The Mets will be "installing extra protective netting at Citi Field in the next month in an attempt to protect fans from getting hit by foul balls," according to Anthony Rieber of NEWSDAY. The team said the 97% "invisible" netting will be in place by July 14, when the Mets return from the All-Star break. The Mets will "expand the current 30-foot high netting behind home plate to the far end of the dugouts and will add eight-foot high netting down the foul lines" (NEWSDAY, 6/16). In N.Y., Zach Schonbrun notes the move comes a little more than a month after N.Y. City Council member Rafael Espinal Jr. "introduced a bill requiring local stadiums to enhance their safety measures to defend fans against foul balls and broken bats." He called on the Mets and the Yankees to "extend their netting" beyond MLB's recommendation of 70 feet from home plate, which "reaches to the beginning of each dugout." Although a young fan was "injured by a broken bat at Yankee Stadium last month, requiring hospitalization, the Yankees have made no indication that they are willing to accede to Espinal’s request" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/16). Also in N.Y., John Harper writes the Mets' move "surely puts more pressure" on the Yankees to "do something similar -- especially after" the incident that injured the fan (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/16).
