Olympic Bean Ball Results In Injury

[love_that_reefer]

Matt LaPorta has been hospitalized after being hit on the helmet by a pitch Monday during the United States' win over China in the Olympics. LaPorta knocked China's catcher out of the game during a fifth-inning collision at the plate and the next inning Nate Schierholtz collided with his replacement. China manager Jim Lefebvre was ejected from the game and LaPorta was hit by a fastball in the seventh inning, as the ball deflected off his shoulder into his helmet. Pitcher Zhen Xu was ejected and the U.S. team was hit by a total of five pitches in a 9-1 victory. "He never lost consciousness," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said. "He's been held for observation. He will have spent at least a day in the hospital." Shapiro declined to say whether LaPorta would rejoin the Olympic team once he's released from the hospital.

First America is accused of playing dirty when they weren't and now the Chinese are being bush league. I love it! Go America!! LaPorta doesn't sound like he is that injured so Indians fans can relax. Five batters plunked compared to two catchers getting demolished at home plate. America will take it and take the win. What the hell is Lefebvre doing coaching the Chinese?

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Wow....i don't even know what to say. A team comes into your country to play OLYMPIC baseball and this happens. China should be ashamed of themselves, and there should be disciplinary action by the International Olympic Committee. They pride themselves on the "spirit of the game" and all that, now it's time to show you mean it. IMO, they should be disqualified. Hitting a player in the head, and hitting 4 other players because you're mad they bowled over 2 of your catchers is utterly ridiculous, and would not be tolerated anywhere, so there's no reason it should be here.

Catchers getting collided into is a legal and common part of the game. If you don't want your catchers to get hurt, tell them to move the f*ck out of the way. Otherwise, it's fair game. This is a disgrace to the game of baseball.

[love_that_reefer]

They did hit LaPorta in the shoulder but was aimed too high no doubt. I too hope for some kind of disciplinary action.

[DirtyKash]

Originally Posted by giantsfan5689 Hitting a player in the head, and hitting 4 other players because you're mad they bowled over 2 of your catchers is utterly ridiculous, and would not be tolerated anywhere, so there's no reason it should be here.

He was hit in the shoulder which is normal. The ball deflected and hit his head.

Originally Posted by giantsfan5689 Catchers getting collided into is a legal and common part of the game.

As is getting hit by a pitch.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Originally Posted by DirtyKash He was hit in the shoulder which is normal. The ball deflected and hit his head.

if it hit his shoulder, it's close enough to his head that the pitcher clearly with intent threw in the vicinity of his head. that is NOT acceptable.

Originally Posted by DirtyKash As is getting hit by a pitch.

not intentionally throwing at someone. i'm totally against doing that. it should never happen. there is never a good time to throw at someone. especially at their head.

[mntwinsfan]

Lefebvre is not the only US coach on China's coaching staff. There is also a ex mlb pitcher on the staff as well. Baseball is a game started in the USA. So ex coaches and players do turn up on non us clubs.

If the clubs have to play again I think it will get even worse..

[DirtyKash]

Originally Posted by giantsfan5689 not intentionally throwing at someone. i'm totally against doing that. it should never happen. there is never a good time to throw at someone. especially at their head.

Whether you like it or not is the question, since it happens all the time in baseball! Just this year alone, there have been 1,274 hit by pitches in MLB. And it wasn't at the head, it was the shoulder, which is part of the body.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Originally Posted by DirtyKash Whether you like it or not is the question, since it happens all the time in baseball! Just this year alone, there have been 1,274 hit by pitches in MLB. And it wasn't at the head, it was the shoulder, which is part of the body.

it was close enough to the head. i'm not complaining about all those HBP's. i'm talking intentional ones. and the MLB makes sure all pitchers intentionally hitting batters are suspended. now it's time for the IOC to take a stand

[ljshorty89]

I dunno. I mean, it happens, intentional or not. I think it's stupid and irrational that the Chinese would react this way, but if their players are too wimpy to either take the hit or get out of the way....then let them give us base runners. But if someone were to be seriously hurt, just watch one of our players retaliate. It won't be pretty.

[ljshorty89]

Matt LaPorta is day-to-day after being hit on the helmet at the Olympics on Monday. LaPorta was taken to the hospital for precautionary tests which came back negative, and he then rode the bus back to the Olympic Village with his teammates. Indians GM Mark Shapiro said earlier that he'd need to spend at least a day in the hospital, but the severity of the injury seems to have been overestimated.

Sounds like LaPorta is ok. Indians fans breathe a big sigh of relief.

[brewcrewrock]

haha man that colision was funny! well its the chineese, what do u expect!...seeing as though Great Britain couldnt make it, and im half american GO USA!

[ljshorty89]

This is just a disgrace to Olympic baseball. I mean, you don't see players barreling catchers anymore, but that doesn't make it a dirty play. It's called playing hard. Now, being hit by a pitch is a part of the game, but when it's intentional, there's an issue. I find it interesting that this happened just after the incident the US had with Cuba.