Major League Baseball

A's McCarthy showing positive signs

Published Sep. 8, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Brandon McCarthy is back to his Twitter-happy self, a positive sign for the Oakland Athletics' pitcher struck in the head by a line drive this week.

The 29-year-old McCarthy underwent two hours of surgery late Wednesday to relieve pressure on the brain after the ball hit the right side of his head. He experienced an epidural hemorrhage, brain contusion and skull fracture on the play off the bat of the Angels' Erick Aybar.

McCarthy, Oakland's opening day starter, is 8-6 with a 3.24 ERA this year in his sixth big league season and second with the A's. He went 9-9 with a 3.32 ERA last season.

McCarthy joked Saturday: ''The good news in all of this, is that I set up my fantasy lineups beforehand. So there shall be no excuses at this point.''

Earlier, he made a funny reference to how ''crazy'' he is for the children's pain medication he gets - and ''can't believe they give it to kids.'' In response to a get-well greeting from 49ers All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis, McCarthy quipped, ''Thanks, buddy, I feel like I just got hit by you.''

His lighthearted posts came a day after trainer Nick Paparesta said in Seattle that McCarthy was still in a ''life-threatening'' situation.

McCarthy is recovering in a Bay Area hospital. His wife, Amanda, also has been regularly posting on Twitter as usual.

Before the Dodgers-Giants afternoon game at AT&T Park, players in both clubhouses were eager to hear updates about McCarthy's progress.

''That scares me so much,'' Giants manager Bruce Bochy said while seeking an update on McCarthy's injury.

Paparesta said McCarthy's long-term health and wellbeing - not his baseball career - is the priority.

Everyone is concerned.

''Oh yeah, guys talk about it to see what happens,'' Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly said. ''It kind of reminds you just how dangerous, what can happen and how fast it can happen. It puts it in perspective of what you're doing.''

Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis played with McCarthy for part of 2011 with the A's before being traded to Colorado. While Ellis said it's always good to see someone get up from such a frightening moment, that doesn't always mean everything is OK.

''It's especially hard when you played with a guy to see something like that,'' Ellis said. ''You're happy to see him get up, but I'm so glad they did all the tests to make sure.''

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball