Cameron, Beltran, in Violent Collision in Mets Game; Psychic MLB.com Report

By Nicholas Stix 10:22 p.m. ET Mets outfielders Mike Cameron and Carlos Beltran were involved in a horrific collision during the Mets game against the San Diego Padres in San Diego. The collision, the worst ever seen by this reporter during a baseball game, occurred at app. 8:50 p.m., during the bottom of the eighth inning of a 1-1 game at Petco Park. Cameron, playing right field, and Beltran playing center, were both chasing a sinking liner in right-center field off the bat of Padres pinch-hitter David Ross. Mets announcer Ralph Kiner said that in such situations, the centerfielder gets the ball. Fellow Mets announcer Ted Robinson observed, “Problem there – two centerfielders.” Mike Cameron and Carlos Beltran are both gold glove-winning center fielders. When the Mets signed Beltran, the prize of the free agent market during the offseason, Cameron graciously moved to right field. However, he retained the instincts of a center fielder. When the collision occurred, both men were leaning towards the ground, focused on the ball, and running hard with their feet planted. Beltran’s head slammed into the middle or side of Cameron’s face. Beltran immediately bounced up off the ground, while Cameron remained motionless in a prone position. David Ross made it to third base, from where he scored the go-ahead and eventual winning run on a single by Met-killer Joey Randa. Mets trainer Ray Ramirez ran to the stricken players, immediately motioning to the dugout by patting his own head, and circling his index finger, letting it be known that he needed an ambulance, and getting Beltran to sit down. The Mets announcers claimed that they saw movement from Cameron’s body. The collision was so horrible, that after the game’s technical crew had replayed it twice, Mets announcer Ted Robinson said “That’s enough,” to let the crew know to stop replaying the accident, though the collision was replayed one more time after the game. Adding insult to injury, in the top of the eighth inning, just 30 minutes after the collision, Mets left fielder and season MVP so far, Cliff Floyd, was hit right on the left knee cap by a pitch from Padres reliever Akinori Otsuka. Floyd remained on the deck in agony for more than a minute, and walked slowly to first base, obviously in great pain, but remained in the game. Carlos Beltran walked off the field on his own power, while Mike Cameron was taken to the hospital strapped to a gurney. According to a report dated “8:04 p.m. ET” by Marty Noble at mlb.com, “A CT scan on Cameron at San Diego's Mercy Hospital after the game revealed multiple fractures of both cheekbones and a broken nose. Cameron was placed on the 15-day disabled list and Victor Diaz was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to take his place on the roster. “Beltran eventually walked off the field under his own power, but he was removed from the game as well. Beltran is scheduled to have a CT scan at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif.” The problem with Noble’s report, however, was that the game was not yet over, and the time given for it was 46 minutes before the accident had even occurred. In fact, this reporter saw Noble’s report already up just after 9:30 p.m., as the eighth inning was coming to a close. Marty Noble is a good sports writer, but is he a psychic? If so, why didn’t he know that the Padres won the game, 2-1? At 9:37 p.m., Mets announcer Ted Robinson reported that Mike Cameron was “Conscious, talking, and alert. No further word given on his injuries.” The game ended at 9:42 p.m. on a popup to left field by Mets backup catcher Ramon Castro. At 9:48 p.m., Mets Vice President Jim Duquette spoke on camera, saying of Beltran’s, “he’s surprisingly alert and doing well, surprisingly well, considering the collision that he had. He’s got a little pain in his shoulder, the front part of his shoulder, and he has a cut on the left side of his face, but other than that, he’s doing remarkably well …” “And we heard from the trainer, Mike Cameron’s on his way to the hospital as you mentioned, and he was alert and moving, which is all a good sign, we don’t have a lot of other information regarding him, but it was good news to know that he was doing fine and alert and conscious.” Perhaps Duquette should call Marty Noble, who seems to have information even before Cameron’s doctors. Though the Mets have not yet said anything on the subject, Carlos Beltran could be out for at least one week, and Mike Cameron could be finished for the season.