GLENDALE, Ariz. — Bobby Miller has stared down and conquered his greatest worry. Actually.
“Every time I’ve seen a video of a pitcher getting hit within the head, I’ve by no means been in a position to watch the video,” Miller stated Saturday in his first session with the Dodgers’ media because the incident.
“I’ve all the time been like, ‘Get that out of my face.’ I all the time feared that. However now that it has occurred, I’ve been in a position to watch that. Scary second, but it surely’s all good. I’m all proper. I suppose I don’t worry it as a lot any extra, going by way of it.”
Miller stated he nonetheless has a headache and sleep is available in matches and begins, however medical imagery confirmed no fractures. He stays in concussion protocol, that means he should undergo a sequence of prescribed steps earlier than being cleared to get again on the mound.
The video is just not for the squeamish. Miller tried to get his glove up however was unable to deflect the liner from Cubs first baseman Michael Busch, and the drive knocked him to the bottom. Medical personnel rushed to the mound, however after a number of moments, Miller left the sphere below his personal energy.
“Adrenaline actually kicks in proper then,” Miller stated. “Fall over, I didn’t actually know what I used to be about to really feel. You don’t really feel it straight away. It didn’t knock me out or something, I didn’t lose any imaginative and prescient. I’m simply glad it didn’t get me within the temple or the again of the pinnacle or within the entrance.
“That’s all the time form of been certainly one of my greatest fears, taking a line drive to the pinnacle. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as unhealthy as I believed it might be. It form of knocked me down, however I used to be in a position to stroll off all proper. Hopefully get again to motion quickly. It might have been so much worse. I’m actually grateful for that.”
There have been a number of cases in baseball historical past the place the result was certainly worse. Cleveland left-hander Herb Rating was by no means the identical after being struck by a Gil McDougald line drive in 1957.
Extra just lately, Oakland’s Brandon McCarthy, Arizona’s Evan Marshall and new Houston Corridor of Famer Billy Wagner missed vital time after being struck within the head by line drives.
McCarthy underwent surgical procedure to alleviate stress on his mind after being struck in 2012, and Marshall had an analogous process carried out in 2015. Wagner missed three weeks in 1998.
“Proper now I’m not nervous to go on the market,” Miller stated about returning to the mound, “however when that second comes, we’ll see what occurs. All I’m fascinated about is simply getting wholesome and getting again on that discipline quickly. That’s what I really need.”
Miller is amongst these competing for a spot within the Dodgers’ beginning rotation this spring, inasmuch as Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw is not going to be able to pitch early.
Ohtani, for his half, threw 25 pitches in his bullpen session Saturday, his second bullpen of the spring. He threw two-seam, four-seam and reduce fastballs whereas upping his pitch depend from the 21 he threw earlier within the week.
Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated warning is the very best course for Miller at this stage.
“Hopefully he continues to really feel higher, the headache dissipates,” Roberts stated. “Every passing day, clearly it units him again a bit bit extra, however his well being is paramount. I believe he’ll begin to get energetic once more quickly.”
Miller, who was held out of exercise Saturday, referred to as his signs “nothing scary, nothing that I’m nervous about,” however added that his sleep has been affected.
“I’ve woken up plenty of instances all through the night time,” Miller stated. “Can’t actually cease fascinated about it, what occurred. Simply making an attempt to get previous that. That’s about it.”
Each Busch and Cubs hitting coach Dustin Kelly have reached out to Miller to supply assist, as have many well-wishers out and in of the Dodgers’ group.
“Plenty of different individuals who I’m tremendous grateful for that had been caring about me,” Miller stated. “That actually means so much that folks had been desirous to know the way I used to be doing.”
