As mentioned in the comments earlier today, Cleveland Indians prospect Matt LaPorta took a fastball to the helmet in today’s game against the Chinese National team. The details have now been released, and I’m admittedly pretty irritated at what went down.
Per MLB.com via Cleveland.com:
the trouble started against China when LaPorta knocked over catcher Wei Wang in the fifth inning on a play at the plate for a 4-0 lead. Wang left the game with a knee injury.
In the bottom of the sixth, Nate Schierholtz collided with backup Chinese catcher Yang Yang when he scored on a sacrifice fly for a 5-0 lead. China’s manager Jim Lefebvre argued over Team USA’s tactics at the plate and was ejected.
LaPorta, leading off the seventh, was hit in the batting helmet by a fastball from reliever Zhen Xu and went down hard. Xu was ejected. Chinese pitchers hit Team USA players five times with pitches.
The result of the game was a 9-1 demolition of Team China. But while we walk away with the win, we also have an outfielder in the hospital. Thankfully, it sounds like he is alright and will be released within the next 24 hours.
I think Jason Donald hit the nail on the head (no pun intended) with his comments.
“I don’t think they have maybe the right understanding of when to hit a guy, how to hit a guy — if you’re gonna do it,” U.S. player Jason Donald said. “The way they did it tonight just shows a lack of respect for the game and very little knowledge on their part of how to play the game.”
This whole situation is surprising in that the Chinese team’s head coach is American. I could turn this whole talk into what went down with the Olympic gymnastics, but that’s another story for another day. We’ll keep an ear to the ground on LaPorta’s status. For now, just know that things seem to be okay – which is fortunate given the circumstances.
Shapiro says LaPorta will be released from Hospital [Cleveland.com]
Author: Scott
Scott is a co-founder/editor of Waiting For Next Year who resides in Cleveland, Ohio. Feel free to follow him on Twitter or email him at scott@waitingfornextyear.com.Scott has written 2013 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
If a Cleveland Olympic athlete is going to the hospital, better LaPorta than LeBron.
If he would have injured himself in the field of play, thats one thing. To be hospitalized during a 9-1 game after taking a fastball to the dome is a complete different occurance.
Boycott China, Boycott Wal Mart! Screw that country. They cheat in Gymnastics, they worship Kobe Bryant, they think Ping Pong is a sport, they are beaming our guys in the head! ENOUGH!
Hit them where it hurts and stop going to Wal Mart
If LaPorta had landed on his knees as he fell, the technical judges would have given him a 9.6.
A totally Busch league move, it’s a shame as LaPorta has had quite the Olympics thus far.
To even the score I just hit a slap shot at one of my 97 pound Chinese coworkers from approximately 12 feet away.
I tried to explain to her why, but she was having nothing to do with me after things transpired.
Soooo lame, especially in olympic competition. No wonder this Jim Lefebvre clown coaches in China. If an american team did this I would be really embarassed.
I watched the video several times from multiple angles.
Why would LaPorta have done that slide . Colliding to chinese catcher is absolutely NOT necessary. Now, he has to pay for what he did. There was no winning for this stupid game.
China = Garbage.
If America broke all the rules, we’d win everything too… oh wait… we already do. and we don’t cheat. forgot about that.
Is it necessary to plow over catchers when you’re leading by a large marginf against a team that’s clearly overmatched? There’s blood on our hands too and LaPorta is the expense. Nice job!
large margin? we were up three, and it was early in the game…
@Tim…you give Tim’s a bad name….@Scott…I agree
after watching the video several times, with what Nate Schierholtz just did, I have to say the retaliation is well justified
We were only up three and USA wanted to get up by 10 in order to save the bullpen. This is completely rediculous. Didnt they say that 7 players got beaned in the game? Unbelievable.
Yeah obviously dropping Baseball as an Olympic sport is the right move. Only a select few countries seem to actually understand the “unspoken” rules of the game. It’s a shame, hope LaPorta is ok.
[...] Typically, I’m not a fan of players from my rooting interests playing in extracurriculars. I’ve seen what’s happened to Pau Gasol, Manu Ginobili and countless others. I was firmly in the camp that didn’t want Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the recent Olympics. However, a part of me thinks that baseball may be a bit different than hoops – as long as you can avoid getting a heater to the helmet. [...]