There has been very little drama in Bradenton in the first few days of spring training, but yesterday was the exception, albeit not on the baseball field.
The Pirates’ medical team sprang into action when a team guest collapsed while shagging fly balls in the outfield. 68-year-old Ernie Withers, a retired car dealer, went into cardiac arrest. Doctors Patrick DeMeo, Todd Franco, and director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk performed CPR and twice shocked the victim’s heart with a defibrillator, reviving him before an ambulance arrived. Withers was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital, where he received four heart stents.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton was grateful that the medical professionals were on hand, and that the Pirates have defibrillators at their practice complex fields.
While there was far less drama on the baseball field yesterday, the Bucs pitchers continue to impress their coaches with some solid work this spring training. A week in, Mitch Keller seems to have seized upon his solid second half last season and is throwing confidently, And new acquisition Rich Hill has been not only getting himself ready, but mentoring younger pitchers.
On MLB Network’s “High Heat” yesterday, Hill talked about developing the mental toughness that has enabled him to survive a 19-year-pitching career, especially after looking like he was not going to get another opportunity several times.
The Pirates’ first spring training game is Saturday against Toronto.
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