# Protective netting vs. fan exposure at baseball games **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 20, 2017, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435 "2017-06-20T12:53:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2017, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/21 "2017-06-20T22:27:28Z")
Measure how far the farthest bat has flown. Put up netting to there, plus 5 yards. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/22 "2017-06-21T14:49:49Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > One big difference is the type of wood used. In the past, bats were nearly always made of ash, but, now, many players use maple bats. Maple wood is supposed to be harder, but it’s also more prone to breaking – and, when it breaks, it’s more likely to shatter into sharp splinters. Bad enough to have half of an ash bat flying into the stands; even worse for it to be half of a maple bat, with one end shaped like a spear tip. Bats also have much, ,much thinner handles than they used to. Go ahead, google something like “Mickey Mantle bat” and you will see many pictures of bats used by ol’ Number 7. Then Google “Mike Trout bat.” Or any other modern star. The handles are visibly thinner. This allows for the bat to be slightly lighter but have more weight towards the ends - which makes them more prone to shattering. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/23 "2017-06-21T17:23:32Z")
I go to a ton of games (don’t tell the people my stats for this year, **Asimovian** ). I have poor depth perception and I literally think every ball is coming towards me. It’s scary and it sucks. Closest I ever came was in about 2014, behind the plate but to the right of the net (a bit before Progressive Field’s net expansion) a ball came screaming two rows ahead of us. Someone had a badly bruised arm. My friends and I were all cowering like babies. I am nervous as hell when I’m down near the dugouts. I literally only sit down there when I’m with my friend who brings her glove (I don’t bother to bring my glove. I can’t friggin see fast enough.) I generally avoid screaming-foul-ball areas, and prefer lazy-pop-up-foul-ball areas like the second deck. Excellent seats, to me, are behind the plate and behind the net. I also like the DH so I’m sure no one gives a fuck what I think about nets. I guess I leave it to the team insurance consultant to decide where to put the nets, and buy my tickets in safer zones. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/24 "2017-06-21T18:20:33Z")
**ZipperJJ** , why do you bother with good seats then? Just sit somewhere much safer. (I also like the DH rule being an evil scum-sucking Yankees fan like I am). Most game I’ve gone to in the last 20 years have not been where I need to worry about foul balls or bats simply as I don’t want to pay that kind of money most of the time. As I said above, I don’t like the idea of the extra nets but I sadly see the need for it these days. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/25 "2017-06-21T19:37:02Z")
One could wear a Darth Vader helmet. Might even get on camera that way. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/26 "2017-06-21T22:22:01Z")
Am I the only one who brings a glove? ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/27 "2017-06-21T22:49:51Z")
The netting I’ve seen has been made of about 1.75" nylon mesh. Not difficult at all to see through, IMO. Takes maybe ten minutes to adjust to, if that long. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/28 "2017-06-21T23:18:22Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > The netting I’ve seen has been made of about 1.75" nylon mesh. Not difficult at all to see through, IMO. Takes maybe ten minutes to adjust to, if that long. People object more to losing the opportunity to catch a foul ball than the effect on visibility. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/29 "2017-06-22T00:51:58Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > **ZipperJJ** , why do you bother with good seats then? Just sit somewhere much safer. (I also like the DH rule being an evil scum-sucking Yankees fan like I am). I go to about a dozen games per year, often courtesy of free tickets, contests, special access to discounted good seats, etc. Or my friends want to sit down there. It’s rare that people actually want to go to baseball games at all so I don’t bitch about ticket locations 🙂 The last two times I was behind the plate in the lower deck in seats I purchased I was behind the net. It was fine and easy to see. And safe. Those seats in Cleveland are like $60 by the way. They are not the same as New York 🙂 I try to sit in all different places throughout the season. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/30 "2017-06-22T03:07:08Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > People object more to losing the opportunity to catch a foul ball than the effect on visibility. > [@](#): > > having to peer through netting is unacceptable struck me as though this person was watching the game through knotholes. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/31 "2017-06-22T12:31:56Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Am I the only one who brings a glove? Definitely not, as I mentioned before. But as the video **mhendo** linked to above demonstrates, that wouldn’t help most people. The ball was “hitting” most of those people before they had even registered that there _was_ a ball. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/32 "2017-06-22T13:00:31Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > The netting I’ve seen has been made of about 1.75" nylon mesh. Not difficult at all to see through, IMO. Takes maybe ten minutes to adjust to, if that long. Heck, ten minutes? I adjust to it in ten seconds; your eyes focus it away pretty quickly. I barely notice if I’m behind the netting or not. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/33 "2017-06-22T13:20:18Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Heck, ten minutes? I adjust to it in ten seconds; your eyes focus it away pretty quickly. I barely notice if I’m behind the netting or not. I agree. It’s essentially invisible. You won’t miss anything because the netting is there. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/34 "2017-06-22T20:11:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Heck, ten minutes? I adjust to it in ten seconds; your eyes focus it away pretty quickly. I barely notice if I’m behind the netting or not. Yes. I overshot, I guess. Didn’t want to hurt feelings. The net is no more obstructive than sunglasses. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/35 "2017-09-20T21:15:35Z")
I thought this might be an appropriate time to resurrect this thread. A young girl—a “toddler” according to[this ESPN story](http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20768433/young-new-york-yankees-fan-hit-face-foul-ball)—took a line-drive foul ball to the face at today’s Yankees game. She was taken to hospital, but no info yet on her condition. Get the fucking nets up, already. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435/36 "2017-09-20T21:48:41Z")
**mhendo** , I agree they should just go ahead and get it up and it sounds like it will be up for next year. However, from the radio broadcast I was listening to live, the net may not have helped this toddler. ETA: I found 1 report that she was in section 026. So based on that the extended netting would have protected her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protective-netting-vs-fan-exposure-at-baseball-games/789435.md?page=1)