This post might just be therapy. Excuse me if it is.
I had a great late-afternoon at the ballpark, my San Francisco Giants v. the Milwaukee Brewers in a strange 4 pm start. I left work early and took my daughter Nora, who's home for Easter. She left in the 7th inning to have dinner with Dad, and I went down to visit my friend Tony, who has seats, literally, in the first row behind the on-deck circle. There was no extra seat there, so the ushers let us move to some empty seats to our left, first row, right behind home plate. Tony's wife called to say we were on TV. Good times! Brand new pitcher Joe Martinez was closing out the game -- we love Joe Martinez, we saw him pitch out of a few jams in Spring Training last month, he jumped straight up from Double-A ball, and he got the win on Opening Day -- and it was quickly two outs, two strikes, Giants up 7-1, Mike Cameron at the plate.
Then Cameron whacked the ball right back at Martinez, hit him in the head, and the ball ricocheted directly back at us. We were in no danger, safe behind the big screen; I only add that detail because I think it magnified the shock and the sickening thwack of the ball off Martinez's head. I can still hear it, and I wish I couldn't. Martinez took a few steps, then went down to his knees, bleeding from his temple and his nose. Benjie Molina looked like he didn't know whether to chase the ball or rush out to Martinez, and Cameron wasn't running for a while either. Trainers and coaching staff ran out to Martinez; Molina just walked around home plate looking like he'd cry; I think Cameron was in tears crouching at second base, with Giants players coming over to comfort him -- including left-fielder Fred Lewis, who hit a line drive that fractured an opposing pitcher's skull in the minor leagues -- while Brandon Fedders warmed up to take Martinez's plate.
Cameron collided with former Mets teammate Carlos Beltran a few years ago and wound up with a serious concussion, which he was no doubt reliving today. Almost as much as Martinez, my heart goes out to Cameron. I'm haunted by Mark Benjamin's great reporting about the prevalence, and undertreatment, of PTSD in the military, and I don't want to trivialize war by comparing it to baseball, but looking at Cameron you had to see a kind of PTSD in his reaction. After the game, longtime Giants announcer and former pitcher Mike Krukow talked about the time he took a ball off his forehead, and how long he relived the experience, and the normally goofy Krukow sounded like he was never entirely the same, either.
Martinez walked off the field, thank God, and was reported to be alert after the game, but heading for a CTscan and MRI. After catcher Mike Metheny's set of career-ending concussions a few years back, the Giants are very careful about head injuries, and nobody could have seen what happened and not thought about the death of Natasha Richardson after a trivial-seeming head injury last month. Coming the same day as the death of Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, 22, in a traffic accident, it made an already sad day for baseball a little bit worse. But the way both teams comforted one another's most devastated players out there on the field was a comfort, the best of baseball. So prayers and all good thoughts for Joe Martinez and Mike Cameron tonight. I hope to see Martinez back on the mound soon.
DakiniDancer
Niece of Dakini
Sheldon The Wonderhorse
Susan Walsh
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jimmymac1025
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I remember the Cameron/Beltran collision. That was bad, and I'm sure you're right that it left an impression on Cameron, as well as Beltran. Cameron's a hell of an outfielder, and I was bummed when the Mets traded him.
I love playing and watching sports. This kind of thing always seems shocking, even though the games involve people and objects moving very fast. And you're right, it's the sound of the impact or the fracture that strikes you most viscerally.
Here's hoping he recovers quickly and can continue to pitch with confidence.
When I was 10 I was pitching to my dad and he lined one right back to me that got me in the head. I can still see the agonized look on his face as he dropped the bat and started running toward me even before the ball found its mark. I never pitched again after that.
All prayers for Mike Cameron and Joe Martinez, for sure.
Thanks, everybody, for participating in my therapy. I sit with Tony once or twice a year and always feel blessed to be there; I mean, you really see the patterns on the dirt around the batter's box and the dirt on the players' pants. It's breathtaking. I could see how furious J.J. Hardy was when Martinez struck him out right before Cameron came up. I'll need to get my confidence back, too, in order to sit there again -- but I will! Kidding, sort of.
(This reminded me of what it might have felt/looked like with my relative, Ray Chapman, a Cleveland Indian who was hit by a pitch at Yankee Stadium in 1920 and killed instantly. *shiver*)
If that name doesn't ring a bell, go here:
Herb Score
.
Nora came home and we watched back to back episodes of Millionaire Matchmaker. Trash TV is soothing.
Thanks everyone -- shaggylocks, I must be feeling better, because I had to ask -- am I in the video? When my friend's wife called to say she saw us on TV my first thought was I was wearing no makeup and dressed like hell. The depths of my shallowness are infinite.
Warm thoughts for Martinez, Cameron and everyone here. Thanks!
Who gives a shit? Not me, not any of my friends. I don't understand the whole pro athlete thing.
It's so very hard to understand anything.
I just want to scream and then go to ... someplace I won't be recognized.
I want to open a place where we insult the a-listers on purpose, like when they check in you toss them a key and a map and tell the to dine their own fucking room.
How's that for starters.
Does you feel better, nice and superior now?
Sorry Joan, got off track, wasn't sure who I was blogging to for a moment there. Just a brief moment, but then I remembered, and I have to tell you, you probably don't want to hear this but I'd be doing you a disservice after all these years. The fact is, from what I've heard, they're only keeping you around till that big wedding shebang goes off. After that, you're toast.
You're only hope is to keep this romance between you and the Freaky Troll alive and burning as long as possible.
It's not just about you. In the end FReaky is keeping us all in clover here, but that could all change in a New York minute.
Oy Vey.
There's nothing like the thrill of baseball and I love the game but, plays such as this are just too scary and sobering. We can do without that!
We're all just human bodies in the end, vulnerable and susceptible.
On that fateful day, as the Yankees played the Indians, Score threw a fast ball which Gil MacDougal lined back hitting him in the eye. It was the virtual end of the career of a fellow who so early in that career set a strike out record. Lord knows how many more records he would have set. In addition to his fast-ball speed, he gave up fewest hits per 9 innings per season, What a shame, just as it is a shame that Nick Adenhart, 22 years old who'd just pitched 6 shut-out innings died when the car in which he was riding home from that game was hit by a drunk driver. It brought tears to my eyes.
I shall never forget that MacDougal at bat. In fact, his career also faded afterwards. Prayesr for all. Score died recently.
I was shopping with a friend of mine one time when I passed out on the floor. Rather than crumpling up in a heap, I slammed my head on the tiled floor. According to my friend, a large portion of the mall went silent and then gasped after they heard my head make contact. (I'm fine...I think ;-)
Here's hoping Martinez makes a quick recovery. I'm sure he's got one hell of a headache today.
I'll never forget the Joe Theisman hit when his leg snapped. I hope those two players bounce back.
I can imagine how you feel. My eldest daughter plays goalie on a soccer team, and when she goes down, my heart stops. I wrote a few weeks ago about going to a hockey game and watching a player get badly injured and the home crowd heckling him as he was laying motionless on the ice. Infuriating.
When I used to write about sports, I know that one of the things pitchers worked over and over again on was the "comeback" the ball hit directly back at you that could hurt you. I'm so sorry that it came back at him so fast he couldn't get out of the way. I'm sorry you saw it, and I'm grateful your daughter missed it. I'll keep him in my thoughts.
Thanks for showing us your vulnerable side.
But I'd like to say that you should never make Combat PTSD the only PTSD that can be talked about. There are many things in life that lead to the condition, and many people in this world who suffer from PTSD in various levels of severity.
Food for thought..
Rated & Cheers!
Sorry you had to witness that come-backer from the front row.
I hope this does not come off callous, but I think there is a lesson in this accident. More and more pitchers are throwing with bad form that leaves them open to injury.
Here's what I mean: Mike Mussina and Greg Maddux are about the only two pitchers I can think of who finish their motion properly. When you're a young Little Leaguer, coaches, or at least good coaches, always say you should finish your motion squared to the plate with your hands in front of you. That's because a ball can be hit back at you--your body and hands need to be properly positioned so you can react.
I did not pay close attention to Martinez's motion, but many major-league pitchers are finishing by falling off to one side of the mound, leaving them vulnerable.
I hope that all young pitchers watched this closely. Mussina and Maddux didn't win all those Gold Gloves for anything. Their good defense often meant they were the best at protecting themselves.
-AB
I don't remember seeing the ball, I don't remember anything, but somehow, I managed to get my glove down and caught it.
I caught the ball about half an inch away from my crotch.
Yes, I was wearing a cup. But that wouldn't have done much good.
They train batters to hit the ball back up the middle. Guess who is in the way if they do that? Yup, a human being who is probably about 55 feet away after he's finished with his delivery.
Drill a ball back at him at 90 mph and he's got virtually no time to react. It's all reflexes and luck at that point.
The Angels' pitcher Nick Adenhart died.
He was a local Hagerstown, Marylander.
He died in an automobile accident in Cal.
The tragedy was just hours after he pitched.
What grief! Nick was killed in an automobile.
Williamsport high school is just six miles away.
He died moments after making a debut with the Los Angelos, Angels. He was the top-ranked hopeful rookie, said, Baseball America.
Sad. Very.
~
The Orioles ump has a compulsion?
I never go to the games never never.
Thee ump sweeps the plate all night.
Peter Angelos is the crooked lawyer?
He owns the Baltimore Orioles team.
~
Back to a tragic death of a local youth...
Condolences to the Adenhart family.
Sincerest condolences. What a grief.
Nick's father flew to yesterday's game.
Nick died after the ball game was over.
Sad news spreads fast around the area.
Nick Adenhart was a local 22 year old.
Mourning. This is rural farm boy area.
It's sad news. Again. My condolences.
Writer Adam, I don't think there's anything wrong with what you said. I would love to see drills to help pitchers handle line drives back at them, if there aren't some already. I had to wonder if jumping from Double-A to the majors might have cut out some of Martinez's prep time. And sure, we could develop head-gear, but would they wear it?
zumalicious, you're right, I would never make combat PTSD the only PTSD. And thanks to people who were sympathetic about my own trauma at having seen it. I minimize that, but it did remind me that I saw someone shot at close range once, standing in line outside a skeezy bar in my 20s. I have to admit this brought that back too.
Yes, jimmymac, I was sick to my stomach all last night. But I'll go home and watch tonight.
As my dad told me you have to get back on the horse and ride. Ball players are tough people, but they are human. Whether they get hit by the ball or hit the ball that hits the man. I feel terrible for both guys.
In case anyone miss the latest, Martinez did have hairline skull fractures but everyone's saying he will be fine. They are keeping him in the hospital another few days, which relieves me.
I really, really, really want to see him pitch again.
Giants down 4-2 v. the Padres, btw. I am very very invested in this team now; interesting outcome.
i still love to catch a fast ball in a great mitt
however these players head injuries sound devastating
maybe a small fetus used in stem cell research can replace anything that used to be irreputable
what do you think about that?
The Padres are in first place! The Padres are in first place! The Padres are in first place!
Not going to be able to say that for much longer.
Rated
There have been lots of careers that have ended by not being able to return to the field after getting hit by a ball, and I'm not just talking about pitchers. Batters who did the damage all the way the 1st base coach to the 3rd base coach and around have been hit and left the game.
SF Giants website has, "Martinez on 15 Day DL ...." The voice over
saying, "...less than 1/10th of a second to react..."
Joe Martinez nearly gloved that ball; the motion of a champion!
Your eyewitness telling of opening day is appreciated; the way you change the up beat frivolity and tranquility of an afternoon to the gasp --- the adroit discard of all but humanistic helplessness --- and
yet Joe Martenez balances to his feet. Beautiful, spiritual.
I can only imagine how much faster that baseball was traveling that hit Martinez and the sickening sound it made as it hit. I hope everyone involved heals quickly with no unknown injuries lurking beneath the surface to haunt them later.
Once when I was working as a bartender in Hawaii, two men stood at my bar, directly in front of me, having a quiet conversation. Without warning, the haole raised a Corona bottle and cracked it into the face of the smaller Filipino man. I saw blood and the Filipino man slip out of view below the bar, and I found myself unable to stop screaming (until my manager grabbed hold of boy of my shoulders, shook them and ordered me to get a hold of myself) from the sudden violence.
Do you have another hat?
Cheers!