23 September, 2017
On Thursday, the Cincinnati Reds announced that they will extend the netting at the Great American Ballpark in time for next season.
Calls for additional protection came after a foul drive off the bat of Yankee third baseman Todd Frazier struck a toddler during Wednesday's matchup with the Minnesota Twins.
It was only six weeks ago the Yankees "were seriously exploring" extending the netting prior to the 2018 season following a similar incident.
A Boston Red Sox fan almost died after being hit by a chunk of shattered bat at Fenway Park in 2015.
The Colorado Rockies said they would look at modifying Coors Fields in Denver, but stopped short of a full commitment, calling the issue "complex". As of now, only the Mets, Royals, Twins, and Nationals have extra netting that extends as far as the end of the dugout. The Commissioner's Office has retained a consultant specializing in stadium architecture and protective netting to assist interested Clubs in implementing this recommendation. "This recommendation attempts to balance the need for an adequate number of seating options with our desire to preserve the interactive pre-game and in-game fan experience that often centers around the dugouts, where fans can catch foul balls, see their favorite players up close and, if they are lucky, catch a tossed ball or other souvenir". Information about where these seats are are available at the point of sale, whether online or at a ticket window.
"The events at yesterday's game involving a young girl were extremely upsetting for everyone in our game".
There is no hard rule required expanded netting around major league ballparks. "In light of yesterday's event, we will redouble our efforts on this important issue".
Some cities, including NY, are considering passing city ordinances to require teams to extend netting to protect fans.
Netting has been a topic of discussion in league circles for years.
