7-day DL for concussions a popular option

Concussions have been on the mind of baseball for about two years. But it was only this winter that a committee was established to determine how the sport could best protect its players and umpires from the brain injuries that have become so common in all sports.

Just before Opening Day last month, Major League Baseball and the players' union announced a new set of protocols that included the creation of a seven-day disabled list specifically for players with concussions, as well as mandatory baseline testing and the use of outside experts to clear players before they can return.

"I think it's a good idea,'' said Mets third baseman David Wright, who went on the 15-day disabled list in 2009 with a concussion. "That was probably the best thing for me, to go against what I wanted to do and kind of trust the doctors. I didn't feel like I needed all 15 days, so I think it's good that you have that seven-day option.''

Medical research has shown that the average concussion clears within five to seven days, but when it came to putting baseball players on the disabled list, teams were restricted to either the 15- or 60-day lists. That meant players with concussions often were on the active rosters while they recovered, increasing the pressure on them to return quickly -- often before they were ready.

"The problem that baseball had with the 15-day disabled list was that the clubs were reluctant to put a player on it for 15 days if he could be back in seven days," MLB senior vice president of labor Dan Halem said. "So some players who maybe should have been on the disabled list probably weren't."

"I like it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of the new tool. "Sometimes that two or three days, or four or five, where a guy can't play really can put you in a hole when you don't want to sit him down 15 days. So I think it's great."

With AP