Goldman: Harper injury a case of Dodgers’ negligence
From SABR member Steven Goldman at Baseball Nation on May 14, 2013:
The Dodgers should be ashamed of themselves. Different ownership, bigger wallet, same, stupid values. Bryce Harper, the Washington Nationals right fielder and the greatest young star in the game, was forced to leave the game with a jammed shoulder and lacerated neck when he ran face first into the plexiglass scoreboard in right field in pursuit of a fly ball off the bat of A.J. Ellis. Harper was able to leave the game under his own power; agent Scott Boras later reported (via Adam Kilgore) that the outfielder had received 11 stitches but did not suffer a concussion. Nevertheless, the risk to Harper, to any outfielder who plays in Dodger Stadium, is appalling. And it’s not the first time that this has been an issue.
On April 9, 2007, Matt Kemp, then 22 and starting what would have been his first full season in the majors, suffered a separated shoulder in a collision with the same scoreboard. Writing about it at the time, I said, “Who was the genius who installed the nice, soft scoreboard over the outfield padding in Dodger Stadium’s right field? Whoever it was, they killed Matt Kemp. Welcome to Team Darwin, geniuses.”
Read the full article here: http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2013/5/14/4330058/bryce-harper-injury-dodgers-matt-kemp
Originally published: May 14, 2013. Last Updated: May 14, 2013.