The replies were to two specific tweets, both related to that horrific moment in last night’s Cubs-Astros game, when a foul ball off the bat of Albert Almora Jr. stuck a young girl in the stands at Minute Maid Park. One was from Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart, pleading for more nets in ballparks. The other was from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, passing along thoughts from Kris Bryant about expanded safety netting.

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I was stunned at the number of replies against the netting. Staunchly, vehemently against the safety netting. Angrily, even. I just don’t understand it. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a precious child hit with the ball — even though, as a dad of a 9-month-old girl, Wednesday night’s incident hits especially close to home — or an in-their-prime adult or retired person — like the 79-year-old who died after she was hit by a foul ball at Dodger Stadium last year. 

I’ve written about the need for expanded safety netting, and I’m still stunned that baseball hasn’t mandated thorough rules to protect its patrons. The powers-that-be have taken steps in the right direction, but they’re too slow and too small. 

Think the players want extended netting? Look at Almora’s reaction during the game when he went over to the area where the girl was hit. 

And then listen to him talk about it after the game. 

The anti-netting crowd splits into two basic schools of thought: 1. The nets distract my view; 2. Pay attention and you won’t get hit.

The first one is just, well, stupid. It takes about five seconds to adjust to sitting behind a net, and then it becomes basically invisible. There’s no reason to dwell on that one. I’m convinced the people who use that argument just like to hate things. 

I want to talk about the second one. In short, it’s also stupid. If you believe that, I’m not saying you’re a stupid person, but you do have a stupid opinion on this subject. Nobody in the ballpark is paying attention every single second of every single pitch, and all it takes is a split second for everything to change. 

Nothing about this is funny, but that way of thinking — pay attention and you’ll be fine — reminds me of a bit from one of Jerry Seinfeld’s stand-up sets. 

Yeah. We think we’re more than we are. 

He continues … 

Don’t worry about me! I’ll duck out of the way of that baseball launched more than 100 mph off the bat just 200 or so feet away. Or better yet, I’ll catch it bare-handed without even spilling my beer!

Nah, you won’t. If you think that’s how it’ll go down, it’s because you haven’t faced down the reality of a baseball screaming directly at you. Amazing how quickly that opinion can change. 

It’s common sense, and everyone will eventually reach that conclusion. Extend the netting. Now.