dxmachina | Yikes!

There was nasty, nasty collision in the outfield at PETCO Park yesterday between the Mets' Carlos Beltran and Mike Cameron. It was on a short fly ball that was dropping quickly in right-centerfield. Both men were running flat out, and both leapt, extending their bodies in trying to catch the ball. Imagine Superman flying headlong into Captain Marvel, except without the invulnerability. They hit face first, and dropped like stones as the ball scooted past them to the wall. Cameron had to be taken from the field on a stretcher half conscious. He broke his nose and both cheek bones, suffered a concussion, and also has some neck and back injuries. He'll probably miss the rest of the season. Beltran was able to walk off the field, but later went to the hospital for observation. He injured his shoulder, and probably has a mild concussion.

I heard about this when I turned on the end of the Mets game on my ride home last evening. Both announcers were sort of stunned. I tried to watch the replay, but had to turn away just at the moment of impact. (As the MLB.com link notes, it's not for the faint of heart.) Even then you can tell how bad it was going to be. It's the worst baseball collision I can recall seeing. Fortunately, Beltran should be okay, depending on how bad his shoulder is. Cameron is another matter. The good news is that he was fully conscious last night, and the fractures will heal. The back and neck injuries are another matter.