goreds
06-08-2002, 05:07 PM
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Cincinnati Reds outfielder Juan Encarnacion was hit in the right temple by a thrown ball during batting practice Saturday and was taken to a local hospital for a precautionary CT scan.
Encarnacion, who was slated to start at center field in Saturday's Interleague game against the Angels, was standing steps off first base talking to coach Ray Knight when a throw from Todd Walker, practicing relays from second base, struck Encarnacion on the right side of the head.
Encarnacion never saw the ball and had no warning. He initially went to one knee and was immediately attended to by Knight, coach Jose Cardenal and general manager Jim Bowden. After another pitch, batting practice stopped. Encarnacion eventually was stretched out in the dirt.
Trainer Greg Lynn and manager Bob Boone arrived on the scene, and a group of teammates surrounded the fallen player. After several minutes, Encarnacion rose and walked off the field into the dugout and up to the clubhouse.
Reds first baseman Sean Casey said the incident was almost identical to one in 1998 when he was hit in the right eye with a ball thrown by infielder Damian Jackson, requiring surgery to repair four bones and the insertion of a plate with five screws.
"That's what I was thinking when I saw him down there," Casey said. "It's scary. Things happen rapid-fire."
Reggie Taylor replaced Encarnacion in the starting lineup. Encarnacion, who is hitting .260, is tied for the team lead with 11 home runs and is second on the team in RBIs with 34.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
It seems the injury bug may be making its way back into the Reds clubhouse. Rijo on the DL, Griffey hurt his hammy, and now Encarnacion bopped in the head. Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come.
Encarnacion, who was slated to start at center field in Saturday's Interleague game against the Angels, was standing steps off first base talking to coach Ray Knight when a throw from Todd Walker, practicing relays from second base, struck Encarnacion on the right side of the head.
Encarnacion never saw the ball and had no warning. He initially went to one knee and was immediately attended to by Knight, coach Jose Cardenal and general manager Jim Bowden. After another pitch, batting practice stopped. Encarnacion eventually was stretched out in the dirt.
Trainer Greg Lynn and manager Bob Boone arrived on the scene, and a group of teammates surrounded the fallen player. After several minutes, Encarnacion rose and walked off the field into the dugout and up to the clubhouse.
Reds first baseman Sean Casey said the incident was almost identical to one in 1998 when he was hit in the right eye with a ball thrown by infielder Damian Jackson, requiring surgery to repair four bones and the insertion of a plate with five screws.
"That's what I was thinking when I saw him down there," Casey said. "It's scary. Things happen rapid-fire."
Reggie Taylor replaced Encarnacion in the starting lineup. Encarnacion, who is hitting .260, is tied for the team lead with 11 home runs and is second on the team in RBIs with 34.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
It seems the injury bug may be making its way back into the Reds clubhouse. Rijo on the DL, Griffey hurt his hammy, and now Encarnacion bopped in the head. Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come.