Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe suffered a contusion on the back of his neck, but not a concussion after a frightening incident Monday at Coors Field.
As first reported by The Denver Post today in a blog, Hawpe is doing fine and is expected to be in uniform tonight against the Padres. But he isn’t expected to play until Friday in San Francisco.
“There was about 30 seconds there when I didn’t know what was going on, when I couldn’t feel anything. I was dazed,” Hawpe said today.
There was concern Monday that the right fielder had suffered a concussion, but a CT scan ruled it out.
Hawpe was injured in the sixth inning of the Rockies’ victory over the Padres. He attempted to move up to third on a pitched ball in the dirt, then halted and returned to second. Padres catcher Nick Hundley fired the ball to second in a pickoff attempt.
Second baseman David Eckstein never gloved the ball, and it struck Hawpe on the right side of the neck underneath his protective batting helmet. He lay motionless on the ground for a few minutes.
“My neck is pretty stiff, but it could have been a lot worse,” Hawpe said.
A protective brace was placed around his neck as he sat up and walked to a golf cart. He was taken immediately to Rose Medical Center for evaluation. He returned home last night.
This is the second in six weeks that Hawpe has encountered bad luck on a pickoff move at second base. During spring training, an Angels fielder stepped on his hand, knocking him out of the World Baseball Classic.
“After that happened (against L.A.), I decided I was going to slide feet first. And now this happened. So I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Hawpe said.
Ryan Spilborghs will replace Hawpe in right field. And once again Troy Tulowitzki will not be in the lineup.
Tonight’s lineups against San Diego:
Rockies
CF Fowler
RF Spilborghs
1B Helton
3B Atkins
2B Stewart
LF Smith
SS Barmes
C Torrealba
P De La Rosa
Padres
CF Hairston
2B Eckstein
RF B. Giles
1B Gonzalez
LF Headley
3B Kouzmanoff
C Hundley
SS Burke
P Gaudin
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
