Nearly seven months after he needed emergency brain surgery because a line drive struck him on the right side of the head, Matt Shoemaker said he's "perfectly comfortable" on the mound and has settled on a protective insert in his cap as he returns to the Los Angeles Angels' rotation.
The 30-year-old righty, who is in the running to pitch the team's opener, told Outside the Lines he experimented with four or five headwear products during the offseason and spring training, narrowed the options to two and concluded the Safer Sports Technologies Pro Performance carbon-fiber head guard is the one that best meets his requirement of increased protection while feeling like a regular ball cap.