Oakland Athletics pitcher Brandon McCarthy remained in a “life-threatening” situation in a Bay Area hospital two days after being hit in the head by a line drive.
Struck on the right side of his head by a hard shot from the Angels’ Erick Aybar on Wednesday, McCarthy suffered an epidural hemorrhage, brain contusion and skull fracture. He had two hours of surgery to relieve pressure on his brain late Wednesday night.
A’s athletic trainer Nick Paparesta was asked Friday if McCarthy was still in a life-threatening situation.
“Absolutely he is. It’s brain surgery,” Paparesta said. “It’s life-threatening. At any possible moment something could go wrong, he could have a complication.”
Speaking before the team’s game against Seattle, Paparesta also said McCarthy got out of bed three times, sat up in a chair and his bed, ate solid foods, recognized visitors, and although he can talk he isn’t talking yet because of continued pain.
NYC LOVES CHIPPER
Every which way Chipper Jones turned at Citi Field, someone wanted to thank him. A policeman gave him a firm handshake, an usher provided a pat on the back. A man intercepted Jones in the hallway near the clubhouse, reached into a shopping bag and handed over the Braves flag that flew over Shea Stadium and a framed part of the outfield wall.
Jeered, heckled and serenaded with derisive chants for years, Jones arrived at the ballpark Friday for his final series in Queens. The retiring 40-year-old slugger was treated like a king, too, showered with smiles and compliments as he greeted fans behind the cage during batting practice.
“Kind of weird,” he said during a pregame news conference, “for everybody to be out here for little ol’ me.”
SHORT HOPS
Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira says he’s ready to return for the third game of New York’s four-game series against the Orioles today after missing nearly two weeks with a strained left calf. … Rays ace left-hander David Price has been scratched from his scheduled start tonight because of what the team is calling general soreness in his left shoulder. Right-hander Chris Archer was recalled from Double-A Montgomery to replace Price (17-5), who could miss only one start. … The Rangers have decided to give 15-game winner Matt Harrison a couple of extra days of rest. … Left-hander J.A. Happ will miss the rest of the season for the Blue Jays with a fractured right foot. Toronto also activated catcher J.P. Arencibia (fractured hand) and third baseman Brett Lawrie (strained abdominal) from the DL. … The Phillies have activated All-Star catcher Carlos Ruiz from the DL, where he had been sidelined since Aug. 3 because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
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