Spring Training is the Time for Weird Injuries
This past Wednesday night newly acquired Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly was scratched from his scheduled appearance because of a sore back. The cause of the pain in his back: standing too long cooking Cajun food (according to Kelly). This sounds ridiculous, because after all, he’s an athlete that gets paid millions of dollars to keep his body in top shape to be able to perform well all season long. How can “cooking” cause him any pain? But every year at Spring Training we hear about another weird injury that simply perplexes us common people. Let’s take a look at some of the weirdest Spring Training injuries over the years:
1994
Steve Sparks, pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, dislocated his shoulder while attempting to rip apart a phone book. The Brewers’ GM brought a couple of motivational speakers to spring camp, who tore a few phone books while delivering a message of “inspiration.” Sparks thought he would give it a try, which resulted in an injury that kept him in the minor leagues for another season.
Photo: www.si.com
2010
Cubs’ first baseman Derek Lee injured his back while eating a pre-game meal in the clubhouse when the chair he was sitting in collapsed. Lee fell to the floor, causing back discomfort that limited him to just three innings that day.
2012
New York Yankees pitcher David Robertson sprained his foot when he was moving empty boxes at his home. He was carrying them down some stairs when he misjudged a step and stumbled.
2012
David Price, who pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays at the time, was pulled from the game early because of neck spasms resulting from wiping his head with a towel. He said the towel “caught the back of his head and pulled his neck forward” enough for the team to be cautious with him the rest of the day.
2013
Elvis Andrus had to miss a Spring Training game in 2013 due to arm soreness after getting a tattoo. The shortstop for the Texas Rangers had just gotten a tattoo of his father that took nine hours to complete.
2013
Pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Marc Rzepczynski, was out playing golf with some teammates when his ball landed in the rough. In his attempt to hit the ball out of the rough, a piece of dirt flew into his eye, which kept him from pitching in a game for over a week. He even had to sleep standing up during that time to help heal the eye, according to his doctor.
2013
Outfielder Michael Taylor, who then played for the Oakland A’s, missed a week of games in Spring Training after he cut his pinkie finger while throwing away chewing gum. He opted for the overhand toss into the dugout trashcan, where his pinkie was cut by the overhead lightbulb.
2014
Texas Rangers pitcher Derek Holland was limited to just six games in 2014 after tripping over his dog. He was running around with his dog at his home when he decided to run up the stairs. His dog took off after him and caught his leg, causing Holland to fall down some steps.
2015
Michael Saunders, center fielder for the Toronto Blue Jays, tore a ligament in his knee after tripping over a sprinkler head during workouts in Spring Training. This would cause him to play just nine games during the 2015 season.
Photo: Associated Press
2015
Chris Sale, who then pitched for the Chicago White Sox, fractured his foot while jumping off the back of his truck at his home. He was unloading some stuff from his truck, when he landed awkwardly on the ground and had to miss several weeks.
2016
Relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, Will Smith, was taking off his cleats after a game when he tore a ligament in his right knee. “I pulled hard on the shoe and it stayed on. My knee just went up and popped,” recalled Smith.
So, there it is. Just when we thought that major league baseball players were these extraordinary human beings, we find out they are just like me and you. Except they get paid millions of dollars. I hope you enjoyed this lighthearted article as we continue to count down the days to the beginning of the season!
Credit: http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/110530386/strange-spring-training-injuries-michael-saunders-weird
https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/ct-weird-spring-training-injuries-20170306-photogallery.html
http://www.espn.com/blog/spring-training/post/_/id/1135/strangest-injuries-of-the-spring
Garett