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A fan, who was accidentally hit in the head with a broken bat by Oakland Athletics' Brett Lawrie, is helped from the stands during a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday, June 5, 2015. The game was stopped while they wheeled her down the first base line.

(Charles Krupa | AP)

One of the scariest scenes in recent memory played out at Fenway Park on Friday evening when a female fan was struck with the sharp end of a broken bat. Now, in the aftermath of a nightmare for the sport, it might be time to consider a simple way to protect fans from injury at future games.

Baseball games feature netting directly behind home plate. While they are effective at stopping foul balls from hitting fans that wouldn't have enough reaction time, fans down the first and third base lines aren't protected—especially from broken bats that splinter and fly into the stands.

According to a Fox Sports report, MLB players proposed reform in 2007 and 2012 that would have extended netting down the lines, possibly all the way to the foul poles. Apparently, it was met with resistances from the owners.

"Some owners are afraid to upset the fans that pay some of the highest ticket prices, when in reality, it's an effort to protect those very fans," said Diamondbacks reliever Brad Ziegler. "(The owners) seem afraid that fans will lose access to the players - autographs, getting baseballs, etc. -- and that will cause those ticket holders to be unhappy. Or, that they'd have to watch the game through a net."

Where do you stand? Should baseball extend the netting? Would you be an upset customer if a net was above you in the lower level?

Vote in our poll and sound off below in the comments section!

Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.