Dodgers Already Extending Protective Netting After Cody Bellinger Incident
By Max Scoli
It has become much too common these days for well-struck foul balls to result in injuries for fans who pay to attend MLB games. The most recent example of this took place on Sunday, when a Cody Bellinger liner struck a young fan in the head.
Despite a bit of fan uproar to the contrary, the Los Angeles Dodgers have responded rather quickly, stating that they plan to extend the protective netting around the stadium to ensure the safety and well-being of all fans.
#Dodgers will extend netting to protect fans at Dodger Stadium. Team president Stan Kasten said details are being worked out and an announcement will be made in “the next couple weeks.”https://t.co/IHm8Va0N77
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) June 24, 2019
According to Dodgers President Stan Kasten, this has been something on the mind of the Los Angeles ball club for quite some time.
“We have been talking for some time with different providers and looking at different options,” Kasten said. “Surely we will be expanding netting. I don’t know yet the final configuration. Obviously there are some different choices to be made."
- Stan Kasten
More and more teams have discussed the idea of extending the netting, but few throughout the MLB have actually acted. Although the allure of catching a foul ball is part of the excitement of attending a game, these teams must also be sure that the fans are safe.
The bottom line? People have died attending baseball games, and that needs to stop right now. It has nothing to do with fan alertness. It's simply something that doesn't need to be a risk.