A seven-day disabled list for concussions wouldn't have done
Aaron Hill much good when the
Toronto Blue Jays second baseman missed the final four months of 2008 with the injury.
That didn't stop him from saying the move, and several other guidelines instituted by Major League Baseball on Tuesday, was another positive sign the sport is doing more and more to address concussions.
MLB and the players' union announced a new set of protocols that take effect on opening day to deal with concussions, including the creation of the new seven-day disabled list that should give team doctors and the injured players more flexibility to address head injuries.
"I think it's good they're paying more attention to these things because they're seeing the long-term effects concussions can have on players," Hill said before the
Blue Jays played an exhibition game against Baltimore. "Not just baseball, but all sports. So, it's a good thing they're looking into it."
It's the latest in a series of moves by professional sports leagues to address an injury that doctors, players and executives are only beginning to fully understand. The NFL started imposing heavy fines and threatening suspensions for hits that were deemed illegal or dangerous last season. And NHL officials earlier this month recommended tighter enforcement of boarding and charging penalties in an effort to reduce concussions.
The joint statement from MLB and the union establishes mandatory baseline testing for all players and umpires and new steps for evaluating players who may have suffered the injury and for having them return to action.
