Baseball has always scared the heck out of me. I'd rather catch a football over the middle against Ray Lewis than face Randy Johnson at the plate or try to catch a line drive up the middle. Classic "scared of the ball" kid and never grew out of it.
What's amazing is Sosa didn't even get knocked down...he sorta stumbled back then knelt down... He went to the hospital for some cursory examination and came back to the clubhouse before the end of the game.
In that photo, the ball is recoiling backward after hitting his helmet, by the way.
Getting hit in the face with a baseball is NOT fun (I foul tipped a ball right into my right eye in junior year, my eye-socket didn't fracture but I had a hellofalot of swelling...) but it can also be relatively painless (a friend of mine took a sharp 1-hop ground ball right on the cheekbone, you could see the seams on his cheek... he was fine, nothing even puffed up)
I'm sure Sammy will be fine, esp if he came back to the stadium before the game was over...
were there any retaliatory pitches from the cubs?
he was probably hanging over the plate anyway... with all the armor they wear now...
I'm sure Sammy will be fine, esp if he came back to the stadium before the game was over...
were there any retaliatory pitches from the cubs?
he was probably hanging over the plate anyway... with all the armor they wear now...
Yeah, his head was in the strikezone, not. Don't be ridiculous. The anti-armor argument is ludicrous. You've just seen the power of a wild fastball, and you're going to bring up the armor argument? If armor goes, then helmets should go too because they're just another form of armor.
And yes, when Salomon Torres came up to bat, he was beaned in the knee. There should have been an ejection right there.
BTW, do you see any armor on Sosa in that photo other than the helmet?
Ya, its been quite the wild week in MLB as far as people geting drilled. One game emptied the benches two times due to pitcher/hitter fights.
I caught the Diamondbacks vs Cardinals fight where Batista threw the ball at Tino Martinez after Tino started charging...and he missed!!! He was about 2 feet away! No wonder the D'backs are in last place...they can't throw strikes!
Anyone ever been killed at the plate? It's not really that far fetched, if not in the pros, in some local league. A girl died at an NHL game last year, hit with a puck.
What would it take? Helmet slips a little, an off balance batter catches one in the temple. Batters almost always pick up the ball in time to react at least a little, but it's possible that a guy could lapse just enough to really get creamed.
Anyone ever been killed at the plate? It's not really that far fetched, if not in the pros, in some local league. A girl died at an NHL game last year, hit with a puck.
What would it take? Helmet slips a little, an off balance batter catches one in the temple. Batters almost always pick up the ball in time to react at least a little, but it's possible that a guy could lapse just enough to really get creamed.
Ray Chapman was killed in 1920 by a pitch that cracked his skull.
There has only been one player killed from a beaning during an MLB game. Ray Chapman roundabout 1920 or so. Back before they used helmets. Might have been before the rabbit ball as well which was introduced at about that time. I don't know but I would presume that the deadball was a bit heavier but also not quite as tightly wound so that it would give more on impact. Not sure aobut that the ball at all though.
Kids die on occasion at other levels of baseball, both hitters and pitchers who get hit with batted balls. Not common but it happens every few years at least.
Interestingly, of the 68 deaths, half were from getting hit in the head but the other half apparently were from getting struck in the chest. I would have presumed most deaths were from getting hit in the dome.
Now that you mention the chest thing, that's right, I remember a case not too long ago about a kid getting hit in the chest and dying as a result, Aparently, that one is a real fluke, and the impact doesn't have to be very hard at all it just has to hit in the right spot during a specific point in the heart beat. Very rare, but not rare enough.
And yes, when Salomon Torres came up to bat, he was beaned in the knee. There should have been an ejection right there.
I suppose but even at the risk of an ejection the Cubs pitcher had to retaliate. Hitting someone on the knee isn't anywhere near as serious as taking a fastball to the head. And with Sosa being the Cubs best player, their pitcher just had to stand up for his guys.
Comments
Baseball has always scared the heck out of me. I'd rather catch a football over the middle against Ray Lewis than face Randy Johnson at the plate or try to catch a line drive up the middle. Classic "scared of the ball" kid and never grew out of it.
Jeff
In that photo, the ball is recoiling backward after hitting his helmet, by the way.
Eh, if it was hockey he'd get some smelling salts on the bench and be back in there. Unless it's a friggin Swede!!
I'm sure Sammy will be fine, esp if he came back to the stadium before the game was over...
were there any retaliatory pitches from the cubs?
he was probably hanging over the plate anyway... with all the armor they wear now...
Originally posted by murbot
Oh, I thought it was the energy field around the ball hitting him before the ball got there.
Some people might have assumed Sosa was batting lefty and the ball shot right through the visor. :P
Originally posted by Paul
I'm sure Sammy will be fine, esp if he came back to the stadium before the game was over...
were there any retaliatory pitches from the cubs?
he was probably hanging over the plate anyway... with all the armor they wear now...
Yeah, his head was in the strikezone, not. Don't be ridiculous. The anti-armor argument is ludicrous. You've just seen the power of a wild fastball, and you're going to bring up the armor argument? If armor goes, then helmets should go too because they're just another form of armor.
And yes, when Salomon Torres came up to bat, he was beaned in the knee. There should have been an ejection right there.
BTW, do you see any armor on Sosa in that photo other than the helmet?
Originally posted by murbot
Oh, I thought it was the energy field around the ball hitting him before the ball got there.
I thought exact the same thing, and wanted to write a reply to Eugene, but you catched me first..
then i realized it's as hard to be "a little bit" high as it is to be "a little bit" pregnant
hockey players have the option of a full face shield or cage helmet (required in junior)
baseball equipment options seem more limited despite similar tech and high impact projectile risk
Originally posted by MGG
Ya, its been quite the wild week in MLB as far as people geting drilled. One game emptied the benches two times due to pitcher/hitter fights.
I caught the Diamondbacks vs Cardinals fight where Batista threw the ball at Tino Martinez after Tino started charging...and he missed!!! He was about 2 feet away! No wonder the D'backs are in last place...they can't throw strikes!
What would it take? Helmet slips a little, an off balance batter catches one in the temple. Batters almost always pick up the ball in time to react at least a little, but it's possible that a guy could lapse just enough to really get creamed.
Originally posted by Matsu
Anyone ever been killed at the plate? It's not really that far fetched, if not in the pros, in some local league. A girl died at an NHL game last year, hit with a puck.
What would it take? Helmet slips a little, an off balance batter catches one in the temple. Batters almost always pick up the ball in time to react at least a little, but it's possible that a guy could lapse just enough to really get creamed.
Ray Chapman was killed in 1920 by a pitch that cracked his skull.
Kids die on occasion at other levels of baseball, both hitters and pitchers who get hit with batted balls. Not common but it happens every few years at least.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml96/96140.html
Interestingly, of the 68 deaths, half were from getting hit in the head but the other half apparently were from getting struck in the chest. I would have presumed most deaths were from getting hit in the dome.
Originally posted by Eugene
And yes, when Salomon Torres came up to bat, he was beaned in the knee. There should have been an ejection right there.
I suppose but even at the risk of an ejection the Cubs pitcher had to retaliate. Hitting someone on the knee isn't anywhere near as serious as taking a fastball to the head. And with Sosa being the Cubs best player, their pitcher just had to stand up for his guys.
i've seen somone get hit in teh eye before and there was SO much blood it was sick
wonder if he'll be hesistant next time he is up to bat