Cleats versus spikes cont...As is often the case there is no "right" or "wrong" answer to this “debate”. We will simply lay out what we have found in our research to help you make a more informed decision for yourself or your children. The case for metal spikes is that they can actually prevent injury in the infield (when on defense) especially on hard, clay infields. This is because the “deeper traction” afforded by spikes allows for firmer foot placement, and thus fewer slip-type injuries to ankle or knees. Of course the benefits of spikes for an infielder also comes with a downside, if he is facing an opponent with spikes on an incoming slide. The case for metal in the outfield stems largely from the irregular turf in many junior and high school and even college leagues. Again the “cutting movement” required at the crack of the bat is probably better served by metal than rubber in longer grass or uneven terrain. However, in the outfield, coaches claim a player should take even longer to get aquainted with spikes if they opt for them. This is because of the “blind running” outfielders must often engage in when chasing a fly ball. We have yet to see anyone agree with metal spikes for young pitchers - and we agree - the risk of knee injury is just too great compared to any competitive advantage metal may have over cleats. Lastly, a downside for the use of spikes is the common practice of players spiking themselves - this is seldom reported - but is probably far more common than players spiking opponents on hard slides. As mentioned above, we draw no conclusions for the reader, we leave that to you - there truly are pros and cons to using spikes over cleats. The only definite recommendation that we can make here is, whether choosing studs or (but especially) spikes, ensure your future all-star gets highly accustomed to them before playing in them!
 Custom Search
|
