Some Thoughts on Baseball Rules and Some Thoughts on Baseball Rules and Player Safety Michael A. Clark Institute for the Study of Youth Sports In baseball, as in any sport, rules determine how the game is played.
Rules also can affect the safety or athletes.
This has been recognized in youth and scholastic baseball for some time. For example, long-standing rules regarding catcher's equipment and batting helmets indicate the importance attached to player safety. As a result, many serious injuries have been avoided, but many still occur. Some well-thought out rules changes likely may reduce further the incidence and severity of injuries. Many of the following suggestions come from work done by researchers at the Institute as well as elsewhere.