NEU » ch, right? Well, I mentioned momentum i

One day after a line drive that left the bat at 105 mph struck Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon in the head, the teams athletic trainer said the point of impact was the logo on the back of Taillons cap.Ive been in baseball 18 years -- 10 in the majors -- and its the first time Ive seen a pitcher get hit in that particular place, Todd Tomczyk told ESPNs Outside the Lines on Wednesday.Milwaukees Hernan Perez hit the second-inning line drive that struck Taillon in the back of the head. The rookie right-hander stayed in the game, allowing only one run over six innings.Hes doing well today and were monitoring him, Tomczyk said.There were four barriers, Tomczyk said, that helped prevent a brain injury to Taillon: The cap itself, the logo, his hair and his skull.Every time a pitcher gets hit in the head by a line drive, the protection question arises. According to Tomczyk, the protective headwear Major League Baseball and the players association introduced in February would not have provided additional protection where Taillon was struck.?About two-dozen pitchers were given the MLB/MLBPA prototype in spring training, but none of them have decided to wear it in a game.Tomczyk said that in the spring all Pirates pitchers were encouraged to consider the MLB/MLBPA hybrid of a cap and helmet -- as it was described in February to Outside the Lines by MLB vice president Patrick Houlihan. The customized hats are about 0.7 inches thick and weigh 10 to 12 ounces, have a carbon fiber shell and roughly resemble sun visors with extended forehead and temple coverage, with single earflaps like batting helmets.Pirates righty Jared Hughes told Outside the Lines on Wednesday he likes the MLB/MLBPA prototype, but spring training wasnt enough time for him to get sufficiently used to it to wear it in games. He said he expects to work out with it extensively this offseason and will seriously consider wearing it next year.Hughes chin and cheek were grazed by a liner last August; he put his glove up in time to partially deflect?the drive. He said he never watches the video of that incident.Its just scary, Hughes said of the Taillon incident. You immediately start praying.Many pitchers have said the look of any headwear product is an important factor in whether theyll wear it, but Hughes said that means zero to him. He said the prototype, developed by the California-based company Boombang, was comfortable for him in spring training bullpen sessions and simulated games, but that he needs more time.It provides protection for the temple on the side you pitch from, so its a pretty smart thing, in my opinion, Hughes said. Im going to give it a fair, fair shot, and if I can get used to it, Ill wear it [in games] and maybe other guys will follow.Protective headwear is optional, and pitchers can wear any type they like, with or without league approval, as long as it doesnt interfere with play or violate licensing agreements. To date, the only other approved product was the bulky foam isoBLOX cap that was only worn in the majors by former Padres and Mets left-hander Alex Torres, who is now a minor leaguer.Houstons Collin McHugh wears a carbon fiber partial insert made by Safer Sports Technologies, whose CEO?said Wednesday that he or McHugh might contact Taillon about considering the product.Tomczyk said Taillon tried on the MLB/MLBPA helmet-cap in spring training, but unlike Hughes and teammates Juan Nicasio and Mark Melancon, he didnt wear it for any workouts.No current Pirates pitcher, Tomczyk said, is wearing any protective headwear.Contacted Wednesday by Outside the Lines, MLBs Houlihan said, We feel comfortable about where we ended up with the product. Its protective and lightweight, would get the job done [on batted balls that strike it] and we hope players consider it.Deebo Samuel Jersey . -- Team after team passed on Andre Ellington in the draft. Deebo Samuel 49ers Jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. http://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Deion-Sanders-Jersey/ .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. Mitch Wishnowsky Womens Jersey . -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December. Terrell Owens 49ers Jersey . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday.Our experts weigh in on four of the biggest questions in NASCAR:Turn 1: Its the final chapter of Tony Stewarts career. How will he be remembered?Ricky Craven, ESPN NASCAR analyst: Tony will be remembered as a wheel man, which translates to being able to drive anything, anywhere really, really fast. He will also be remembered as a bit of a mystery as it relates to his volatile personality. There are times when he demonstrates the highest form of intolerance for any and all. There are other times when he demonstrates deep concern, giving and compassion. He strikes me as someone who wakes up one morning communicating, I am who I am; you dont like it, tough! Wakes up the next day wanting the world to realize he is a pretty good guy. This I know for certain: Tony Stewart will be remembered as one of a kind.Someone takes this fair stuff pretty serious!!! @TonyStewart pic.twitter.com/46FKQPVqnL- Tony Gibson (@TonyOldman41) September 15, 2016Ryan McGee, ESPN.com: Among race fans, hell be remembered as the last gasp of the old school, the last of the beloved cranky a--h----. Thats a compliment. Thats a group that includes A.J. Foyt and Dale Earnhardt. You knew that you couldnt throw one by them and you knew that they couldve taken any type of car on any type track -- including your car on your track -- and figured out a way to beat you with it. Among non-race fans and among a lot of short-track fans, hell be remembered for that night at Canandaigua, and he knows that. I think thats part of why hell throw himself back into that industry that he loves so much once he has the time.John Oreovicz, ESPN.com: A lot of different ways. Its well documented that Stewart has a heart of gold and he plays well with fans. But when it comes to his fellow drivers and the media, hes a classic bully. I certainly respect much of what Stewart accomplished on the track in his career -- hes the rare modern-era driver who has done it all and done it well. Yet I believe he will be remembered more for his unpleasant behavior off the track -- the tantrums override the talent.Bob Pockrass, ESPN.com: As a person who loved motorsports to its core and had an impact on anyone who races stock cars or sprint cars or late models or Modifieds. He believes theres a way motorsports should operate in every way at every level, and when it doesnt happen, its hard for him to accept that, on or off the track. And FYI, the career will continue -- just not in a Sprint Cup car.Turn 2: Which Chevrolet driver has the best shot to win the title?Craven: Without question, Kevin Harvick. Whats interesting is Chevrolet has eight cars in the Chase -- half the field. But only Harvick demonstrates week in and week out the ability to match the Toyota drivers. Thats because Harvick is an outstanding talent that only in the past three seasons has been acknowledged as such. Kyle Larson would be an excellent dark horse pick. He has the speed -- but probably not the experience -- to go all the way. Harvick has both.McGee: Kevin Harvick. I think momentum counts when heading into the postseason and he has a ton of it. His pep talk seems to have worked with his crew. And no one has more experience in this final four format than Happy.Oreovicz: Kyle Larson. The journey to his first Cupp Series win was longer and more frustrating than he or anyone else expected, but it was worth the wait.dddddddddddd Freed from that burden, were already seeing that the best is yet to come from this young man, and Chip Ganassi will not be satisfied until he adds a Cup Series title to his many IndyCar championships. With Larson, hes got a guy whos capable of doing that -- if not this year, than in the near future.Pockrass: Kevin Harvick. He is the only one with consistent enough speed to match the Toyotas on a weekly basis. He also has won the championship before in the elimination format. If anything, hes focused.Turn 3: Which Ford driver has the best shot to win the title?Craven: Probably Brad Keselowski. But Im not confident there will be room for a Ford in Miamis final four. The numbers simply arent adding up.McGee: Brad Keselowski. His teammate, Joey Logano, has run better over the month, but Keselowski has shown he can be consistent and win races. Hes won four times. History says that you have to reach Victory Lane to win this thing, and no one has done it more this season than Brad.Oreovicz: Brad Keselowski. You could say its pretty much a toss-up between Kez and Logano, but Brad has put together a more consistent season and is the Ford driver who looks most likely to win on a weekly basis.Pockrass: Brad Keselowski. He has found a way to win more often this year than Logano. Keselowskis win at Las Vegas shows its possible at an intermediate track under the 2016 rules package for a Ford to win. Or was possible.?Turn 4: Which Toyota driver has the best shot to win the title?Craven: Kyle Busch has the least amount of pressure as the defending champ and he is the favorite in my mind. Denny Hamlin is the one who could upset the apple cart, so to speak. His qualifying this year has been ridiculous. He has 24 consecutive top-10 starts, and 12th being his worst all year. Qualifying well is critical, because it establishes the tone for the weekend and creates momentum for the team.McGee: Martin Truex Jr. Based on everything I just said about Keselowski I should have picked Kyle Busch, right? Well, I mentioned momentum in regards to Harvick and Truex has every bit as much momentum as anyone. Yes, his luck has been awful this year, but even with that he stayed top 10 in points all season and earned a dozen top-10s. And I think theres something to be said about using up that bad luck in the spring and summer.Oreovicz: Kyle Busch. Hes the driver with the most talent within Joe Gibbs Racing and the one most likely to come through to score a race win when it really matters. Matt Kenseth should be strong too, but a bigger threat within the Toyota camp is Martin Truex Jr. in the Furniture Row Racing car. With JGR equipment and rising star crew chief Cole Pearn calling the shots, Truex has to be considered a favorite to make the final four at Homestead for the second year in a row.Pockrass: Carl Edwards. The Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. teams seem prone to too many mistakes. Matt Kenseth hasnt been as strong as his teammates. And Kyle Busch won it last year and would be too easy of a pick. ' ' '