Kevin Pillar is not a famous guy, he’s a tough guy. He’s not a superstar on the New York Mets, but he’s one of the group, a valued member of both roster and clubhouse, a guy to be relied on for effort and wise words and the right kind of example. He’s a career .262 hitter and he’s a friend to many. It’s been that way everywhere he’s played during a Major League Baseball career that’s on its fifth stop, even the places where his stay was brief. Which is part of why an incident that would have been scary and shocking no matter who it happened to, reverberated even more strongly this week. Pillar, 32, has unwittingly united baseball behind him. The Mets outfielder was readying to face Atlanta Braves pitcher Jacob Webb in the top of the seventh inning on Monday night when Webb uncorked a 95 mph fastball, but lost control of it. It flew high and inside, an unstoppable missile headed straight for Pillar’s face, dropping him immediately into the dirt. Blood spurted from his nose, which was broken in multiple places and will require surgery. A stunned hush fell over Atlanta’s Truist Park. There was so much blood they had to disinfect the soil. It was terrifying. As it came apparent that Pillar — while obviously far from “OK” — was able to leave the playing area under his own steam, baseball drew breath. Messages of support came pouring in. The days since have provided the opportunity for reflection, and some serious lingering concern. Baseball remains a sport that is both time-honored yet utterly modern. The traditions and customs of the game remain rooted and revered, yet certain elements of how it is played are evolving at warp speed. Strikeouts have been surging like crypto, with the exception that strikeouts didn’t tank this week. Players are throwing harder than ever, and the desire for extra speed is at an all-time high. And thus, batters are getting hit more frequently. The hit-by-pitch rate is now up to 0.46 per game, the loftiest mark in the modern era. That represents a 28% increase from 2017 and correlates to a rise in the number of pitchers who can throw an average fastball of at least 95 mph, namely 22% of the league’s arms. Often, when the ball strikes a batter, the contact is mild or incidental. But not always. “Not all (pitches) shatter noses, strike cheekbones or injure wrists,” wrote USA TODAY’s Gabe Lacques. “But baseball is a game largely of probability … there is a growing concern more players could end up in ambulances rather than shaking it off and ambling to first.” Lacques spoke to Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi, who admitted he screamed at the television as he watched the Mets-Braves game at home. He surely wasn’t the only one. Even watching it now on replay, knowing what is coming, sends a chill down the spine and makes you flinch. There are different parts to the story. There is Webb, the unfortunate pitcher who meant no malice and was visibly shaken by what transpired. “This is the first time I’ve had an incident like this,” Webb told reporters. “It’s tough. You never want to hurt a fellow competitor. It’s definitely tough moving forward.” He and Pillar have met and texted, the batter reassuring the man whose fireball cracked him open that there is no ill-feeling. “I’m almost more worried about him than I am myself,” Pillar said. “I saw his reaction. I know how tough that can be when someone feels responsible for someone getting injured.” Then there is the impact on baseball, generally. Hitters wouldn’t be human if they weren’t affected by what they had seen. The Pillar incident follows on from the Phillies’ Bryce Harper being struck on the cheekbone by a recent thunderbolt from St. Louis Cardinals lefty Genesis Cabrera. There seems to be a growing school of thought among managers that something needs to be done. No one knows quite what. Does it come down to protective equipment measures or more subtle tweaks that deal with how teams are handling their farm system? Simply put, pitchers are being brought up quicker and more is being asked of them. Accuracy is going to be affected in such scenarios. Good luck finding a fix for that. The final piece to this week’s puzzle is Pillar, who has worn his plight manfully and become truly beloved within the sport because of it. On Tuesday, Pillar marched into the clubhouse and said he wanted to play. The Mets won’t let him, of course, and he’s now on the 10-day DL. But he’ll probably be back some time in June, maybe wearing a protective mask. The season is still young but that one dramatic moment has left the sport with a lot to deal with. Pillar’s injury is a warning and an acknowledgement that baseball is a tremendous sport, but not a soft one. There are issues to be addressed, an ongoing worry to hopefully solve and, thanks to Pillar, a reminder that for all its competitive ferocity, baseball cares about its own. Here’s what others have said … Will Laws, Sports Illustrated: “Perhaps the answer is to mandate some sort of extended face mask for hitters, similar to the one (Giancarlo) Stanton uses. Perhaps it’s moving back the mound a few feet to give players more reaction time … Whatever it is, it’s time to stop waving this away as part of the game and look for a solution before someone else gets seriously hurt.” Brian Snitker, Atlanta Braves Manager: “That’s about as sickening as a thing as you can see on a baseball field…this guy is nothing but a pro the way he carries himself, how he plays the game.” Jeff Mathis, Atlanta Braves Catcher: “Nobody in the ballpark thought he (Jacob Webb) was trying to do that on purpose. He felt terrible.” |
