Broken Bat Injures Pitcher

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In the Minor League affiliate of the Orioles, Tides pitcher Hayden Penn was taken from the game after Jason Phillips' broken bat cut his knee. Penn needed stitches and was fortunate as it could have been worse.

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In the Minor League affiliate of the Orioles, Tides pitcher Hayden Penn was taken from the game after Jason Phillips' broken bat cut his knee. Penn needed stitches and was fortunate as it could have been worse.


was it an ash bat?

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was it an ash bat?

Great question, and I don't know. Since it was a Minor League game, there isn't much info on it. Couldn't find any video either.

TIDES ROUNDUP
By Rainer Sabin (http://hamptonroads.com/2008/02/rainer-sabin)
The Virginian-Pilot
© August 3, 2008
NORFOLK

Hayden Penn bent over and grimaced as blood streamed down his left leg. The Norfolk Tides pitcher who has been cursed with bad luck, who has a cloud suspended over his head the past two years, flashed a look of dread.

The game was only a few minutes old when Richmond leadoff hitter Josh Anderson's bat splintered on a groundball back to the mound. Penn made the play and Anderson was out, but not before a jagged piece of wood sliced the knee of the righthander.

The first moments of action at Harbor Park on Saturday would define the Braves' 7-0 victory - encapsulating the misfortune the Tides encountered as Richmond won for only the second time in seven games. The Braves scored all seven of their runs in the first two innings, capitalizing on Penn's brush with disaster.

"We were looking for a good game from him," said Norfolk pitching coach Larry McCall. "And he was throwing well before that."

Penn would only face five more batter and fail to make it out of the first inning. He allowed three hits - one of them a home run to Brandon Jones that would expedite the end of Penn's night but not before sparking some controversy when the ball became lodged in the top of the fence.

Originally ruled a ground-rule double, Jones was ordered back to second base and at that point it seemed Penn might have received one of the few breaks he has had in recent memory. But moments later, that call was overruled and Jones, who later produced three RBI when he crushed a pitch by Craig Anderson off the scoreboard in right field, touched home plate for the Braves' first run.

Shortly thereafter, Penn walked slowly off the mound after being removed from the game. Upon entering the dugout, he threw a cup against the ground in frustration and then covered his face with his hands.
"It's unfortunate," McCall said.

After all, Penn's last two starts offered encouraging signs. They each lasted seven innings and he demonstrated strong command of his secondary pitches - particularly his curveball.

"Nobody wants to leave the game," said Penn, who was charged with three runs.

Especially somebody who has a lot on the line. Penn knew the implications the injury could have on his immediate future before heading into the clubhouse to be stitched up. With Baltimore needing a starting pitcher this Tuesday to face the Los Angeles Angels, there was talk that Penn could be recalled by the Orioles for the first time since 2006.

"I have no idea about that," said Norfolk manager Gary Allenson. "He's going to have to be able to pitch."

And Penn hasn't always been able to recently. Two years ago, Penn had been promoted to Baltimore and was scheduled to start in Seattle. But then he felt pain in his stomach and was diagnosed with appendicitis. Since then, he has missed time because of bone spurs in his right elbow and soreness in his shoulder. Both injuries were major setbacks for a pitcher who made his major-league debut when he was just 20.
Now this.
"I'm going to come in tomorrow and see how I feel," Penn said. "I'm disappointed. But I will be ready to pitch whenever they need me. Things happen."