One of the many dangers of playing baseball is that a ball flying over 90 miles per hour, and even sometimes over 100 miles per hour, can do some serious damage if it were to hit a player. One such scary situation involving Los Angeles Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker occurred on September 4th. Shoemaker was pitching to Seattle Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager in the second inning of the game at Safeco Field in Seattle, when Seager ripped a line drive right back at Shoemaker, which drilled Shoemaker right in the head, as he tried to avoid it. The line drive that hit Shoemaker came off Seager's bat at a stunning 105 mph, according to MLB Statcast. The Angels pitcher fell to his knees before the Angels' trainers hurried out to the pitcher’s mound, followed by Shoemaker’s teammates, and even Kyle Seager as well. After remaining on the ground for some time, Shoemaker rose to his feet, firmly holding a towel to what appeared to be a bleeding head. He had to immediately leave the game and received a standing ovation from the Seattle crowd as he walked to the visiting team’s dugout.
Shoemaker was immediately taken to a hospital to where according to the New York Daily News, a CT scan revealed a small skull fracture and small hematoma. Shoemaker had to undergo surgery to stop bleeding in his brain. He had the procedure performed late on September 4th and was being treated by Dr. Manuel Ferreira of the University of Washington Medical Center. Los Angeles athletic trainer Adam Nevala stayed with Shoemaker until he was able to travel to Southern California.
Via CBS Sports
General manager Billy Eppler provided the update on September 5th, saying Shoemaker had been receiving CT scans every 2-3 hours when the third image showed increased bleeding, shortly before 9 p.m. That’s when surgery was determined to be the next step. “The CT scan confirmed or when they actually did the operation that confirmed where the bleeding was,” Eppler said. “They were able to access that area. They were able to seal it, stop the bleeding. He was wheeled back up into recovery and is recovering fine.” As bad as this situation with Matt Shoemaker was, the fortunate side of the whole situation is that Shoemaker is still alive, and looks like he is going to be alright.
Brain injuries form sports accidents can be very serious injuries, but these same or even worse injuries can also occur when involved in a car accident. Sometimes, traumatic brain injuries don't present themselves right away. This is why it is absolutely important to immediately see a doctor following any kind of car crash. If you or anyone you know has been injured in a car accident, call The Michigan Law Firm. Our attorneys are highly experienced in dealing with all types of motor vehicle accidents and can get you the help you need. Call us today, at 844.4MI.FIRM, for a free consultation.