Line Drive Hits Red Sox Pitcher in Face

B O S T O N, Sept. 9 -- Red Sox pitcher Bryce Florie has serious eyedamage and underwent surgery today after being struck in theface by a line drive that bloodied him a night earlier.

“Prognosis for reasonable vision is guarded,” team physicianDr. Bill Morgan said.

The right eyeball of the 30-year-old reliever was not ruptured,and his retina was damaged but not detached.

The operation at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary was done torelease pressure on the eye and assess the damage.

“He seems to be in good spirits,” hospital spokeswoman MaryLeach said.

Leach said Florie was in stable condition but she could not sayif he was able to see from the injured eye.

“He’s had extensive blunt injury to the eye. It’s too soon to tell the extent,” Leach said. “There was some bleeding in theeye.”

Florie has a fractured cheekbone and orbital socket, the bonethat surrounds the eye. An operation to correct those problems willbe done after the swelling subsides.

Three Fractures

Florie was struck by a line drive by Ryan Thompson in the ninthinning of New York’s 4-0 win Friday night. Florie went down, thensat up after about a minute, blood streaming down his face.

Morgan said Florie sustained retinal damage that will beassessed over the next 24 to 72 hours to determine if surgery isrequired to repair the retina.

The doctor said Florie has three fractures around the eye socketthat will require surgery and will be monitored the next three tofive days.

“Unless there is further hemorrhaging, in which case doctorscan wait up to two weeks depending on the status of the eye,” hesaid.

Horrific Scene

Before today’s game, Red Sox manager Jimy Williams andtrainer Jim Rowe spoke in Williams’ office. On a couch in theclubhouse, pitcher Rolando Arrojo stared at a front-page newspaperpicture showing Florie holding a towel to his bloodied face as hesat on the ground next to Rowe.