NEW YORK -- Big league pitchers might feel safer on the mound this season. Major League Baseball has approved a protective cap for pitchers, hoping to reduce the damage from line drives to head that have brought some terrifying and bloody scenes in the last few years. The heavier and bigger new hat was introduced Tuesday and will be available for testing during spring training on a voluntary basis. Major leaguers and minor leaguers wont be required to wear it -- comfort is likely to be a primary concern. "Obviously, itd be a change," two-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers told the MLB Network. "Im definitely not opposed to it." "I think itd take a lot of getting used to," he said. "You dont look very cool, Ill be honest." The safety plates made by isoBLOX are sewn into the hat and custom fitted. They weigh an extra six to seven ounces -- a baseball weighs about five ounces, by comparison -- and offer protection to the forehead, temples and sides of the head. Theyll make the hats about a half-inch thicker in the front and around an inch wider on the sides. Several pitchers have been hit in the head by line drives in the recent seasons. Brandon McCarthy sustained a brain contusion and skull fracture after being struck in 2012 and Doug Fister was hit during the World Series that October. Torontos J.A. Happ and Tampa Bays Alex Cobb were sidelined after being hit last year. McCarthy tweeted that he had already tried out the fortified cap and that it was "headed in right direction but not game ready." Said Arizona reliever Brad Ziegler: "I think theyre on the right track, but the hat they approved isnt remotely close to comfortable enough to wear in games." In an email to The Associated Press, he said, "If youre not 100 per cent focused on executing your pitches, you have almost no chance of success. And that hat is uncomfortable enough that it would be a big distraction to wear it." "We talked to a lot of guys who had been through this, and they provided a wealth of information to help us," said Bruce Foster, CEO of the 4Licensing Corporation, parent company of isoBLOX. "We went through a myriad of different designs to develop this." Foster said the cap went through extensive testing and provided protection from line drives up to 90 mph in the front of the head and 85 mph on the side. Line drives in the majors have been clocked at even faster rates. While the hat is "slightly bigger" than a regular baseball cap, Foster said: "Its not going to be a Gazoo hat." Several years ago, MLB introduced larger batting helmets that offered increased safety. But big leaguers mostly rejected them, saying they looked funny and made them resemble the Great Gazoo, a character on the "The Flintstones" cartoon series. In recent seasons, pitchers have said they would try padded caps, provided they werent too cumbersome. "You see guys get hit with line drives. I know in the last couple of years there have been several of them. So it happens. You want to be wary of it," All-Star closer Glen Perkins of the Minnesota Twins said. "Player safety is important. I think finding a solution is good." "But by the sounds of what they have, I dont know if thats entirely feasible to go out there with basically a helmet on your head and pitch. Without seeing it or trying it on, I hate to make a blanket judgment. But just thinking out loud, that seems a little bit much. Just the bulkiness," he said. In December 2012, MLB medical director Dr. Gary Green presented ideas on protective headgear to executives, doctors and trainers. The prototypes under study included some made of Kevlar, the high-impact material often worn by military and law enforcement and NFL players. Several companies tried without success to make a product that would be approved by MLB and the players union. While isoBLOX was first to get the OK, other firms still might submit proposals. Foster said the caps design diffuses the impact of being hit, rather than only absorbing the shock. The technology will be available on the retail market for ballplayers of all ages in a form of a skull cap. A memo from MLB will advise teams that the caps are available in spring training, and pitchers who express interest in testing will be fitted. MLB can require minor leaguers to wear it, but has no plans now to do that. "I think it will be one of those things that people will wear them when they have to wear them. Maybe a guy here or a guy there," Perkins said. Star closer Grant Balfour said, "I am always appreciative of anything that will make the game safer. That being said, I may try it. Just not sure yet until I see it. Has to fit with a cap and be comfortable." MLB didnt make the use of helmets or protective cap inserts mandatory for batters until the National League required them for the 1956 season. Helmets werent required until the 1971 season and, even then, they werent mandatory for players already in the big leagues. An earflap on the side of the head facing the pitcher was required for new players starting in 1983. "Its nice to see any sport take precautions to prevent injury," San Francisco reliever Javier Lopez said. "That being said, I look forward to seeing what the finished product looks like. And if it helps just one pitcher, then its worth it. Its always nice to have safety nets." Added Boston reliever Craig Breslow: "Im not certain how many players will be testing the new equipment, but I think all at least appreciate the effort. " Nike Air Max 97 Sverige . -- Felix Girard scored on the power play in the third period to lift the Baie-Comeau Drakkar past the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 4-3 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Friday. Nike Air Max 90 Sverige . After rookie right-hander Alex Colome excelled in a 5-2 victory in the opener, the Rays fell to Chris Tillman and the Orioles 4-1 on Friday night. http://www.reaairmaxsverige.com/air-max-...ite-rabatt.html. -- Jonathan Vilmas season is over and his future on the football field is in doubt. Nike Air Max Plus Rea .com) - A pair of Eastern Conference rivals will meet on Saturday as D. Nike Air Max 2020 Rea . Karlovic of Croatia used his big serve to beat Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic 7-6 (6), 7-6 (7). Kohlschreiber had lost all of his three previous matches against Istomin but the German broke serve for a decisive 3-2 lead in the third set and held on to reach his first final of the year.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Lakers started the 2012 season 0-3 and the third straight loss came at the hands of the rival Clippers. History could repeat itself when the Pacific foes renew their rivalry Friday night at Staples Center. The Lakers lost their season opener to Houston, 108-90, then were hammered in Phoenix by a 119-99 score Wednesday. Kobe Bryant, who scored 19 points in Tuesdays loss to the Rockets, put up 31 points on 11-of-25 shooting against the Suns. Bryant, of course, is coming back from an Achilles tear and knee injury. I told you guys from the beginning I am back to myself, Bryant said. Ed Davis and Wayne Ellington rounded out the double-digit scorers for Los Angeles with 14 and 13 points, respectively, off the bench. The Suns had six players in double figures, including two with 20 or more, and scored a 39-23 difference in the third quarter. Jeremy Lin has yet to score in double figures with seven and six points in his first two games with LA. Los Angeles is without rookie forward Julius Randle (leg) for the season and is 9-2 in the last 11 games on Halloween-night games. The team is 11-5 overall on the specific night. While the Lakers, who are the home team on Friday night, could finish near the bottom of the Western Conference, the Clippers are expected to be at the top. The Clippers got their season started off with a bang,, handing the Kevin Durant-less Oklahoma City Thunder a 93-90 defeat Thursday night.dddddddddddd Thunder guard Russell Westbrook is supposed to pick up the slack in Durants absence, but he suffered a broken hand early in the game. Still, Los Angeles had trouble with OKC and managed to prevail even though it shot 39.1 percent from the floor. Blake Griffin led the hosts with 23 points and seven rebounds, while Chris Paul posted 22 points and seven assists. LA was dreadful from 3-point territory, going 7-for-30 beyond the arc. The Clippers were even outrebounded, 47-33, but had 14 on the offensive end. Opening nights are tough. We won but we didnt play well, Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said. I didnt like our tempo. We have to play at a better pace. DeAndre Jordan grabbed 10 boards to go along with eight points. Jamal Crawford scored 16 points off the bench. This was the first regular season game for new Clippers owner and former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who purchased the team for a record $2 billion this offseason. The Clippers went 3-1 against the Lakers last season and won all four meetings in 2012-13. The Lakers are 10-3 in the last 13 games as the host in this series and lead the all-time rivalry, 144-56. Bryant is averaging 25.9 points in 64 career games (56 starts) against the Clippers. He has two 50-point games against them. ' ' '