One of the most notable things of the 2018 season has been the C-flaps on the batting helmets. Those little extensions from the ear flap that cover a hitter’s jaw. Players have worn them for some time, but it seems like this year ten times more guys have them. It’s getting to the point where I guys not using them sticks out more than guys using them.
Danny Knobler of Bleacher Report has a story on those today. It’s about both their creation and ubiquity and on the fact that pitchers are probably in more danger of injury-causing baseball impacts but have no such equipment yet. There are obvious reasons for this -- pitchers are in motion and it’s far easier for equipment to disrupt their vision or balance than more stationary hitters -- but it’s still a problem baseball needs to solve.
As the story suggests, I bet the C-flap becomes required equipment relatively soon. Likewise, if I had to guess, pitchers will eventually be wearing modified, lightweight molded helmets one day that are more akin to something a jockey or a goalie might wear, with a solid face-mask structure, but what do I know?
