SEATTLE -- Adrian Beltre is considered a sparkling defensive third baseman, possessing great range, soft hands and a cannon for throwing arm. The veteran Mariner might have been too confident in his fielding abilities and it could cost him a month or even the rest of the season.On Thursday, Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu, shaking his head in bewilderment, announced Beltre would be placed on the disabled list with a torn right testicle and was even more stunned when told that Beltre does not wear an athletic supporter, better known as a cup that protects the groin area.
This begs for an explanation.
In the ninth inning Wednesday night at Safeco Field, Beltre took the brunt of a hard grounder by the White Sox' Alexei Ramirez to the groin area. Beltre recovered the baseball but threw wildly to first base for an error. He remained in the game, but labored for three more at-bats. Amazingly, he collected a single in the 14th inning and scored the winning run on Ken Griffey Jr.'s single.
Beltre has never worn a cup, telling reporters in past years that it was uncomfortable. And for the past 11 seasons, he has gotten away with it because of those quick hands.
On Wednesday, fate kicked him where it hurts. Beltre said he is likely to have surgery and will miss at least three weeks.
As to whether he'll wear a cup when he returns, the third baseman was non-commital
"That's a good question, I don't know," he told FanHouse. "If it happens every 10 years and you get hit there, it's not bad. I have never been hit right on the spot. It's been close, which hurt but not right on one of the testicles. So this was my first."
He said the pain was excruciating, but he played on.
"It was pretty painful but I was hoping it wasn't what I have now," he said before the Mariners played the Yankees. "It's the first time I have been hit so bad there in that area and I was just hoping it was one of those things that you get hit and nothing happens and after that you be OK. But it was painful. But I knew that Jack [Wilson] was already out (with a torn hamstring). And we didn't have any options to come out of the game so I just finished hoping everything was going to be OK after that."
When asked how Beltre withstood the pain to remain in the game for five more innings, Wakamatsu said: "He's awfully tough, I can't even imagine. He has a slight tear in there and there's some bleeding."
Wakamatsu said Beltre could require surgery in 72 hours depending on the severity of the tear, but he will miss at least two weeks. The manager said Beltre has been told to rest and ice the injury until he is examined by a specialist.
"They said if it's major surgery, it could be at least a month," Wakamatsu said. "Right now there is some [movement] of it right now, and there's some healing already. It's a matter of whether they are going to have to go in and fix it surgically."
Next came questions about whether Wakamatsu lectured Beltre on the importance of an athletic supporter, even if a hard lesson had already been learned.
"This guy is not a guy that hadn't played a long time in the major leagues," Wakamatsu said. "But sometimes you think your hands are so quick, it will never happen to you. The word is, no matter how good you are, that one chance is not worth taking.
"Wear a cup."
Beltre said he has never worn a cup, not even in the minor leagues.
"I tried it when I first signed, I tried it a couple of times," he said. "It was uncomfortable and I didn't like it at all. And I never wore it. I wore it once to try it and I didn't like it. It was so uncomfortable. I made a play and dove and it hurt more when you had the cup on than without it. I never liked it. It felt uncomfortable and I never used it."
Beltre just returned from a 30-game absence because of right shoulder surgery. In the final year of a five-year, $65 million deal, he may have played his final game for the Mariners.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
He tore his sack open???!!!!!!
nah, let him go commando if he wants. just limits the stupid gene/darwinism in-effect. ...wtf?!? you just got your bell rung. and you STILL don't think you need one?!? masochist? or just dumbist? *rolls-eyes*
you gotta be like a squirrel, and cover your nuts, simple as that beltre.
I can't believe someone plays third base in MLB. and doesn't wear a cup. There's a reason they call it "the hot corner". The amount of faith it would take to play that position, and think you are not going to get hit in the jewels, is incredible.
aww that sound painful
With a $65 million dollar deal I'm sure he could have had a cup made just for him, But no, these guys would rather spend $100,000 on a car.
I play shortstop on a softball team and have never worn a cup. I tried it once but I dive alot and it hurt even more. I know where he is coming from and I thank god I have been lucky so far but there is always that chance
After he gets his valuables repaired they should see if he has a brain. The cup is for protection. If he would have gotten hit there wearing a cup, it probably wouldn't have caused any pain. Theese dominicans will shell out money for steroids but not even $9.99 for a protective cup.
the only position on the diamond that consistently wears a cup is the catcher....foul tips are just too quick to respond to. It's rare for a third baseman, especially a Major League third basemen, to not have enough time to react. Must've been a strange hop. Ouch. He actually played after that???
What an idiot. I hope he loses his nuts.
With HIS money, they could custom make a cup that's comfortable .......... maybe he want's to sing tenor in the church choir .....!
why would anyone go on a ball field and not wear a cup, beltre is just dumb for not wearing one
He's plays hard ball
LUCKY HIT MOST PLAYERS HAS NO BALLS
OUCH!!!!!!! NO MAS COJONES!
He probably sounds like Michael Jackson now.
at least he wasn't facing the other way or it would have hit him right between the eyes..
Freak accident...With all the steroids he's done his balls must be tiny by now, I'm surprised the baseball even touched 'em.
And to the softball player who posted...Really?
You really have a lot of nerve to come on here and seriously compare playing in the mlb to your slow pitch softball league.
You dive a lot...Hey look everybody its the Ozzie Smith of the over 40 beer league.
I'm sorry couldn't help myself.
He's got some BALL for not wearing a cup
Beltre is an idiot! And, all of you posting that claim you or other players don't wear cups are idiots as well! You don't know what you're talking about. It doesn't take balls to expose your balls, it takes a d!ckbr@in. I've been playing ball (amateur baseball) for 30 years now. I can't even imagine being on the field without a cup. I would feel naked. As far as comfort, I know that 20 years ago, the cups were designed poorly and were uncomfortable. But, there are new, slimmer designs fitted right into the shorts that don't dig into your groin. They're no more uncomfortable than a pair of jockey shorts. Not to mention, that with a multi-million dollar salary, Beltre can afford to have one custom made just for HIS johnson.
Who's paying for Beltre's surgery? Will he still collect his salary while on the DL? Can you imagine a player refusing to wear a helmet, then getting paid to sit on the DL after taking one to the skull? I can't believe cups are not mandatory equipment like helmets. He's just a stupid @ss that thinks it makes him macho not to wear one. It just makes him an idiot. So for the rest of you morons who are really curious about what your own balls taste like, go ahead and play without a cup.