Ryan Church kneed in head during 2B collision with Yunel Escobar

[The Chief]

developing story

possibly a concussion

Church came in high trying to break up the DP, possibly outside the basepaths, escobar tried to jump over him

[sportsfan882]

I just posted about it in the Division watching thread. I was watching it live when it happened.

Oh, man Church just got the crap kicked out of him. He was sliding into 2nd to attempt to break up the DP and Escobar kneed him right in the head very hard and then his head smashed into the dirt very hard. He looks like he doesn't know where he is at. The Mets trainers had to help him off the field. Looks bad.

[The Chief]

I just posted about it in the Division watching thread. I was watching it live when it happened.

damn you!

I thought I had finally scooped a story!

[ronnynat]

I just saw it on SC. It was bad, but not as bad as it could have been. Escobar's knee hit Church's helmet off his head, so it wasn't too solid. The head pounding and sliding on the ground was pretty bad, but we've all done that before, right?   He'll be fine.

[DPMOmaha]

I just saw it on SC. It was bad, but not as bad as it could have been. Escobar's knee hit Church's helmet off his head, so it wasn't too solid. The head pounding and sliding on the ground was pretty bad, but we've all done that before, right?   He'll be fine.

I thought it looked pretty bad.  The knee to helmet contact really knocked his head backwards, there was real potential for a serious neck injury there too.  He probably was knocked unconcious for a moment after the collision because he made no attempt to brace himself as he went flying by when his head went straight into the ground. 

[tomterp]

He got hit hard, clearly unconcious as he hits the ground, again pretty hard.

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200805202740733

From the Mets' MLB site:

ATLANTA -- Mets right fielder Ryan Church was hospitalized on Tuesday night after suffering a mild concussion in the ninth inning of the Mets' 6-2 loss to the Braves.
Church collided with Braves shortstop Yunel Escobar while trying to break up a double play. Church's head slammed into Escobar's right knee when the shortstop went to throw to first base. Church stayed on the ground for a couple of minutes after the play but did not lose consciousness.

The collision caused a large scrape on the upper-right part of Church's forehead.

Church also suffered a concussion during a Spring Training game on March 1, when he collided with teammate Marlon Anderson behind first base.

The Braves' doctors ruled that Church's concussion Tuesday night wasn't as serious as the one he suffered in Spring Training, but because it was the second one in less than three months, they recommended that he be examined at the hospital.

"He was pretty dazed when I got out there, pretty glazed over," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "We'll have the doctor check him out and hopefully he'll be all right. But again, he took a pretty good shot."

Church was 2-for-4 in the second game of the doubleheader.

[Steve Heezy]

just watched the play ... that is completely churchs fault. He wasn't even going into a slide at the point he made contact with Escobar -- he looked more like he was knealing down than going into a slide. Escobar got pretty high up and should be have been able to clear churchs head. Too bad for church, but that was a STUPID play on his part

[The Chief]

Watching him go in way too high like that reminds me of shoeshineboy's diatribe about not risking unnecessary injury while "hustling" too hard.  In this case I'd agree with him, that was a stupid thing for Church to do and he's very lucky he isn't seriously injured.

[tomterp]

It was totally his fault, but he was being aggressive in trying to bust up the double play.  He used to catch a lot of flack on this and other Nats boards for his seemingly unaggressive play at times.  Since he's gone to the Mets, he seems much more motivated to be aggressive, both defensively and, as we see here, on the base paths.

But yeah, he brought this on himself by having his head so high up as he slides in.  Can't blame the infielder for any of it.

[The Chief]

It was totally his fault, but he was being aggressive in trying to bust up the double play.  He used to catch a lot of flack on this and other Nats boards for his seemingly unaggressive play at times.  Since he's gone to the Mets, he seems much more motivated to be aggressive, both defensively and, as we see here, on the base paths.

But yeah, he brought this on himself by having his head so high up as he slides in.  Can't blame the infielder for any of it.

when was this?  Are we talking about the same Church who tried to sack a wall in Pittsburgh?  If anything I thought he's always been a bit too reckless.

[tomterp]

when was this?  Are we talking about the same Church who tried to sack a wall in Pittsburgh?  If anything I thought he's always been a bit too reckless.

After that hit he really pulled back a lot, I saw him short arm balls hit near the walls.  He clearly didn't want to do that again, but seems to have gotten past his apprehensions.

[Dave B]

just watched the play ... that is completely churchs fault. He wasn't even going into a slide at the point he made contact with Escobar -- he looked more like he was knealing down than going into a slide. Escobar got pretty high up and should be have been able to clear churchs head. Too bad for church, but that was a STUPID play on his part

link? might have to wait til I get home to see it. sometimes video is blocked at work

[tomterp]

link? might have to wait til I get home to see it. sometimes video is blocked at work

Look back about 6 posts, I posted it already.  Yes, I could post it here again, but I want you to use my existing link I worked so hard to paste.

[Steve Heezy]

i went to the mets page from mlb.com ... its under the highlight clips from the game.

[The Chief]

After that hit he really pulled back a lot, I saw him short arm balls hit near the walls.  He clearly didn't want to do that again, but seems to have gotten past his apprehensions.

Hmm, maybe.  That season feels like forever ago to me, and I admittedly have a short memory...  you kinda have to with this team or you'd go wacky

Not to imply that you're wacky, Tom

[tomterp]

Not to imply that you're wacky, Tom

Slightly eccentric, perhaps?

[Dave B]

Look back about 6 posts, I posted it already.  Yes, I could post it here again, but I want you to use my existing link I worked so hard to paste.

Oh I thought that was a link to the article. Given the legit highlights that arent shown on the Nats page, I would have thought the fact that since this wasnt really a highlight that had anything to do with the game, it wouldnt have been on the Mets MLB site. Maybe they have a larger data storage capacity

[Dave B]

I just watched it and now I have a headache.  It seems to me anway that the side of the head shots are worse than front or back (not a doctor though).

It didnt look as bad as the trent green shot where he chop blocked that guy with his head, and his helmet was probably better than Church's, although the guy he hit was heavier

[ronnynat]

Anyone hear any updates on Escobar's knee? That couldn't have felt too good, either.

[blue911]

Anyone hear any updates on Escobar's knee? That couldn't have felt too good, either.

The Braves game is on ESPN tonight. Which is odd considering they aren't playing Boston or the Yankees.

[ronnynat]

Here's an update on Escobar. Looks like he'll be fine.

While Church was sent to an Atlanta-area hospital with what was diagnosed as a mild concussion, Escobar was limping badly after the Braves' 6-2 win in Game 2. He had tweaked his left hamstring earlier in the game. But it was the area just under his right knee that seemed to be giving him the most problems.

"No [disabled list]," Escobar said as media members attempted to get his account of what happened.

While Escobar likely won't need a trip to the DL, there's certainly a chance that he might miss Wednesday's game against the Mets. Church is certainly doubtful as well.

Some Braves questioned whether Church was overaggressive with his slides in the fifth and ninth innings. But two established veterans said that they believed the Mets' outfielder was just "playing the game hard."

http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080521&content_id=2741843&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl