Safety at the Old Ball Game

Safety in professional baseball has once again become a talking point after another fan injury from a foul ball.

Christina Kahrl writes about the issues and it got me thinking about a possible solution.
Every child that comes to a game wants a autograph or a foul ball and those are the seeds that baseball needs to plant as it attempts to hook young people on the game as other sports and activities continue to eat away at a stronghold that baseball once owned.
As an autographer,you know that access means everything to my hobby,so I do have some concerns about various ideas that have been tossed around.
And at the same time when I go to the Muni for a game,I sit behind the screen in the covered grandstand for three reasons.
The first is the panoramic view of the field (great for the scorebook),the second is the cooler weather (always a summer plus),but the third is this-safety.
It is always so easy,whether you are a huge fan or just a casual fan to get distracted by conversation or other things going on in the stadium.
I sometimes can get distracted just by keeping the book and I'm trying to pay close attention!
Plus friends and occasionally others come up to me and want to talk graphing,baseball and even the blog and podcast,so it can be easy to allow one's attention to wander from the field.
Now consider the attention span of children and adults that are there more to hang out with friends and family more than watching the game itself and imagine the damage a smacked ball straight at you can do.
This is a problem that has always existed and simply will not go away until addressed.

Hockey style boards are a possibility further down the baseline seating,but plexiglas can get scratched so easily and I'm willing to bet that fans are going to be very angry with the diminished views,especially with sun reflection and extra heat from the glass for day games.

Extending the net a little further might not be a bad idea,but some have floated moving the nets down to the foul pole and there is your access drop off to the players and foul balls.
The nets keep getting better and better so concern about a visual problem isn't quite as bad as access to the field.

My solution?
The Sunsetter.
You have to have seen the Sunsetter commercial as a retractable awning to give shade to decks and patios,so you know what I'm talking about.
Imagine a retractable net that could go up before the game or even between innings to improve safety yet keep the access to the game .
Imagine a awning to provide shade,take some of the steam off the batted ball,yet still allow fans to grab a coveted souvenir.
This avenue would improve safety and not take away what so many fans go to the game for.
It would likely take some tinkering around and there would be an occasional hiccup,but they've done reasonably well with the retractable roof,why not this?
Sure,there is an expense and the minors will feel the pain of the cost,but to me-something along this vein is worth pursuing and thinking about.
It just might be the solution that baseball has been looking for.....