Home-plate umpire Brian O’Nora was hit in the head by a broken bat and had to leave Tuesday night’s game at Kauffman Stadium between the Rockies and Royals. O’Nora was struck in the forehead by the barrel of Miguel Olivo’s maple bat which snapped as he hit a ground ball in the second inning. Royals’ athletic trainer Nick Swartz reported that O’Nora suffered a small laceration of the forehead and was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital for treatment.

For the last couple of years there’s has been much talk and debate about whether or not maple bats should be banned from baseball.  Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association agreed on Tuesday that maple bats need to be tested, although they are not ready to call for a ban.

As far as umpire O’Nora, I’ve always wondered why umpires behind the plate only wear a hat under their mask?  There are some umpires who use the hockey mask style face and head guard, but O’Nora like many umps wears just the face guard over a hat.  I’m glad he’s alright and it’s a freak accident, but when will MLB or the umpire’s union wake up and require umpires to wear a helmet similar to what the first and third base coaches wear under their mask.  Had he been wearing that type of protection, the side of O’Nora’s head wouldn’t have been cut.