

[darmstrong11]

@GeminiAzules Some wooden bats splinter worse than others, that is a whole other debate but one that should be had if we are discussing child safety.

[KirbyPwnz13]

Baseball isn't even a sport. Notice how many fat asses play it!

[TAKEMONEY9]

since when did one's physical size determine whether something is a sport or not

[Gandhiablo]

Pitchers nightmare; The instant return fast ball.

Aluminum bats are not dangerous

They are obnoxious

[ryen1992]

ban the Fkn bats. stupid California.