News
Gonzalez released from hospital; DL bound
Infielder recovering after getting hit by pitch on Saturday
By Sandy Burgin / MLB.com
07/19/09 8:22 PM ET
SAN DIEGO -- The news on Edgar Gonzalez, who was hit on the helmet by a Jason Hammel 93-mph fastball on Saturday night, was encouraging Sunday as the infielder was released from the hospital."Edgar is resting comfortably, as best as he could in the hospital," said Padres manager Bud Black before Sunday's game with the Rockies. "He went through a battery of tests that have shown no fractures, no skull fractures, no hematomas. I think they might do the tests again, a followup on the same scans just to make sure."
Following Sunday's game, Black announced that there was a second set of tests performed on Gonzalez that indicated that he had experienced "concussion symptons" and would likely be placed on the disabled list prior to Monday's game against the Marlins.
"Edgar went through another round of tests," said Black after the game. "They [doctors] have mentioned that there are concussion-like symtons which I think we all expected. He still has the ringing in the ears -- some hearing issues.
"They are going to continue to test over the next couple of days and the doctors have said that the symptoms in time should alleviate.
"We are going to put him on the disabled list. There are still a lot of hurdles for him to clear physically. We think it's in the best interest of Edgar to take the next couple of weeks to make sure the next couple of weeks are 100 percent."
Prior to Sunday's game Black noted, "He is still dizzy. he had the ringing in his ear immediately after the impact. He never lost consciousness, he was aware of what had happened and he was aware of his surroundings. He was aware of being hit and what was going on around him. There are a lot of good signs through this."
Black said he did not know whether Gonzalez had seen a replay of the incident.
However, his brother Adrian did see it on TV when it happened in the sixth inning of Saturday night's game against the Rockies.
"I was in the video room and I saw it happen on TV and I just felt like I lost all my strength," said Adrian. "I tried to get up and go outside. I felt like I might fall to the ground if I got up, so I stayed in the chair." Gonzalez collapsed in the batter's box as Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba and home plate umpire Greg Gibson immediately came to his aid, as Padres trainers Todd Hutcheson and Paul Navarro ran onto the field.
"Once I saw the trainers get him up and started moving him around, I knew he was all right," said Adrian. "But still you don't know until you get results of the tests."
Gonzalez was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, from where he was released.
Black recalled the incident involving Padres catcher Michael Barrett when he got hit after swinging and took a foul ball of the bridge of his nose.
"But Mike remained conscious and went through all on-field tests and was fine," said Black. "I don't think we've had any incidents with guys getting hit on the head since I've been here."
Sandy Burgin is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
