On April 10th, Major League Baseball umpire John Vanover was discharged from the hospital after being struck by a pitch during a game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Oakland Athletics. The pitch, thrown by Angels pitcher Noe Ramirez, hit Vanover in the chest and he immediately fell to the ground.
Vanover was taken to a nearby hospital where he was evaluated and treated for a bruised chest. After a few days of observation, Vanover was released and is expected to make a full recovery.
The incident occurred in the top of the fourth inning when Ramirez threw a pitch that got away from him and hit Vanover. Ramirez immediately ran to check on Vanover and was visibly shaken by the incident. After being evaluated by medical personnel, Vanover was taken off the field on a stretcher.
The incident has sparked a debate about the safety of umpires in Major League Baseball. Many have called for more protective gear to be worn by umpires, including helmets and chest protectors. Others have argued that umpires should be moved further away from home plate in order to reduce the risk of being hit by a pitch.
Regardless of the outcome of this debate, it is clear that umpires put themselves in harm’s way every day in order to ensure the integrity of the game. It is important that Major League Baseball take steps to ensure that umpires are as safe as possible while on the job.
John Vanover is expected to make a full recovery and should be back on the field soon. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope that he can return to his duties without any further incident.
