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From news of the day to news of the weird, John Fay provides a glimpse of what it’s like to cover the Cincinnati Reds

John Fay
John Fay has been the Reds beat writer for the Enquirer since 2001. Prior to that, he served in a variety of roles for the Enquirer: backup Reds writer, UC beat writer, backup Bengals writer and as a general assignment reporter. He is a Cincinnati native and a graduate of Elder High School and the University of Dayton.

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Monday, May 28, 2007

Freel hurt (updated)

Reds center fielder Ryan Freel was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital on Monday after tangling with teammate Norris Hopper as both pursued a fly ball in the third inning at Great American Ball Park.
Freel fell hard onto the dirt warning track after catching the fly ball Pirates catcher Humberto Cota hit to right centerfield off Reds starting pitcher Kyle Lohse.
Rob Butcher, the Reds director of media relations, said Freel would undergo scans on his neck and head at the hospital.
“He was coherent when he left the ballpark,” Butcher said. “He does have feeling in all of his extremities.”
CT scans of Freel's head and neck came back normal and he was diagnosed with a contusion to the head and neck. He will be re-evaluated Tuesday.
Freel came to rest on his left side at the base of the right centerfield wall near the 370-foot marker.
Reds manager Jerry Narron and assistant athletic trainer Steve Baumann sprinted from the dugout to the spot where Freel lay motionless.
Second base umpire Adam Dowdy saw the ball in Freel’s glove and signaled Cota out.
Reds medical director, Dr. Timothy Kremchek, and head athletic trainer Mark Mann quickly joined Narron and Bauman on the dirt warning track.
Hopper was uninjured.
The medical personnel stabilized Freel’s neck and slowly rolled him over onto a stretcher. An ambulance backed onto the field and took him to the hospital.
The game against the Pirates resumed after a 13-minute delay.
Ken Griffey Jr., who was not in the starting lineup, came off the bench and played right field. Hopper moved to center field.


17 Comments:

at 3:57 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's great to hear Freel is only bruised up...nice catch, nice effort!

Could it be the Reds are inspired and competitive again?

 
at 7:59 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

John, Seems to me that RF could use, now more than ever, a look at the history of Pete Reiser. Few one-out catches are worth a career. FH

 
at 9:00 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am glad the Ryan is OK. Did it appear to anyone else that Hopper put the ball in Ryan glove when he was on the ground? Heads up play by Hopper. Ryan, our thoughts are with you.

 
at 6:19 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why do I need to see a picture of John Fay on this website?

 
at 10:00 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I appreciate the constant hustle and the working man attitude toward the game. My favorite player. Get Well R.A. Deer Park

 
at 11:00 AM Blogger John Fay said...

On the picture, good point. I wouldn't want to looking at that at 5:19 in the morning either.

 
at 11:48 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

john,
if freel goes on the DL...which has to be a possibility.... do you think that they might give Jay Bruce a look. our outfield depth in the minors is awful. if option yars is truly not an option...might be nice to give him a taste of it.

 
at 12:43 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I saw Hopper put the ball back in Freel's glove. I think Freel came down with the ball anyways and should have been ruled an out, but if Hopper would not have put the ball back in Pit would have gotten a homerun.

 
at 1:20 PM Blogger John Fay said...

Almost no chance we'll see Bruce. He's 20 years old. Never played above A.

 
at 1:36 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

What is the rule in Major League Baseball? Can the ground cause a fumble. I looked at the replay dozens of times and it looked as if Freel caught the ball, then several steps later got Hopper's right arm in his face, crashed to the ground, with the ball still in his glove.

That kind of effort, notwithstanding the wisdom of the fan's cautionary Pete Reiser cite, is all I want from the Reds, because with their offensive talent, they will not be in last place or have the worst record in Baseball or even the NL if they can all play harder and smarter...and Freel didn't go charging face first into the wall so I don't think this particular play is one that Freel was overly Kamikaze on...

When you're a baseball fan, days like yesterday for the team you're rooting for are enough to make many of the sloppy silly losses forgettable.

I want to see this "NEW" Reds product on the field. Freel on the DL would be a shame unless he absolutely can't play for 14 days/games.

 
at 1:40 PM Blogger HoosierRedsFan said...

We may see Votto soon. Go Reds!!!

 
at 1:54 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

what is the status of Elizardo Ramirez? I remeber he had shoulder problems in spring training, and he tried to make a rehab start, and it stiffened up on him. This seems like the sorta thing that becomes shoulder surgery. He has had problems since last season.

 
at 2:03 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Freel didn't catch it. As he lay on the ground, the ball was within arms reach. He pulled the ball back to him, in what seemed to be his final moment of clarity before going out cold. Hopper then came over & finished the play by putting the ball in Freel's glove. That is cheating in my book. But its the kind of cheating you people will probably tolerate.

 
at 2:34 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

john,
griffey was how old when he made the jump. there just isn't anybody in louisville or chattanooga.
when did this become the sport where you had to be a certain age. the best play. especially on a team with the worst record in baseball.

 
at 2:43 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I understand the need for patience, but for the life of me I cannot figure out why Votto and Bailey remain in AAA while the big league club continues to struggle.

FREE HOMER BAILEY AND JOEY VOTTO!

p.s. - move Bruce up to AA....quickly....

 
at 2:44 PM Blogger John Fay said...

Griffey was 19. But he made the club out of spring training. If I were making the call, I'd consider it. But given the patience they've shown with Bailey, I don't see it happening. Last I heard on Elizardo, he was still shut down. Surgery would not surprise me at all.

 
at 2:55 PM Blogger Brad said...

Keppinger or Bellhorn, maybe Dewayne Wise if Freel is DL'd.

They will bring up a retread only because it will be for a short period time. Said retread will go back to AAA or get DFA'd once Hamilton comes back.

 
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