On Thursday it emerged that the coach and manager of Class A Atlanta Braves, Luis Salazar lost his left eye due to strong pitch he received in his face the past Wednesday by Brian McCann at a meeting of spring training.
Upon impact, Salazar was standing on top of the steps of the dugout to the Braves in the very first episode. The impact of the ball was between the nose and left eye. The meeting between Atlanta and St. Louis had to be suspended for 20 minutes, while attending the Venezuelan technical.
The first report provided by the physicians of the Orlando Regional Medical Center, noted that the Venezuelan suffered a concussion, a broken face and injuries around the eye, tell the players that the coach lay on the ground for several minutes and he woke up he was about to be mounted in the ambulance that would take medical center.
Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones, who was at first base at the time of the event said it was the worst he had seen on a level playing field "was not conscious nothing. He was unconscious. I looked to see if he was breathing, I thought his life could be in danger. "
Eduardo Perez, said team coach and despite the misfortune of his fellow important thing is that no brain damage.
was learned that the Venezuelan needed several operations on his face because of multiple fractures around his left eye, in this situation his future in baseball is uncertain as it is would be his first experience in Atlanta, but what happened should explore other options.
Without knowing the outcome
was known that the news fell like a bucket of cold water for family and the coach does not know he lost his eye and does not know how to react to this fact.
At the time of the accident, the stadium was the son of baseball player who immediately moved to her father and accompanied him come to hospital where his wife Grace and daughter. Thursday, the Seattle Mariners granted him special permission to Franklin Gutierrez, who is son of Salazar.
Until now the Atlanta organization has not mentioned if the pilot is the first choice to head in the minors or explore other options also learned that Atlanta was assigned a psychologist Brian McCann because the player is still in shock and does not exceed the trauma caused him to Venezuela.
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| Moments when Salazar moved to a hospital |
"It's a blessing that Louis is alive, he could not speak when paramedics arrived said Frank Wren, general manager.
Luxury Utility
Salazar played in the major leagues between 1980 and 1992 with San Diego, Detroit, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, was born in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bAnzoátegui State, on May 19, 1956, was recognized in the baseball world as the soul of Sharks La Guaira team he spent his entire life (1975-1993), besides being the best of our baseball utility, versatility allowed him to open up in the majors.
was a promise to the Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates, teams that never gave him a shot, with the San Diego Padres in 1980 who opened his door to the Big Show, where he showed his talent in all positions except catcher.
Starting his career with the clerics was the team's third baseman and alternated in other positions, in 1985 came to the White Sox along with Oswaldo Guillen, which would continue its role are starting in the third and the outfield. He was in the 1988 World Series when he replaced Alan Trammell at shortstop for Detroit. In his final years with the Cubs gave stability to the ozsenos in the third.
culminated with an average of 261 with 94 homers and 455 RBIs. In Venezuela leave average of 294 with 43 homers and 370 RBIs in 17 seasons.
At the time of his retirement in Venezuela led his beloved Sharks in La Guaira in the 1994-95 season, making it several times and then Aguilas del Zulia in 2005 - 2006. In the north began its task by Milwaukee, where in 1995 he held the helm of Chandler Class of lupuosos, then come the Class A Beloit strong, between 1998 and 1999 was batting coach RiverBats Louisville and Indianapolis Indians. In 2001, becomes the first coach to be Venezuelan in the majors as a coach first of the Brewers.
In 2002, he led the Class A Vero Beach Dodgers of Los Angeles in 2007 and 2008 was batting coach teams Jacksonville Suns and Chattanooga Lookouts, both of Milwaukee, in the last two years has been with the Dodgers and manager roles exerting batting coach. He always thought his extraordinary career in the minors as a coach would open as the first step in the majors, something that never had a concrete and Oswaldo Guillen as their precursor.
worth mentioning that Luis Salazar was valuable piece of Zulia in the Caribbean title in 1984.
What happened to Salazar also affected Brian McCann who is in a state of shock over the fatal outcome. Again the big leagues to consider measures of protection not only for the players, but the general public, where a ball or bat escaped can lead to a regrettable.
Because of the speed of the fact, Salazar could not act quickly to escape the foul line McCann. This fact, which concluded with the loss of left eye, recalls other unfortunate events such as death of Mike Coolbaugh, who played baseball in our country with the Cardenales de Lara in the nineties and in 2007 as coach of the Colorado team in the minors , died of a hit in the neck.
Following this incident in the minors 2008 Major League implements the use of helmets for the coaches that are in the field of play, but now must consider other measures.
In the largest single two deaths have occurred because of a bolazo, the first Mike "Doc" Powers Ray Chapman in 1909 and 1920.
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| Conigliario on the cover of Sports Illustrated |
There are other instances where players have been affected as a result of a fall on his head, Tony Conigliaro, who first broke into the majors in 1964 with Boston and was a real promise in 1967 was hit, causing eye injury , and a dislocated jaw, with severe damage to his left retina, although again with all the privileges given 20 homers the following year and 36 in 1970, the damage to your retina strong force him to retire from baseball in 1975. He died in 1990.
The other was Kirby Puckett, baseball career which culminated in the Hall of Fame in 2001 began his career in 1984 and culminated in September 1995 when Dennis Martinez broke his jaw. In March 1996, Puckett woke up without vision in his right eye and was diagnosed with glaucoma, undergoing several surgeries to try to restore vision, unfortunately no progress, causing them to withdraw permanently in 1996 at age 36. He died in 2006 due to cerebral hemorrhage.
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