| Advertisement |
May 22 (UPI) -- Former players turned MLB Network analysts Sean Casey and Billy Ripken had a bit of a mishap during an in-studio batting session, with Ripken taking a hit to the face. The batter-pitcher matchup went down on Monday during a segment on the network. Luckily for Ripken, they were using a whiffle ball.
Advertisement
Ripken -- the brother of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. -- knelt down on the pitcher's mound and tossed in a pitch under-handed. He was instructing Casey to try to hit somebody in the third base dugout. Casey laced a shot down the left field line on his first attempt.
"Boom, alright perfect. You are safe," Casey said.
Ripken's next toss wasn't ideal. He lobbed the ball in and Casey whacked it straight back, drilling Ripken right in the noggin.
"Oh my God, Rip," Casey shouted. "Are you alright?"
Ripken checked his face for injuries before tossing in a third offering.
"I guess I should put my hand up next time," Ripken said.
Casey's next swing sent a pitch down the left field line, clearing Ripken and avoiding further trauma. The former first baseman was a three-time All-Star selection during his 12-year career.
Casey, 43, was a little bit better at hitting them where they weren't during that tenure, registering a career .302 batting average. He hit a career-best .332 during the 1999 season. Casey also swatted 25 home runs and had 99 RBIs during that campaign, finishing No. 14 in the National League MVP race. He spent eight seasons with the Cincinnati Reds.
Ripken, 53, spent 12 seasons in Major League Baseball. He hit .308 during his rookie season with the Baltimore Orioles. He spent seven seasons with the franchise, playing alongside his brother. Cal Ripken Sr. served as Orioles manager, coaching his sons in 1987 and 1988.
