Get Well, Matt Clement
In the bottom of the 3rd inning of tonight’s game, Matt Clement got hit on the right side of the head with a line drive off of Carl Crawford’s bat. I didn’t see much movement from him for a long while, but close-ups did show his legs move and as well as breathing. This was reminiscent of Bryce Florie’s accident on September 8, 2000.
The thoughts and prayers of Red Sox fans around the world are with the Clement family tonight.
9:54 PM update via NESN
Computerized tomography (CT) scan was negative and Clement never lost consciousness, which was surprising considering how long he was prone. The situation is looking much better than it did an hour and a half ago.
Comments
I echo your thoughts about Matt Clement. This is one of those moments when the game, the standings, the race all matter little. We are all pulling for his full recovery.
Dave ∙ 26 July 2005 ∙ 9:45 PM
I just saw the hit this morning. Damn. It looked pretty bad. The ball landed pretty far into leftfield. I don't want to think of what would have happened if it caught him flush in the face.
Edmund Dantes ∙ 27 July 2005 ∙ 9:27 AM
I hope he gets well soon, too. It's a really positive sign that he stayed conscious the whole time. It means that neurological problems, post-concussion syndrome, and other long term effects are extremely unlikely. It's even possible that he may not have shaken his brain hard enough to get a concussion (his skull may have absorbed the force of the blow and transmitted it away through the body instead of through itself, which would shake the brain). Still really painful, but much easier to heal.
twitch124 ∙ 27 July 2005 ∙ 11:13 AM
I think twitch was right on in her diagnosis. Hearing Clement speak in an interview last night and seeing him up and about was quite heartening. Fortunately, this wasn't Florie redux.
Empyreal ∙ 28 July 2005 ∙ 6:46 AM
I live in Matt's hometown of Butler, PA. He lives here in the offseason and does a lot for our community. Thank God he is alright.
andrew ∙ 30 July 2005 ∙ 9:47 PM
Thanks for visiting, Andrew. Good to know that Matt walks the talk. We were all very worried for him, and, predictably, he's already bugging Terry Francona to get back on the mound. He'll miss his next start because the team doesn't want to rush him, but he'll likely make the next one.
Could this qualify him for Comeback Player of the Year?
Empyreal ∙ 30 July 2005 ∙ 11:41 PM