Stanton hit in face by fastball

[gunnarthor]

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/11493214/v36174175/must-c-clips-stanton-hit-in-face-benches-clear

 

Hopefully the link works - it's from mlb.com.  Also, it's not pretty. Stanton was hit be a fastball square in the face, sorta like Kirby.  He's almost certainly out for the season.  Early tweets say he has some facial fractures as well.  

 

http://deadspin.com/giancarlo-stanton-removed-on-stretcher-after-fastball-t-1633816961

 

 

[iTwins]

I saw this shortly after it happened (via MLB Tonight) - the shot of him laying on the ground, blood running from his face, was hard to see. Early reports seem to indicate he'll be alright - nothing major damaged - no serious concerns. Hopefully Stanton recovers fully without issues. The game is better with him in it.

[Mike Sixel]

I hate injuries. Really hate them.

[twinsnorth49]

I think Gomez getting clipped was a form of payback, so is it wrong to think this could escalate? 

 

The mentality around these types of things was perfectly exemplified listening to Tommy Hutton imploring and applauding the Marlins to leave the bench after Johnson was hit, it was ridiculous. 

[TheLeviathan]

I think Gomez getting clipped was a form of payback, so is it wrong to think this could escalate? 

 

The mentality around these types of things was perfectly exemplified listening to Tmmy Hutton applauding and imploring the Marlins to leave the bench after Johnson was hit, it was ridiculous.

 

I didn't even hear about that angle. So yeah, the silliness has already begun, probably only more to follow.

 

Is this tough guy play? What does this accomplish? I'm also to assume we will now have a Brewers-Fish rivalry for decades! Just like the deep hate between Pirates and Dbacks and Titans and Cowboys and the other assorted examples of dirty play. (This one by all accounts was just an honest mistake and we STILL have this nonsense happening).

[Squirrel]

Let's not make this the same discussion we just had in another thread.  Either keep discussion pertinent to this particular incident, or move on.  Thanks.

[big dog]

Terrible thing for Stanton.  Hope he recovers quickly.

 

The most astonishing thing to me is that the pitch that hit Stanton was ruled a swing-and-miss by the umpire, and the replacement batter was hit on the hand by the next pitch- which was also ruled a swing-and-miss.  So two guys got hit in subsequent pitches, and the result was a strikeout and warnings to both benches.

 

Sure, that makes sense.  There must be some competent umpires in the minor leagues somewhere that deserve a promotion.  Find one for Joe West too.

[Mike Sixel]

Actually, from what I have read on line, both calls were called strikes correctly.

[jharaldson]

The most confusin thing about this play is that it seems like Stanton never saw the ball.  He was making a swinging motion and never turned his head back.  It was such an off play all around.

[jokin]

I didn't even hear about that angle. So yeah, the silliness has already begun, probably only more to follow.

 

Is this tough guy play? What does this accomplish? I'm also to assume we will now have a Brewers-Fish rivalry for decades! Just like the deep hate between Pirates and Dbacks and Titans and Cowboys and the other assorted examples of dirty play. (This one by all accounts was just an honest mistake and we STILL have this nonsense happening).

 

Not an honest mistake by Mike Redmond's account.

[jokin]

The most confusin thing about this play is that it seems like Stanton never saw the ball.  He was making a swinging motion and never turned his head back.  It was such an off play all around.

 

FWIW, Curt Schilling commented on this later.  He noted that after watching Stanton's reaction to the pitch in slow motion, what happened was in part due to the radical change in baseball pitching philosophy from 20 years ago.  Something to the effect that the inside pitch to establish the strike zone has been replaced by pitchers choosing now to pounding the outside corner, instead.  Because of that, in Schilling's way of thinking, today's hitters no longer routinely possess the inherent instinct to automatically lean back from the high inside pitch.  

 

Kind of curious how the Brewers pitcher, whose career stats indicate he's a control pitcher, put the very next pitch high and inside to the pinch hitter for Stanton.

[USAFChief]

Actually, from what I have read on line, both calls were called strikes correctly.

Having watched the AB, it appears to me Stanton was expecting to get pitched hard inside, as he often does. He was sitting on an inside fastball, hoping to get out in front of one and hit it 450 ft to left. He recognized "inside fastball" and started his swing...too late realizing it was too far inside and too high. At that point there was nothing he could do.

 

And I thought it was correctly ruled a swing as well.

[twinsnorth49]

Not an honest mistake by Mike Redmond's account.

Would you expect any different from Redmond, honestly? Stanton was not hit intentionally, if Redmond believes that then I've lost a little respect for him.  Johnson got pretty much the same pitch but probably where the first was supposed to go, he started to offer at it, tried to check his swing and it hit him in the hands, strike three, he's out, pretty  simple.

[jokin]

Would you expect any different from Redmond, honestly? Stanton was not hit intentionally, if Redmond believes that then I've lost a little respect for him.  Johnson got pretty much the same pitch but probably where the first was supposed to go, he started to offer at it, tried to check his swing and it hit him in the hands, strike three, he's out, pretty  simple.

 

I was responding to this statement, which clearly isn't the case:

 

 

(This one by all accounts was just an honest mistake and we STILL have this nonsense happening).

 

And Curt Schilling probably got it about right about modern hitter habits vs. years ago, both hitters appeared to be thinking offensively rather than defensively, leaning in when they should have been ducking out, and a high, hard inside FB is pretty unforgiving in those cases.

[big dog]

Having watched the AB, it appears to me Stanton was expecting to get pitched hard inside, as he often does. He was sitting on an inside fastball, hoping to get out in front of one and hit it 450 ft to left. He recognized "inside fastball" and started his swing...too late realizing it was too far inside and too high. At that point there was nothing he could do.

 

And I thought it was correctly ruled a swing as well.

There's certainly an argument that Stanton swung at the ball.  Regarding the pitch that hit Johnson- I don't see any possible way his bat crossed home plate.  The home plate umpire didn't appear to ask for help, either- just called it.  I thought that was bad umpiring.

[USAFChief]

There's certainly an argument that Stanton swung at the ball.  Regarding the pitch that hit Johnson- I don't see any possible way his bat crossed home plate.  The home plate umpire didn't appear to ask for help, either- just called it.  I thought that was bad umpiring.

I agree that the strike call on Johnson was a close call.

[twinsnorth49]

I think the key is the ball hit Johnson in the hand while in the act of swinging. He may not have swung through but he started his swing and his hands were arguably in the strike zone, that's a dead ball strike.

 

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure that's the rule by definition.

[gunnarthor]

Getting back to the topic - here are some pictures of Stanton's injury and a note on his progress in getting better - http://deadspin.com/giancarlo-stantons-broken-face-is-improving-1635374599