Arizona Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale: Hits batsmen an epidemic in baseball

PHOENIX — Nearly nine months have passed, but baseball players are like elephants, they never forget.

With that said, neither Arizona Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale nor first baseman Paul Goldschmidt believe there will be any carryover from the last time the Arizona Diamondbacks and Pittsburgh Pirates shared the same field.

“Both teams want to win games,” Hale said prior to the series opener Friday. “They’re a very good team. They have a playoff-experienced team, so we’re going to have to be ready to play.”

For those who might’ve forgotten, it was Aug. 2, 2014, a day after Goldschmidt was hit with a pitch on his hand — resulting in a fracture — when reliever Randall Delgado hit outfielder Andrew McCutchen with a fastball — allegedly on purpose.

McCutchen was none too pleased.

“They did what they needed to do. It’s water under the bridge, so we’ll move on,” he said at the time, before adding, “Just remember: I don’t forget.”

The D-backs and Pirates played one more game after those comments, though nothing transpired.

Fast forward to 2015 and these two clubs are spending their first extended time together — a three-game weekend series — since their respective All-Stars got plunked.

Again, Hale thinks what’s done is done.

Yet, the first-year manager can’t help but look at what’s happening around his sport, especially in light of the recent fracas between Chicago and Kansas City.

“I think this whole hits batsman deal has become an epidemic in baseball. It’s too bad,” he said. “Those balls up around the head area are the ones that are dangerous. So, we’ve got to be really careful and really coach our guys the right way. If you’re going to pitch in, you have to know how to pitch in down in the zone more.”

In the National League, no team has hit more batters than the Pirates (11), while the D-backs rank third with seven.

Kansas City and Texas outpace all of baseball with 17.

“You have to understand what teams are trying to do,” Hale said. “If they’re trying to pitch in, like I said, and they’re pitching up near the face and you have to use your hands to protect yourself, you end up breaking your hand or your wrist. It’s on us, and, for me, it’s on the coaching staff. We should know who can pitch in and whose ball takes off when you do pitch in.

“Of course, if your guys continue to get hit, you’re going to have to hit somebody on their team — but hit them in the right way, hit them in the lower part of the body.”

Playing parts of seven big league seasons, Hale was hit seven times, six while with Minnesota in 1993.

“My whole point when I played was if I got hit, I went down to first base. It was good for my on-base percentage,” he said. “But, guys just do not like to get hit now. But I can understand up in the head area: It’s just not right.”

Hitters shouldn’t have to worry about baseballs hurtling towards their heads, but pitchers, according to Hale, do need to know how to protect the inside part of the plate.

“You have to pitch in; that’s part of baseball,” he said. “If you don’t pitch in, you’re going to get hurt (giving up base hits). These hitters are too good, so I understand the fact of trying to pitch in. You just have to know how to do it the correct way.”