San Francisco Giants' first base coach Jose Alguacil was hospitalized Saturday after taking a foul ball off the face in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Alguacil was sitting in a folding chair alongside the visiting dugout when a Hunter Dozier check-swing sent a ball screaming back toward the coaches, who were sitting about 20 yards away. None of the coaches had time to react, and Alguacil appeared to be hit in the eye area. Trainer Eric Ortega was quick to react, immediately putting a towel over Alguacil's face as blood pooled on the dirt. Manager Bruce Bochy said Alguacil never lost conciousness.
"It's so dangerous here," Bochy said. "It was so quick. I barely saw it. Hopefully he's OK. He got up and got in the cart, so that's good news."
Alguacil was helped onto a cart and taken off the field. He was airlifted to a hospital in Phoenix where he underwent surgery. He was diagnosed with a broken nose and a laceration, the team announced Saturday evening. Alguacil also suffered small fractures in his eye socket.
Managers and coaches often sit outside the dugout during spring training games, getting a closer look at the action in the relaxed setting. The folding chairs at Surprise Stadium are closer to the plate than they are in other parks.
"It's so close here. It wasn't very smart of us, especially in this park, to be sitting out there," Bochy said. "It's what we do here. Sometimes we get out there in this park. It's probably the closest of all of them. Unfortunately, I think most of us have been hit."
Staff members regularly sit in folding chairs at Scottsdale Stadium, but the Giants have taken steps to protect fans. This spring, protective netting extends all the way to the end of the dugout.
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Alguacil, the Triple-A manager a year ago, is in his first season as the first base coach. He is an extremely popular coach, known for his enthusiasm and tireless work with infielders. Alguacil has long been a rising star in the organization. He moved from Double-A to Triple-A to the big league staff over the course of three years.
