Justin Upton throws helmet in anger, hits teammate Yonder Alonso in head
Every time we see an angry baseball player throw his helmet or smash his bat in the dugout, we hold our breath hoping no innocent bystanders are struck or injured by the flying debris.
That was the case again on Saturday night when San Diego’s Justin Upton returned to the dugout angry after being picked off by Colorado’s John Axford. Upton attempted to spike his helmet into the ground in frustration, but lost his grip and instead sent it flying toward his teammates sitting along the dugout fence.
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Among those sitting, minding his own business, was first baseman Yonder Alonso. He never saw the helmet coming and ended up getting clipped across the head.
It’s difficult to see how hard Alonso was hit or where exactly in the video, but report and photos seems to confirm he was struck on the forehead..
Alonso did take a tumble off the bench as well, as noted in Nick Groke’s tweet.
Understandably, Alonso was none too pleased. Before leaving the dugout to be checked in the clubhouse, he threw his own fit of frustration. His target was the bubble gum container, which is obviously much safer for all involved.
We can inject some lighthearted humor, because it appears Alonso has avoided a concussion or other possible injuries. He didn’t appear to have any cuts or noticeable marks either, so perhaps he’ll come away unscathed.
If so, that would quality as very good news for a San Diego team that has seemingly shot itself in the foot all season long and grossly underachieved. They did rally to win Saturday’s game though, scoring three runs in the ninth to top Colorado 7-5.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813