The fourth game in a four game series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates was halted for thirteen minutes in Great American ballpark when two Reds outfielders collided while going after a ball, knocking one of the players unconscious. Center fielder Ryan Freel and right fielder Norris Hopper collided while going after a ball hit by Pirates catcher Humberto Cota in the third inning. Both men were running full speed when Freel supposedly caught the ball on the warning track and was hit on the left side by Hopper. Freel spun left and fell next to the wall. Freel had just signed a contract extension six weeks before and joked that he could now be more aggressive on the ball field. If Freel wasn’t superstitious before, he may be now.
After the collision, Hopper got up unhurt, but Freel lay motionless on the ground for 13 minutes before being taken out of the park on an ambulance. One Pirates radio announcer mentioned that you could hear a pin drop in the somber stadium, rare for the laid back, family friendly atmosphere of a typical baseball game. In the fourth inning, Reds announcers mentioned that Freel had lost feeling in his extremities. He has since regained feeling, and while CT scans on his head and neck show that no major damage was done, Freel has a contusion to the head and neck.
After the scare, the Reds went on to beat the Pirates 4-0, robbing the Pirates of a sweep. Their winning pitcher, Kyle Lohse broke not only the team’s six-game losing streak but also a personal six-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Pirates’ pitching star Ian Snell fell to a 4-4 record, noticing that after Freel’s collision, the Reds defense took off. What’s most disturbing about this story is that upon review of the play from multiple angles, it has been shown that Freel did not catch Cota’s fly ball. Instead, the tape shows that while leaning over Freel’s motionless body, Hopper picked up the baseball from the ground and placed it into his glove, right before the umpire ran up to them to determine whether or not a catch was made. Had this been noticed, Cota would have had an inside the park homerun, and the game may have turned out very differently for the Pirates. There is no word yet on what will be done upon this discovery. Even Pirates players such as first basemen Adam LaRoche does not consider what Hopper did cheating, though in my opinion, taking a homerun away from a player is wrong, whether it was cheating or not.
For related articles, visit http://www.aolsportsblog.com/2007/05/28/ryan-freel-is-ok-after-a-scary-collision/,
http://www.ohionewsnow.com/?sec=sports&story=sites/ONN/content/pool/200705/2094766497.html, and
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2007/05/29/freels_effort_injury_are_reds_inspiration/.
.How would you deal with this situation? Leave a comment.
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5 users commented in " Reds Player Freel Injured in Memorial Day Game, Hopper Cheating Suspicions "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackAs a huge Reds fan, I was devastated watching Freel get hurt. Freel has been a bright spot for the Reds the past few seasons on a team that could really use some. His all out style of play was exciting to watch and kept me a fan of the team. Plus, he has started in 6 different position in the past few seasons. I’m glad to hear from the latest reports that he is doing very well. Hopefully we can get him back very soon.
As far as the whole cheating incident, it would not matter. If Freel had not caught the ball, and the ball was placed in his glove, the batter can only take one base according to Major League Baseball Rule 5.10 Section C. It states that a ball is considered “Dead”, “When an accident incapacitates a player or an umpire.” Plus, the Umpire in-chief had called Time, also causing the ball to be dead. Regardless of what Hooper did while trying to awaken Freel, the runner could not advance past first.
Wrong! If Cota was already on his way to second which I imagine he was, then he would have gotten at least a double, or most likely a triple out of this. Changes the WHOLE game. Either way, you skirt the issue. Hooper, Hopper, whatever, HE cheated.
Even if he was already at second base it wouldn’t have mattered. The second base ump had left the play and was heading to outfield. As well as calling time. Which would force Cota to stay at that base. If the ump wanted to, he could send him back to first. Regardless of you opinion that a double could change the outcome of a four run win, it’s in the rules that if a player is injured on a play, the ball is dead. And thats indisputable. Granted a big hit can change the momentum, but the Reds won by 4 runs. A double would not have changed that. Plus, you can’t say Hooper cheated. It wasn’t proven. When he gets suspended or it comes up on ESPN, then get back to me. But right now it’s speculation.
Making excuses for a cheater is disgusting, Colin Hansen.
Thats fine that you feel that way, but I have stated facts and MLB rules supporting me. You have speculation that lasted about 30 seconds. Regardless of Hooper cheating or not, it would not have mattered. Read what I had already said in my previous comments before making personal attacks without any substantial information.
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