"I went in the room and took my stuff off right away

NEW YORK -- Big league pitchers might feel safer on the mound this season. Chad Williams Cardinals Jersey . Major League Baseball has approved a protective cap for pitchers, hoping to reduce the damage from line drives to head that have brought some terrifying and bloody scenes in the last few years. The heavier and bigger new hat was introduced Tuesday and will be available for testing during spring training on a voluntary basis. Major leaguers and minor leaguers wont be required to wear it -- comfort is likely to be a primary concern. "Obviously, itd be a change," two-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers told the MLB Network. "Im definitely not opposed to it." "I think itd take a lot of getting used to," he said. "You dont look very cool, Ill be honest." The safety plates made by isoBLOX are sewn into the hat and custom fitted. They weigh an extra six to seven ounces -- a baseball weighs about five ounces, by comparison -- and offer protection to the forehead, temples and sides of the head. Theyll make the hats about a half-inch thicker in the front and around an inch wider on the sides. Several pitchers have been hit in the head by line drives in the recent seasons. Brandon McCarthy sustained a brain contusion and skull fracture after being struck in 2012 and Doug Fister was hit during the World Series that October. Torontos J.A. Happ and Tampa Bays Alex Cobb were sidelined after being hit last year. McCarthy tweeted that he had already tried out the fortified cap and that it was "headed in right direction but not game ready." Said Arizona reliever Brad Ziegler: "I think theyre on the right track, but the hat they approved isnt remotely close to comfortable enough to wear in games." In an email to The Associated Press, he said, "If youre not 100 per cent focused on executing your pitches, you have almost no chance of success. And that hat is uncomfortable enough that it would be a big distraction to wear it." "We talked to a lot of guys who had been through this, and they provided a wealth of information to help us," said Bruce Foster, CEO of the 4Licensing Corporation, parent company of isoBLOX. "We went through a myriad of different designs to develop this." Foster said the cap went through extensive testing and provided protection from line drives up to 90 mph in the front of the head and 85 mph on the side. Line drives in the majors have been clocked at even faster rates. While the hat is "slightly bigger" than a regular baseball cap, Foster said: "Its not going to be a Gazoo hat." Several years ago, MLB introduced larger batting helmets that offered increased safety. But big leaguers mostly rejected them, saying they looked funny and made them resemble the Great Gazoo, a character on the "The Flintstones" cartoon series. In recent seasons, pitchers have said they would try padded caps, provided they werent too cumbersome. "You see guys get hit with line drives. I know in the last couple of years there have been several of them. So it happens. You want to be wary of it," All-Star closer Glen Perkins of the Minnesota Twins said. "Player safety is important. I think finding a solution is good." "But by the sounds of what they have, I dont know if thats entirely feasible to go out there with basically a helmet on your head and pitch. Without seeing it or trying it on, I hate to make a blanket judgment. But just thinking out loud, that seems a little bit much. Just the bulkiness," he said. In December 2012, MLB medical director Dr. Gary Green presented ideas on protective headgear to executives, doctors and trainers. The prototypes under study included some made of Kevlar, the high-impact material often worn by military and law enforcement and NFL players. Several companies tried without success to make a product that would be approved by MLB and the players union. While isoBLOX was first to get the OK, other firms still might submit proposals. Foster said the caps design diffuses the impact of being hit, rather than only absorbing the shock. The technology will be available on the retail market for ballplayers of all ages in a form of a skull cap. A memo from MLB will advise teams that the caps are available in spring training, and pitchers who express interest in testing will be fitted. MLB can require minor leaguers to wear it, but has no plans now to do that. "I think it will be one of those things that people will wear them when they have to wear them. Maybe a guy here or a guy there," Perkins said. Star closer Grant Balfour said, "I am always appreciative of anything that will make the game safer. That being said, I may try it. Just not sure yet until I see it. Has to fit with a cap and be comfortable." MLB didnt make the use of helmets or protective cap inserts mandatory for batters until the National League required them for the 1956 season. Helmets werent required until the 1971 season and, even then, they werent mandatory for players already in the big leagues. An earflap on the side of the head facing the pitcher was required for new players starting in 1983. "Its nice to see any sport take precautions to prevent injury," San Francisco reliever Javier Lopez said. "That being said, I look forward to seeing what the finished product looks like. And if it helps just one pitcher, then its worth it. Its always nice to have safety nets." Added Boston reliever Craig Breslow: "Im not certain how many players will be testing the new equipment, but I think all at least appreciate the effort. " Josh Rosen Jersey . With a victory seemingly slipping away late in the third quarter, his quick scoring flurry helped Golden State regain control early in the fourth. Justin Pugh Jersey .com Tours season-opening Colombia Championship on Sunday, breaking the course record with an 8-under 63 in the completion of the third round before rain washed out play. http://www.nflcardinalsrookiestore.com/Cardinals-Andre-Smith-Jersey/ . Jim Leyland, in his eighth playoffs, has never had a starting rotation he trusts as much as the grouping of Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez and Doug Fister. ST. LOUIS -- Stars forward Rich Peverley remained hospitalized Tuesday in Dallas, undergoing heart tests after collapsing on the bench during a game that was postponed. His teammates? They are trying to deal with what they saw. After an eerily quiet flight and sleepless nights all around, the Stars were back on the ice for a morning skate in St. Louis, relieved that Peverleys irregular heart condition had stabilized but clearly shaken by an event that puts their playoff push in perspective. Even if the NHL hadnt postponed the game Monday night in Dallas with the Blue Jackets leading 1-0 early in the first period, linemate Tyler Seguin was done for the night. Hed come off the ice just ahead of Peverley and was right there when Peverley lost consciousness during what the team called a "cardiac event." "I went in the room and took my stuff off right away," Seguin said, his voice catching a bit. "I was right beside him when it was all happening." Forward Vernon Fiddler was with Nashville when the Red Wings Jiri Fischer collapsed on the Detroit bench in 2005, also from a heart problem. "You dont expect that ever to happen," Fiddler said. "Ive been unfortunate to be part of both of those." Fiddler was among four Stars players made available after the morning skate, a veteran hoping to help the kids cope. "Its pretty emotional when you see your teammate collapse like that," Fiddler said. "We have some young guys on the team and its a lot more difficult for them because they havent been through things the older guys have been through. Youve got to help them through that." For one Stars teammate, Alex Chiasson, it was too much. The team said he had joined Peverley in a Dallas hospital for observation because he was so distraught. "Yeah, yeah, he wasnt doing good," coach Lindy Ruff said. "A lot of anxiety associated with what happened last night." The Blues also had emotions to sort out. Coach Ken Hitchcock was watching on TV and remembered "the silence was deafening." Hitchcock rewound his DVR and then froze the screen trying to detect who was in peril on the Stars bench, then waited nervously for an update. "Lindy saying hes OK, hes asking about Can he play? again, I think calmed everybody down," Hitchcock said. "But there was no way you could play the game. The look on the players faces on both sides, there was no way you could play the game." Blues forward Brenden Morrow has vivid memories of Buffalos Richard Zednik getting his throat slashed by the skate of a tumbling teammate in 2008. Morrow roomed with Zednik in juniors and the two were close friends. &qquot;Those are scary things," Morrow said. Brice Butler Jersey. "I dont even know where to begin with what theyre thinking in that locker room." The 31-year-old Peverley, who averaged 16 minutes of ice time in all six games of the Stanley Cup last season with Boston, was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat in training camp and underwent a procedure that sidelined him through the first regular season game. He had played in 60 consecutive games before sitting out at Columbus last week due to effects of his heart condition, but Mondays game was his third straight since then. "Hes always taken the precautions, hes a very focused, organized guy, you can say," said Seguin, who won a Stanley Cup with Peverley in Boston. "Sometimes bad things happen to good people." A doctor who specializes in the study of athletes and heart conditions questioned whether Peverley should have been playing, while taking care not to criticize those handling his medical needs. "Its a symptomatic athlete," said Dr. Barry Maron of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation. "Thats the key. A symptomatic athlete with known heart disease whos out there. That would not seem to be optimal." Ruff said there were no previous concerns about Peverley and praised team doctors for doing "a fabulous job monitoring the situation." Before the morning skate, Ruff emphasized the positive medical report. "Hes doing good, hes stable and hes in good spirits," he said. "A few guys whove interacted say hes got his sense of humour back already." General manager Jim Nill said Peverley was undergoing tests to find the "cause of the event and a long-term solution." The condition places Peverelys career in jeopardy and its likely he wont be back this season. Ruff, asked whether there was a prognosis for Peverleys return, replied: "No, no, nothing." This adds poignancy to Peverleys request, upon being revived, to get back out there. Every NHL season is filled with tales of players heading to the dressing room for repairs, getting stitched up, then rejoining the action seemingly no worse for wear. "Athletes in general, hockey players in general are kind of weird that way," Stars wing Ray Whitney said. "Youll play through injuries. Im not sure about playing through a heart injury. Thats a little bit aggressive in my opinion, but thats Rich." The Stars recalled forward Colton Sceviour and Chris Mueller from their Texas AHL affiliate and Ruff said both would be in the lineup against the Blues. "Were still in a big playoff race," centre Jamie Benn said. "I guess well be playing for Rich tonight." Cheap Predators Jerseys Cheap Jets Jerseys Cheap Ducks Jerseys Cheap Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Sharks Jerseys Cheap Canucks Jerseys Cheap Bruins Jerseys Cheap Sabres Jerseys Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Canadiens Jerseys Cheap Senators Jerseys Cheap Hurricanes Jerseys Cheap Blue Jackets Jerseys Cheap Islanders Jerseys Cheap Rangers Jerseys Cheap Flyers Jerseys ' ' '