WASHINGTON — Clint Barmes watched the bloody image of Jayson Nix on the TV screen and could only shake his head in worry and disappointment.
“Man, that is really tough,” Barmes said from the Rockies clubhouse at Nationals Park this afternoon.
Barmes and his teammates intently watched replays which showed Nix hitting the deck when he was hit in the face by a fouled-off bunt attempt in the United State’s 5-4, 11-inning loss to Cuba in the Summer Olympics today in Beijing.
The pitch was thrown by veteran Cuban pitcher Pedro Luis Lazo, who was accused by U.S. manager Davey Johnson of throwing at Nix’s head.
After lying on the field for some time, Nix, a bloody towel pressed to his face, was taken to the hospital for evaluation. An examination determined that an eye injury that will keep Nix out of the rest of the Olympics.
Nix, who opened the season as the Rockies’ starting second baseman, was sent down to Triple-A Colorado Springs last month so he could be eligible for the Olympics. But now his chase for an Olympic medal is over.
“Mr. Nix sustained a laceration to the left upper eyebrow (area),” Dr. William Kuprevich, chief medical officer of the U.S. Olympic Team said in a statement. “His injury was evaluated with a CAT scan and a detailed eye exam. The laceration was repaired and he was treated with eye drops and rest. He will not return to play during the Games.”
According to Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, Nix was resting comfortably and was with his parents in Beijing. Hurdle said Nix has been told to stay sitting up because pressure was building near the eye when Nix laid down.
After the bitter loss, Johnson pointed an accusatory finger at Cuba.
“I respect the way baseball is played in Cuba, but I don’t like it played that way,” Johnson told “I’ve lost one player already (Mike Hessman to a sore heel), and now I may have just lost one for the entire series today. I believe in hard-nosed baseball; that’s how I played it in my career. But in my wildest imagination, I didn’t think they’d throw it right at my player’s coconut.”
Prior to the injury, Nix was enjoying a big game. His 430-foot homer in the eighth inning tied the game. Nix was in line to be called up to the Rockies when the major league rosters expand on Sept. 1. Hurdle wouldn’t speculate about whether that call-up is now in jeopardy.
For Nix, today’s incident was another in what’s been a challenging season.
“It’s been a tough year, trying to break in and stick in the big leagues and I haven’t been very successful at it yet,” Nix said last month. “But I’m looking at this as a positive, getting a chance to represent my country. That’s all I’m really concerned about now.”
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
