No doubt about it, Goldeyes catcher Dustin Richardson is probably one of the happiest people in Winnipeg today. And not just because he’s hitting .364 with six doubles, a homer and three steals.
When he took his spot behind the plate in Joliet last weekend, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. This year, big Juan Diaz is no longer in the Joliet dugout. He wasn’t even in Joliet’s on-deck circle.
This year, big Juan Diaz plays for the Goldeyes and that makes Richardson very happy.
For those who might have forgotten, Richardson suffered an extremely serious head injury in Joliet on May 24 of last season. He was catching in the bottom of the second inning when Diaz, the JackHammers designated hitter, swung at a pitch from Goldeyes starter Ace Walker. Diaz’s bat shattered and a large shard struck Richardson on the side of the head.
The 24-year-old catcher was rushed to hospital and later transferred to a second hospital, where he underwent numerous x-rays, MRIs and CT scans. Despite wearing a catcher’s helmet, he suffered a fracture of the left temporal bone.
“Doctors told me I was very close to being hit in a place where I would not have survived,” Richardson said. “It was a scary time, but we made it through and even got back into the line-up last year. It’s great to be back, and this year, I’m wearing the full hockey-style catcher’s mask.”
Richardson, who hails from Siler City, North Carolina where he and his dad used to build race cars in the family’s garage, sure likes seeing Diaz in his own clubhouse.
“What a great guy,” Richardson said. “It’s nice that he’s on our team now. But that doesn’t mean that I’m still not looking out for myself. Bats are still breaking all the time in this league. Catching isn’t easy.”
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