Daric Barton Should Avoid Pools

As I've noted over the last few years here since I began writing at FanHouse, the Oakland Athletics sure do suffer a lot of injuries. Last season it seemed like everybody on the roster spent some time on the disabled list, and so far in 2008 it's been a lot of the same. That's why I'm hoping when the A's finally move to Fremont and build a new stadium, they build some kind of bubble around it so nobody gets hurt.

One thing I know they won't be putting in the new park is a pool, because the last thing they'll need is Daric Barton diving in and nearly breaking his neck again.

The A's rookie first baseman dived into a shallow pool and struck his head during the All-Star break, and has a stiff neck and six staples on the crown of his head as a result. His neck was worse after batting practice Friday, so the A's recalled Wes Bankston before Saturday's game to take Barton's roster spot.

Barton, 22, knows that such accidents can lead to paralysis or even fatalities, and said he felt fortunate to escape with minor injuries. Barton called it "a stupid mistake," and added, "I've got to take full responsibility for it and deal with the consequences."

Team lifeguard manager Bob Geren wasn't too pleased with his rookie's antics, and considering that Bankston his .294 during a nine-game stint with the club earlier this month, there's a possibility that Barton (who is only hitting .224) may end up losing his job over this.