Brandon McCarthy Suffered A Skull Fracture, An Epidural Hemorrhage & Brain Contusion

[Wonderful Monds]

http://deadspin.com/5941193/brandon-mccarthy-suffered-a-skull-fracture-an-epidural-hemorrhage-and-a-brain-contusion

[Tom Servo]

Was shocked to see that headline earlier, I had no idea it was that serious. I've always been a fan of McCarthy (I strongly advocated the Reds pick him up after Texas gave up on him) as both a player and a person, and hopefully he recovers fully from this.

[Phhhl]

Horrible news. You forget how dangerous professional sports can be until something like this happens, the speed and the power of the game. I pray that everything goes well for McCarthy.

[oneupper]

I think he'll recover and play again, but it would be nice if some of the MDs we have on the board gave their opinions.

[CySeymour]

Very scary. It amazes me sometimes that this doesn't happen more, just goes to show how good some of those athletes are out there to defend themselves against shots back through the middle.

[George Anderson]

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3040/3031183043_eaca661cb8.jpg


Herb Score

[westofyou]

The games greatest catalyst is fear, fear of the ball in the box and on the mound


Just ask Tony C

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0904/this.day.sports.history.april8/images/Tony-Conigliarol.jpg

[RedsBaron]

The games greatest catalyst is fear, fear of the ball in the box and on the mound


Just ask Tony C

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0904/this.day.sports.history.april8/images/Tony-Conigliarol.jpg

I wish we could.
Tony C. had such a tragic baseball career in a short life.

[Chip R]

You'd almost like to see pitchers wear some kind of helmet out there but I kind of think it may affect their pitching.

[George Anderson]

You'd almost like to see pitchers wear some kind of helmet out there but I kind of think it may affect their pitching.

Oh that is coming one day trust me.

Helmets and bubble wrap in the uniform.

[GoReds]

The tech should be good enough to come up with a decent protective device without resorting to something that resembles a football helmet. Start incorporating it in the youth leagues and bring it forward as they move up the ranks.

[HeatherC1212]

Poor guy. I saw the video of that hit and it was so scary. I am amazed that he never lost consciousness! :eek: My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. Hope his recovery is complete and that we see him back with his team on the sidelines this year and hopefully pitching again next season. :(

[Will M]

an epidural hemorrhage is where the epidural artery bleeds. the blood accumulates between the skull & the brain. since there is only so much room in the skull cavity the brain gets compresssed. this is much worse than a subdural hematoma which is a low pressure venous bleed. he could have suffered major brain damage. only time will tell.

I was thinking of John Olerud. I believe he had suffered a sub arachnoid bleed from a ruptured aneurysm. He wore a helmet in the field playing 1B. It seems like some sort of mini helmet could be made for pitchers or pitchers, first basemen & third basemen.

[Chip R]

Oh that is coming one day trust me.

Helmets and bubble wrap in the uniform.

Bubble wrap? Awesome! Then when a player slides into 2nd, you can hear him go pop, pop, pop.

[Caveat Emperor]

Also one of the best athletes to follow on twitter -- consistently insightful and funny.

Speedy recovery to him.

[*BaseClogger*]

Also one of the best athletes to follow on twitter -- consistently insightful and funny.

Speedy recovery to him.

*THE* best...

[CySeymour]

The tech should be good enough to come up with a decent protective device without resorting to something that resembles a football helmet. Start incorporating it in the youth leagues and bring it forward as they move up the ranks.

I am a firm believer in at least putting it into play at the youth level. My #1 criteria when letting kids pitch on the youth teams I coach is that they are able to defend/protect themselves on the mound on balls hit back at them. That comes before even considering how well they throw.

[klw]

I think prior to doing anything to increase protection for pitchers, I think we will see an change in the rule concerning running into or over the catcher. With the Posey and Molina incidents in recent times and the heightened awareness of concussion issues I could see a change to no longer allow it. As far as I know you can't run over the first baseman on purpose and see no reason to allow it at home. Yes the catcher has some protective gear but does that really make that great a difference in the sort of collisions we are seeing. In terms of the argument that it has always occurred, while this is true players now are considerably larger then before and thus bring that much more force to the wollop.

[reds1869]

I think prior to doing anything to increase protection for pitchers, I think we will see an change in the rule concerning running into or over the catcher. With the Posey and Molina incidents in recent times and the heightened awareness of concussion issues I could see a change to no longer allow it. As far as I know you can't run over the first baseman on purpose and see no reason to allow it at home. Yes the catcher has some protective gear but does that really make that great a difference in the sort of collisions we are seeing. In terms of the argument that it has always occurred, while this is true players now are considerably larger then before and thus bring that much more force to the wollop.

I'm all for changing the collision rules, but they will also have to prohibit the catcher from blocking the plate and make him field his position like any other player on plays at the plate. From what I understand the Reds minor league system is already teaching their catchers to field that way, so the organization is a step ahead.

[westofyou]

I think prior to doing anything to increase protection for pitchers, I think we will see an change in the rule concerning running into or over the catcher. With the Posey and Molina incidents in recent times and the heightened awareness of concussion issues I could see a change to no longer allow it. As far as I know you can't run over the first baseman on purpose and see no reason to allow it at home. Yes the catcher has some protective gear but does that really make that great a difference in the sort of collisions we are seeing. In terms of the argument that it has always occurred, while this is true players now are considerably larger then before and thus bring that much more force to the wollop.

The catcher is not suppose to be there by the rules, the goal is to score more than the other team so any rule will need to be applied in a way that doesn't affect the man trying to score.

It could be similar to the no touch icing call that they use in Europe (to avoid high speed collisions)

Dayn Perry wrote about this


First and most obviously, what Molina and almost every other catcher do on a habitual basis is plainly against the rules. Please permit me to quote, in Clarence Darrow fashion, the relevant portion of Rule 7.06(b):

The catcher, without the ball in his possession, has no right to block the pathway of the runner attempting to score. The base line belongs to the runner and the catcher should be there only when he is fielding a ball or when he already has the ball in his hand.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-baseball/19970380/its-past-time-for-catchers-to-stop-blocking-the-plate

[RedsBaron]

I'm all for changing the collision rules, but they will also have to prohibit the catcher from blocking the plate and make him field his position like any other player on plays at the plate. From what I understand the Reds minor league system is already teaching their catchers to field that way, so the organization is a step ahead.

Yes.
Pete Rose has no shortage of failings but he has gotten a bum rap by non-Reds fans over the years for his collision with Ray Fosse in the 1970 All Star game. Fosse was blocking the plate without the ball.
If colliding with the catcher is banned there mut be strict enforcement of the rules not allowing the catcher to block the plate.

[mattfeet]

Thought and prayers to Brandon and his family.

-Matt

[George Anderson]

The catcher is not suppose to be there by the rules, the goal is to score more than the other team so any rule will need to be applied in a way that doesn't affect the man trying to score.

It could be similar to the no touch icing call that they use in Europe (to avoid high speed collisions)

Dayn Perry wrote about this



http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-baseball/19970380/its-past-time-for-catchers-to-stop-blocking-the-plate

The key phrase is

""The base line belongs to the runner and the catcher should be there only when he is fielding a ball or when he already has the ball in his hand.""

If a throw is enroute to a catcher then the catcher has the right to stand in the basepath.

[George Anderson]

As far as I know you can't run over the first baseman on purpose and see no reason to allow it at home. .

If the throw to a first basemen takes him off the bag and into the baserunners path going to first base then yes he can be legally run over. The same goes if the catcher or any other fielder receives the ball in the basepath or is in the process of receiving the ball then he can be knocked on his keister to.

[George Anderson]

Yes.
Pete Rose has no shortage of failings but he has gotten a bum rap by non-Reds fans over the years for his collision with Ray Fosse in the 1970 All Star game. Fosse was blocking the plate without the ball.
If colliding with the catcher is banned there mut be strict enforcement of the rules not allowing the catcher to block the plate.

If I recall correctly Amos Otis made the throw when Rose was halfway down the third baseline which made the play legal because Fosse was in the process of fielding the ball.


There is a Federation Rule that states a runner must avoid contact with a fielder. However at the MLB level there is no such rule. IMO it is a mans game and leave it how it is. Collisions have been common since the Doubleday days so leave it be. However having said that, society has grown incredibly soft so along with helmets and bubble wrap on the pitchers I am sure we will see an "avoid contact rule" before to long.

[Always Red]

Yes.
Pete Rose has no shortage of failings but he has gotten a bum rap by non-Reds fans over the years for his collision with Ray Fosse in the 1970 All Star game. Fosse was blocking the plate without the ball.
If colliding with the catcher is banned there mut be strict enforcement of the rules not allowing the catcher to block the plate.

Off topic, but...

Plus...Fosse never missed much time, and played fairly well (though not to his previous all star level of the first half of 1970) until Reggie Jackson broke his neck in a clubhouse fight a few years later, when both were with the A's. Then his career was truly damaged. No one ever remembers that, but Reggie Jackson ended Fosse's career, not Pete Rose.

[Wonderful Monds]

If I recall correctly Amos Otis made the throw when Rose was halfway down the third baseline which made the play legal because Fosse was in the process of fielding the ball.


There is a Federation Rule that states a runner must avoid contact with a fielder. However at the MLB level there is no such rule. IMO it is a mans game and leave it how it is. Collisions have been common since the Doubleday days so leave it be. However having said that, society has grown incredibly soft so along with helmets and bubble wrap on the pitchers I am sure we will see an "avoid contact rule" before to long.

Can you really equate sustaining life threatening injuries and concussions that shorten a life to "manliness"?

[George Anderson]

Can you really equate sustaining life threatening injuries and concussions that shorten a life to "manliness"?

IMO life carries certain risks. If we are concerned about life threatening injuries, concussions and even death then we need to mandate helmets being worn in automobiles and or lower the speed limit to 10 MPH.

IMO living life carries certain risks but anymore I realize I am in the minority of that way of thinking.

[Wonderful Monds]

IMO life carries certain risks. If we are concerned about life threatening injuries, concussions and even death then we need to mandate helmets being worn in automobiles and or lower the speed limit to 10 MPH.

IMO living life carries certain risks but anymore I realize I am in the minority of that way of thinking.

Driving an automobile is a mandatory part of many people's lives and it would be impossible to do those 2 games.

Baseball is a game, and though we love it, it's frivolous. If we can make the people who play it safer, do it. You don't ignore it for the sake of "just because."

[George Anderson]

Driving an automobile is a mandatory part of many people's lives and it would be impossible to do those 2 games.

Baseball is a game, and though we love it, it's frivolous. If we can make the people who play it safer, do it. You don't ignore it for the sake of "just because."

Something as simple as wearing a helmet while driving would save tens of thousands of lives everyday. If we are so concerned about everyone being safe, then lets be consistent and demand whether someone is driving, playing any type of sport or any other type of activity that could potentially cause bodily harm that we mandate rules and precautions to keep that person safe and sound.

Or we could just suck it up and realize living life may cause certain risks. I do realize some will think I sound like a heartless barbarian when stating such a thing.

[Spitball]

Our prayers should be with Brandon McCarthy. This is a scary situation.

Also, I hope baseball does something to protect catchers from home plate collisions. In football, there are rules designed to protect the quarterback. There are fines for helmut to helmut contact.

Baseball should have rules to protect the players. Runners should not run into fielders, and fielders should not block runners from reaching a base.

Catchers wear equipment designed to protect against foul tips, but not against runners running into them at full speed. There is an unfair advantage to the runner.

Watch the video of Buster Posey's ankle rolling and snapping as he is hit by a no name player and justify that play. It is gruesomely stomach turning.

[klw]

The catcher is not suppose to be there by the rules, the goal is to score more than the other team so any rule will need to be applied in a way that doesn't affect the man trying to score.

It could be similar to the no touch icing call that they use in Europe (to avoid high speed collisions)

Dayn Perry wrote about this



http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-baseball/19970380/its-past-time-for-catchers-to-stop-blocking-the-plate

What Perry is wrong about is the Molina had just caught the ball where he was positioned and had turned to tag the runner. He had the ball.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=24289239&c_id=mlb&topic_id=vtp_must_c

[RollyInRaleigh]

Watch the video. The throw took Molina up the line and he had the plate blocked, well before, he had the ball. The runner had nowhere to go.

[RollyInRaleigh]

There are madatory slide rules in some levels of baseball, and the catchers take full advantage of that by going up the line a few feet, sometimes more, so that when the runner slides, he has no chance of making it to the plate. It's a tough thing to fix.

[top6]

Something as simple as wearing a helmet while driving would save tens of thousands of lives everyday. If we are so concerned about everyone being safe, then lets be consistent and demand whether someone is driving, playing any type of sport or any other type of activity that could potentially cause bodily harm that we mandate rules and precautions to keep that person safe and sound.

Or we could just suck it up and realize living life may cause certain risks. I do realize some will think I sound like a heartless barbarian when stating such a thing.

I've never heard anything like this. Given that there are less than 100 deaths per day in the United States as a result of automobile accidents, it's also not close to true. And it's a really weird area for you to point to, since based on your philosophy they never should have added seat belts or any other mandatory safety features to cars. They did, however, and as a result the number of auto fatalities (as a percentage of miles traveled) has plummeted in the past 50 years, saving hundreds of thousands of people who would be dead if other people had the same attitude that you do.

The numbers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year) are actually quite amazing if you look at them. It's actually one of the most amazing accomplishments in our history, and not really a good example at all of an area where safety features outweigh the costs.

There are areas where an obsession with safety is probably not worth the cost. I mean, I don't think anyone has ever been killed from a line drive to the head in MLB in almost 100 years, so this may even be one of the areas, although on the other hand it's hard for me to see the downside of pitchers or other players wearing helmets in the field, outside of some vague notion that we are all wimps. Seems a small cost to pay.

I do sometimes wonder if an obsession with safety and requiring more expensive equipment in sports will discourage kids from playing sports, leading to a more sedentary lifestyle that is far more dangerous and deadly than the miniscule chance of being hit with a line drive (or being killed or severely injured in a football game, for example). Those are the types of "hidden" costs that we need to be very mindful of--but I think requiring helmets in the field is probably only helpful at the highest levels of the game where the expense of adding helmets is probably not prohibitive.

Finally, my thoughts are with Brandon McCarthy and his family and I hope he is OK.

[marcshoe]

There are madatory slide rules in some levels of baseball, and the catchers take full advantage of that by going up the line a few feet, sometimes more, so that when the runner slides, he has no chance of making it to the plate. It's a tough thing to fix.

That's because no one learns how to use a slide rule in school anymore.

[Sea Ray]

I think MLB has already gone overboard in the area of protection. Larry Bowa gets it:


"That's not for me," said Bowa, a former player and manager in the Major Leagues in his first year with the Dodgers. "My question is, how can I be in the league 40 years and the league says who wears a helmet and who doesn't? One guy got killed and I'm sorry it happened. But bats break and they can be a deadly weapon. Do something about bats.

"Umpires get hit with line drives. I've probably seen 50 of them get hit. If coaches have to wear helmets, umpires should. I'll sign a waiver. And there should be a grandfather clause. These are very cumbersome. They talk about delay of game, and when the helmet falls off, you'll have to stop the game. It should be an option. I know I'm talking for a lot of guys who won't say anything. I'll write a check for 162 games if I have to to not wear it."

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080228&content_id=2394947&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

There is a certain amount of risk in playing baseball

[George Anderson]

Top 6

The ten thousand deaths a day was an exaggeration but I would wager to say you could save that many lives or injuries a year if we did mandate helmets in cars or at the very least lowered the speed limit to 10 MPH.

I am also opposed to mandatory seat belt usage in the same manner I would be opposed to mandatory helmets on pitchers, fielders, base coaches or whoever. If someone chooses to use a seat belt or wear a helmet then that is their right, I just oppose more restrictions and regulations all in the desire to do what is perceived by some as being best for the common good.

[George Anderson]

There are madatory slide rules in some levels of baseball, and the catchers take full advantage of that by going up the line a few feet, sometimes more, so that when the runner slides, he has no chance of making it to the plate. It's a tough thing to fix.

That is why the best rule is for the runner to avoid contact. Mandatory slide rules IMO are silly.

[Sea Ray]

I mean, I don't think anyone has ever been killed from a line drive to the head in MLB in almost 100 years, so this may even be one of the areas, although on the other hand it's hard for me to see the downside of pitchers or other players wearing helmets in the field, outside of some vague notion that we are all wimps. Seems a small cost to pay.



There's plenty of downside. Those helmets are heavy and hot. If even 3rd base coaches like Larry Bowa don't like them, you can imagine what pitchers will think. I'd like a rule where only Reds (pitching) opponents are required to wear helmets...:devil:

[traderumor]

I think MLB has already gone overboard in the area of protection. Larry Bowa gets it:



http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080228&content_id=2394947&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

There is a certain amount of risk in playing baseballThere's a certain amount of risk getting out of bed in the morning. ;) Your insurance salesman has a rider on your homeowners policy, I'm sure.

I remember when the little leaguers started wearing the heart guard body armor because of one or a few incidents with line drives to the chest. By the time my kids were playing, I think I saw one little boy with overprotective parents wearing one. You still see facemask helmets, but fortunately, folks realized that all the protection the world on the ball field was an overreaction.

[George Anderson]

There's a certain amount of risk getting out of bed in the morning. ;) Your insurance salesman has a rider on your homeowners policy, I'm sure.

I remember when the little leaguers started wearing the heart guard body armor because of one or a few incidents with line drives to the chest. By the time my kids were playing, I think I saw one little boy with overprotective parents wearing one. You still see facemask helmets, but fortunately, folks realized that all the protection the world on the ball field was an overreaction.

It reminds me this past summer when I umpired a game with a travel ball coach who was ranting about how all levels of sports have gone overboard with the safety nonsense. He actually was a former MLB player who also played with Scott Coolbaugh. He kinda insinuated Coolbaugh would have thought base coaches wearing helmets was an overreaction also.

[Chip R]

McCarthy is apparently making jokes on Twitter now.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8353238/oakland-athletics-brandon-mccarthy-jokes-twitter

[RollyInRaleigh]

That is why the best rule is for the runner to avoid contact. Mandatory slide rules IMO are silly.

I agree, George, they are silly. My problem with the runner avoiding contact is when the catcher takes full advantage of knowing he won't get plowed and comes up the line and blocks it. It doesn't give the runner a chance.

[westofyou]

SABRanalytics: Player Panel with Oakland's Brandon McCarthy (http://sabr.org/latest/sabranalytics-player-panel-oaklands-brandon-mccarthy)

Here are some highlights from the SABR Analytics Conference Player Panel featuring Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy, with moderator Rob Neyer of Baseball Nation, on Thursday, March 15:

[Tom Servo]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ma7achKXJQ1qdxsuyo1_500.jpg

[vaticanplum]

You guys really need to see the tweets all together. This guy is knee-slappingly funny.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/nicholasschwartz/pitcher-brandon-mccarthy-had-the-best-possible-rea

[Wonderful Monds]

Astros Mickey Storey took one off the jaw tonight off the bat off of former one of our own Dave Sappelt.
http://deadspin.com/5942836/astros-pitcher-mickey-storey-knocked-out-of-game-after-taking-line-drive-to-the-face

[WildcatFan]

You guys really need to see the tweets all together. This guy is knee-slappingly funny.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/nicholasschwartz/pitcher-brandon-mccarthy-had-the-best-possible-rea

His wife @Mrs_McCarthy32 is hilarious (and gorgeous) in her own right. Their banter after he was so proud of peeing on his own was cracking me up.

[westofyou]

Brandon's scar

http://blogs.thescore.com/mlb/2012/09/13/brandon-mccarthys-scar-after-surgery/

[Red in Chicago]

Couldn't they just cut the rest of his hair off?

[vaticanplum]

Couldn't they just cut the rest of his hair off?

My cousin had a serious head injury when he was 9 and they shaved his head the same way. I think they just do what they have to for surgery and leave the rest up to the patient.

[klw]

Brandon's scar

http://blogs.thescore.com/mlb/2012/09/13/brandon-mccarthys-scar-after-surgery/

The scar looks like the seams on a baseball.

[Larkin Fan]

Couldn't they just cut the rest of his hair off?

Surgical teams tend to worry less about appearance and more about clearing the surgical field for the life-saving surgery that they're about to perform. ;)

[Red in Chicago]

My cousin had a serious head injury when he was 9 and they shaved his head the same way. I think they just do what they have to for surgery and leave the rest up to the patient.


Surgical teams tend to worry less about appearance and more about clearing the surgical field for the life-saving surgery that they're about to perform. ;)

Maybe I should have put a smiley after my comment, because I was really just being silly. :D

[vaticanplum]

Maybe I should have put a smiley after my comment, because I was really just being silly. :D

Humor tends to sail over my head after 8 pm.

[WildcatFan]

The scar looks like the seams on a baseball.

He kind of looks like he has a Baseketball for a head.

[Caveat Emperor]

You guys really need to see the tweets all together. This guy is knee-slappingly funny.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/nicholasschwartz/pitcher-brandon-mccarthy-had-the-best-possible-rea

His twitter feed is a particularly awesome mix of humor, baseball nonsense, soccer and football chatter, and life observations.

He'd be a tremendous follow even if he wasn't major league pitcher.