04/23/24
August 12, 2005
Outfielders Collide Diving for Catch: Mets outfielders Carlos Beltran and Mike Cameron collided face-to-face while diving for a ball last night, breaking Cameron's nose and fracturing his cheekbones. MLB.Com offers the cringe-inducing video on the game page, which left Cameron motionless for minutes and other players visible in anguish.
So the immediate question...is this the worst collision you can remember? Judging by the injuries it's gotta be pretty close. Damian Jackson and Johnny Damon in the 2003 playoffs is the last viscious crash I remember.
posted by YukonGold at 08:06 AM on August 12, 2005
I can't recall anything as bad as that, Yukon, until now. This was, to me, a lot worse than the Damon/Jackson collision. It's been a scary collision and hit-by-line-drive season, that's for sure.
posted by jerseygirl at 08:31 AM on August 12, 2005
Damn . . . I hope it doesn't turn out too bad for those guys. That looked terrible. I agree that there seem to be a lot of them this year, though who knows if it's really above average. The collisions puzzle me a bit--don't they do the old "I got it I got it!" anymore, or doesn't the other guy hear it, or do they get tunnel-vision when they're going for the ball and not see the other guy with their peripheral vision, or what?
posted by Uncle Toby at 08:49 AM on August 12, 2005
Baseball is a contact sport played without protective equipment. This collision was pretty bad but it could have been a lot worse. These things are going to happen as long as the boys of summer feel that they're invincible and until someone figures out a better system than "I got it".
posted by tommysands at 08:50 AM on August 12, 2005
That's the purest definition I've ever seen of "head-on collision". I passed the video link around my office, and you could tell whenever someone watched it because you'd hear a soft "Oh jeez!" or "Ahh!". That is by far the worst collision I've seen in baseball. I don't know how you could possibly make it worse (not from an injury result standpoint, but simply throwing two bodies together for maximum carnage). Diving. Head-to-head contact. Jeez.
posted by grum@work at 09:23 AM on August 12, 2005
Could be a little worse. If either of their heads was at a slightly different angle I imagine we could have seen a broken neck or paralysis. That was a full speed diving collision. ouch ouch ouch.
posted by gspm at 09:31 AM on August 12, 2005
Didn't the Mets have another collision like this with Mookie Wilson and Lenny Dykstra?
posted by dbt302 at 09:38 AM on August 12, 2005
Does a screaming line drive to the cranium count as a collision? I don't know what's worse, Head-on-collision or pitcher catching a line drive to the dome. Those two get my vote! Either way, I have to say, I'm glad it wasn't me. Yikes! Even an Astros fan couldn't wish that on Beltran. "Taveras for el Presidente'"
posted by tb_mitchell at 09:43 AM on August 12, 2005
This tops the list , 2nd had to be Pete Rose crashing into catcher Ray Fosse in an all star game breaking Fosse's collerbone . Rodney McCray crashing face first THROUGH the fence gets honorable mention . Robin Ventura's awkwardly twisted , torn up lower leg sliding into home was sick but i'm not sure if he collided with the catcher or caught a spike .
posted by evil empire at 09:48 AM on August 12, 2005
That is the worst collision I have ever seen in baseball. It is amazing to me that neither of them were seriously hurt. Let us just thank God that they are OK.
posted by mcstan13 at 10:04 AM on August 12, 2005
Cameron was seriously hurt -- broken nose, face fractures, concussion. It does seem like a miracle that neither of them was hurt more seriously than that, though.
posted by rcade at 10:08 AM on August 12, 2005
Does big baseball remember how to call somebody off? We preach this stuff to the kids all the time to prevent kids from doing this. That was one nasty hit. I'm glad they are both ok.
posted by volfire at 10:25 AM on August 12, 2005
Seeing this on the local news last night made me cringe. Cameron really got the worst end of it and I hope he doesn't have any problems that can come with head injuries. Even an Astros fan couldn't wish that on Beltran. You got that right.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 10:26 AM on August 12, 2005
tb, line drives off a pitcher's head are definitely cringe-worthy. but i think what makes collisions like yesterday's worse is that there are 2 people involved instead of a person and ball. Didn't the Mets have another collision like this with Mookie Wilson and Lenny Dykstra? yes. they ran right into each other and wilson somehow held onto the ball. it was nasty but not as bad as this. i hate the mets probably more than i hate the bosox, but i wouldn't wish a collision like that on anyone. thank god there were no spinal injuries. volfire, you can't call somebody off on a play like that. pop flies, yes. but not hits like that. there's usually not enough time to think about calling for it while running all out. you just hope the other person sees you coming.
posted by goddam at 10:30 AM on August 12, 2005
Looked even more gruesome in slo-mo. One of the worst I've seen. When are these guys going to start calling for the ball? The center fielder has to make that call.
posted by melcarek69 at 10:57 AM on August 12, 2005
There is only one thing I can say at this point, OUCH!!!!!!!!!
posted by tina at 11:05 AM on August 12, 2005
This happens when you have a bullheaded outfielder or infielder who thinks it's his God-given right to go after any ball he thinks he might reach. I'm guessing Cameron was yelling his goddamned head off and Beltran just kept coming. The worst I've ever seen in person was a Little League game where our left fielder (and starting sixth-grade middle linebacker) just obilterated our shortstop on a short pop to left. The LF was running full speed and didn't hear the SS calling him off. The shortstop went down with his back facing the infield and the left fielder tried to hurdle him but instead caught him flush in the face with his knee. Broken nose and one runty infielder out cold in the grass.
posted by wfrazerjr at 11:24 AM on August 12, 2005
The center fielder has to make that call. before beltran came to town, cameron was the center fielder. so i'm sure he still thinks like one. if it was a regular corner outfielder i don't know if you would've seen him playing the ball the way cameron did. it's amazing that they took nearly the same path to the ball but (obviously) from opposite directions.
posted by goddam at 11:29 AM on August 12, 2005
you're right g-dam, plus Cameron still has that centerfield mentality. he's still a centerfielder playing in right and insticts just take over!
posted by gr8czrsgost at 11:42 AM on August 12, 2005
Worst injury in baseball? Two words: Dave Dravecky Though that guy from Cleveland was killed by a pitch in the 50s. Can't be bothered to look up the details.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 12:36 PM on August 12, 2005
Ok, weedy has got a point there. I would take a fractured face and broken nose over death.
posted by tina at 01:44 PM on August 12, 2005
I just say they should be glad there are no "...will never play baseball again"'s if you know what I mean. That's a lot of athleticism crashing together. Full on. Freaken wow. I can't believe that hit though. Two cracked beans (yes I call a head a bean). Yikes.
posted by Irish Gal at 02:11 PM on August 12, 2005
The only thing that can make it worse is if you watch it with the sound turned up...anybody who hears the sick wet "pop" that two skulls make when they hit at that speed will never forget it. That's a "cold shiver" highlight if there ever was one.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 02:28 PM on August 12, 2005
I remember a few years ago when a minor league player was killed. He was playing outfield I believe and charged in on a ball. The middle infielder was wearing a heavy knee brace and as the outfielder dove for the ball his temple hit the metal plate on the leg of the infield. He ended up with a blood clot and died a few days later.
posted by scottypup at 03:01 PM on August 12, 2005
Holy cats! That was dreadful. Hope that Cameron is back on the field soon.
posted by Joey Michaels at 03:35 PM on August 12, 2005
I can't even imagine what a broken nose plus broken cheekbones feels like. I got a broken nose once and that was bad enough. Some vid -- I liked the trainer taking one quick glance and waving for dustoff.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 04:50 PM on August 12, 2005
Update: they say now that Beltral also had a slight facial fracture, and that Cameron is going to need surgery (no big surprise).
posted by lil_brown_bat at 07:22 PM on August 12, 2005
I saw this last night. Looked like a full-tllt flying kiss. Mwah!...Guess we can forget about that stupid Manny to the Mets deal.