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stressed, thankful and worried Mike Cameron suffers facial fractures and slight concussion admitted to hospital; Beltran also admitted to hospital.
Story by: Heather with quotes from Mets.com. Link to Video (not for the faint of heart):
56K | 350KWhile watching the bottom of the 7th inning of today's Mets game, I became sick to my stomach. Not because of the Mets's play, but because of a play. With nobody on and one out in the bottom of the 7th in San Diego, Tom Glavine threw a pitch that would evolve into one of the most terrifying moments ever on a baseball field. Luckily everyone is relatively "ok".
The Padres's David Ross muscled Glavine's pitch into right-center field for a sinking line drive. This is where things get ugly. The Mets's centerfielder Carlos Beltran and rightfielder Mike Cameron (a natural centerfielder) both ran hard towards the ball. Watching the play unfold from behind home plate, there was Beltran coming full speed from the left and Cameron, full speed from the right. Then at the same time, both Cameron and Beltran went into all out dives. It was when both were airborne that they both collided. It was a literal head-to-head collision.
Both players fell to the ground immediately, rolling around some in the process. Cameron ended up on the ground motionless with his teammate Beltran landing on top of him. The ball landed next to the outfielders, unknown if either got leather on it. Second baseman Kaz Matsui retrieved it and threw it back to the infield stopping Ross at third with a triple. The runner was the last thing on the Mets's minds.
Marlon Anderson, playing fisrt, made his way to his fallen teammate as both lay still on the ground for several seconds before Beltran was able to maneuver to his knees. After thinking better of it, or becoming woozy, Beltran went back down. Cameron rolled or was rolled over onto his left side. Trainers from both teams came out and extra help was motioned for immediately.
Beltran was up and down and crawled away. After a few moments he was able to walk off the field under his own power with an escort. All attention then turned to Cameron, who was being strapped to a stretcher and having a c-collar placed around his neck. As Cameron was lifted onto the gurney, he placed he hands over his face, the first real sign of motion. He was taken off the field in a cart as his teammates looked on shaken.
After the game Anderson described the first seconds after the collision:
He called it "a car crash" and said Cameron was "dazed, not really there" at first. "His eyes," Anderson said. "... He was right."
The only sign of injury Anderson detected was blood, a lot of it, coming from cuts inside Cameron's mouth.
"I can't imagine being a paramedic at the scene of a car wreck," Anderson said. "And that's pretty much what this was: a car wreck."
After the delay of 13 minutes, the game resumed. The Mets were understandably playing with heavy hearts and distracted minds. Glavine was able to get the second out with the runner on third, but was unable to strand him there. Joe Randa (My Mets fanness says: Randa better not be traded to Atlanta, they don't need another Met killer.) singled the runner home before the end of the inning.
The top of the 8th inning brought more anxiety to the Mets and their fans. The first pitch to Cliff Floyd nailed him in the knee cap and Floyd hit the ground right away, whithering in pain. After walking it off he stayed in the game limping. The Mets almost lost their entire starting outfield in a matter of 30 minutes. And as if that wasn't enough, in the bottom of the inning, pitcher Roberto Hernandez, who replaced Glavine, tried to barehand a ball hit back at him. He grasped for the ball as the went over his head and the trainer was on the field for the third time in 40 minutes.
After the game, the players thoughts were not about the game just lost, but with their fallen teammate. Floyd is Cameron's best friend and after the game divulged details of Cameron's condition on the field.
As Cameron lay on the field, Floyd spoke to him. "You'll be all right," Floyd said. Floyd said Cameron acknowledged his words. "But I'm not sure he really understood me," Floyd added. Afterward Floyd made the sign of the cross and looked away, sickened by the blood as Mets trainer Ray Ramirez tended to Cameron.
Players said neither Beltran or Cameron ever lost consciousness.
Most collisions in baseball involve two (and sometimes three) players running straight into each other or a player running into a wall. This one was different. This time the two players dove into each other.
Mike Piazza reflected on the day's event saying:
"Most of them you see, guys are on their feet. This was awful."
Beltran was escorted to the trainer's room in the clubhouse where he remained for some time. In the clubhouse he said he had no recollection of the collision and he was becoming dizzy.
Cameron was taken right to a local hospital for tests. A head CT revealed he had a broken nose, multiple fractures in both cheek bones and a slight concussion. Beltran was also taken to a hospital or a CT scan. Beltran has said he wants to play tomorrow in Los Angeles, but that remains to be seen. It is unknown how long Cameron will be out. He was placed on the 15-Day Disabled List and whether he comes off then or after will have to wait.
This was just two games after second year player David Wright made what should be the play of the year with an over-the-shoulder, diving, barehanded catch and a brilliant start from Kris Benson.
The team left Southern California for the central part of the state with heavy hearts and minds and two players light.
Now for my biased thoughts. I love both these guys and hope they get better soon. I don't want Carlos playing if he's still shaken up. I'm just thankful Cammy wasn't hurt worse. When I watched the play as it happened I could see they were going toward each other. I was waiting for one of them to back off, but with both of them being centerfielders they both went after the ball aggressively. I was horrifyed and sick-to-my-stomach-scared when I didn't see Cammy moving. I seriously thought he was paralyzed until i saw him move his arm and then heard the reports that he was moving. I am so thankful he's not. Now I just hope both of their heads are ok.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Mike Cameron and Carlos Beltran and their families.
Get well soon Carlos and Cammy!!!
The haunting images of the collision (Don't scroll down if you are easily upset.)
Get better guys!!!
- Heather (the extremely exhausted, stressed out, thankful but worried, soon-to-be-at college Mets fan.)
August 13 2005, 14:47:13 UTC 6 years ago
hey
I LOVE THE RED SOX'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!sorry but last nights game was good :)
<3 ya pal
~the MA girl