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Kiké Hernández grew to become the newest sensation to take the mound in L.A. final week. His scoreless look towards the Marlins on April 29 drew extra consideration than regular for a place participant pitching — not for the spectacular array of sluggish curves he floated out over the plate however due to the style assertion he made within the course of.
Making his first look as a pitcher at Dodger Stadium, Hernández wore a pitchers’ helmet over his cap. It was a well-recognized sight to anybody who had hung out across the Dodgers throughout Spring Coaching, nevertheless it had but to see any recreation motion.
The helmet had been provided to Bobby Miller by a physician after the right-hander was struck on the top by a line drive in his Cactus League debut. Miller had little interest in utilizing the protecting headwear, however Hernández took a shine to it and commenced carrying it round Camelback Ranch.
And naturally, the weird — but sensible — headgear resurfaced once more when Hernández made his sixth profession pitching look.
“Him carrying it final night time was undoubtedly one thing completely different and new,” lefty Alex Vesia mentioned. “And he rocked it. I assumed it was superior.”
However as a lot because the Dodgers loved the present, a pattern of pitchers polled on Hernández’s helmet had been in agency settlement: They don’t seem to be planning on attempting it out any time quickly.
Kirby Yates: “All people’s considered it. However the thought of doing it … I feel, clearly, it is good to guard your self. However so far as that specific merchandise, I do not know if it might be snug.”
Luis García: “I do not assume so. No. Not even the hat that they [made] a pair years in the past. No. I do not assume so.”
It is not unprecedented for pitchers to experiment with some type of head safety, nevertheless it’s nonetheless an unusual sight to see somebody on the mound carrying any headgear past a regular cap. Among the many current improvements have been padded caps and Kevlar inserts, however nothing has actually caught on league-wide.
However the thought of carrying some kind of protecting gear nonetheless appeals to some pitchers, particularly within the wake of an harm like Miller’s throughout spring. Critical head accidents can value greater than only a taking part in profession.
“Clearly, when Bobby obtained hit on the top throughout Spring Coaching, that was a giant eye opener, like how actual it may be. Fortunately he is OK and doing good and whatnot,” Vesia mentioned. “I feel it was a pair days later that Kiké had introduced that [helmet] out. … I used to be eager about it, similar to, might this be carried out in some unspecified time in the future?
“It’s totally large and ponderous. So I feel it might undoubtedly take a while to get used to, simply because a baseball cap is so gentle. For me, I do not actually discover it after I’m pitching. So it might undoubtedly take a while to get used to.”
The potential discomfort of carrying a helmet whereas on the mound got here up probably the most amongst Dodgers pitchers. So the prospect of attempting out one thing that may really feel much less invasive obtained probably the most constructive reception.
“They’ve these Kevlar inserts that you could put in your hat which are in all probability the most effective factor that I’ve seen,” Yates mentioned. “I am certain after utilizing that a couple of occasions, you in all probability do not even know it is there. It is type of like PitchCom, proper? You place the PitchCom in there, the primary couple occasions, it is bizarre. Now it is like you do not even discover it.”
The identical might even be true for a helmet after an adjustment interval. Besides, the thought of carrying head safety nonetheless does not maintain a lot attraction for some.
“No, I simply would by no means put on it,” Scott mentioned. “I do not assume it might be snug. However I feel it matches [Kiké] very nicely.”
Hernández mentioned that as a result of he is used to carrying batting helmets, he does not actually really feel any completely different pitching with or with out the helmet.
Properly, apart from one factor.
“I felt far more secure,” Hernández mentioned.
