Pittsburgh Pirates RHP A.J. Burnett has a right eye orbital fracture and is scheduled to have surgery on Friday in Pittsburgh. When I first heard reports yesterday that Burnett was hit in the eye by a batted ball I figured it happened during batting practice with a teammate hitting. It turns out that Burnett was participating in the team's bunting tournament when he fouled a ball from a pitching machine into his own face.
I'm sure Burnett was trying to get used to hitting again after just a handful or 25 plate appearances across six years worth of inter league games. He was last in the National League in 2005 but managed to get an occasional hit in seven seasons with the Marlins including three home runs. But the bunting drill he was injured on would help him sacrifice when necessary. In his last two seasons with the Marlins he managed eight sacrifice hits in 2004 and nine in 2005.
Injuries are part of the game. There is currently no word on how long he will be on the DL after the surgery. Yet when he does make it back there likely will be some clubhouse jokes about keeping his eye on the ball. I wish him a speedy recovery.
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