Braves' Center Fielder Nate McLouth had Vision Problems
by gondeee on Feb 19, 2010 11:00 AM EST
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PrintFrom the first day of pitchers and catcher reporting to Braves spring training camp, we get some interesting twitter updates from the beat writers, especially surrounding the vision of Nate McLouth:
Nate McLouth says he wasn't able to see catcher clearly from CF late last season but didn't want to go to eye doctor in middle of a season.
The Braves CF went to eye doctor after season and was fitted for contacts, said there's noticeable difference, particularly seeing at night.
N. McLouth said he's encouraged improvements realized since he got contacts. Realizes his vision started to change midway through '09 season
(Sourced here, here, and here.)
May I suggest to the Braves front office that they conduct monthly vision tests during the season. As someone who wears glasses, I must admit that when I first started losing my 20-20 vision I was reluctant to admit it. And it wasn't until a routine screening in school that the problem was brought to the attention of someone other than me. Having gone through vision loss I can forgive McLouth for not wanting there to be a problem, but kudos to him for finally realizing there was an issue and doing something about it.
Eyesight regression is not the end of the world, and if Brian McCann was any example last season, once the vision is corrected the resulting increase in production is noticeable. Now I really expect some big things from McLouth this year.
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It’s starting to seem like all of the dropoffs from veteran players last year were caused by vision issues. Maybe we should get Lowe’s and Chipper’s eyes checked out just to be sure.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on Feb 19, 2010 11:12 AM EST reply actions
should be mandatory with spring training physicals...
check EVERYONE’s eyes, especially where being able to see well is as important as it is in baseball. To compare to football, I had less than 20/20 vision, but contacts/glasses weren’t necessary to play. I am a bigger guy, so if I was a WR or DB needing to catch that might be different. But as a lineman, so long as I could make out the color jersey of the big blob in front of me I was fine. In baseball, you need to see great, so spring eye exams should be mandatory.
by Mr. Sanchez on Feb 19, 2010 11:23 AM EST up reply actions
i wear glasses and played football just fine with out them…i have to wear glasses to drive, so my eyesight is well below acceptable…I also play softball without contacts….that said when i do wear contacts there is a difference…
i dont know what im gettin at, except that ur right in basebll u need to see (revolutionary, i know)
Heyward,Hanson,and Shaffer r ready now!! Why do you think they havent signed the "right handed bat"?
by fatazfoot on Jan 7, 2009 8:59 PM EST
I think the Braves should start to check all player’s vision in spring training no matter what. Then again check at the All-Star break. It doesn’t take long but it can mean some major problems if you can’t see clearly or judge depth correctly, especially in baseball.
Dave
Suwanee, GA
http://www.ten1photography.com
Ditto Gondee, Same thing happened to me. It use to be a bitch to see at light, and then I got glasses. Hell not having glasses can even make people more tired from trying to focus all distant objects all day.
I don't need the Cat Lady to throw cats at me to let me know she's crazy!
by McCann and McWill on Feb 19, 2010 11:22 AM EST reply actions
*night
I don't need the Cat Lady to throw cats at me to let me know she's crazy!
by McCann and McWill on Feb 19, 2010 11:22 AM EST up reply actions
Every player on the team should have to
complete a vision test in order to start their cars, much like those breathalyzers that are installed after someone gets a DUI
HansonManCrush
by HansonManCrush on Feb 19, 2010 11:26 AM EST via mobile reply actions
This. I don’t trust contacts. I can’t believe people used to hit with glasses.
Here are Pujols's stats: 1.000/1.000/4.000/5.000. That's right. He is batting a thousand, with a thousand OBP (naturally), and every hit has been a home run, and thus his OPS is a perfect 5.000.
by TradeAndruw on Feb 19, 2010 11:53 AM EST up reply actions
My eyes are better then 20/20 with contacts and 20/20 with glasses eye surgery isn’t always the best option (see McCann last year).
hindsight is 20-13 just like Ted William actual vision- ken tremendous
by heapofoatmeal on Feb 19, 2010 12:07 PM EST up reply actions
With glasses I was 20/20, now after lasik I am 20/15. I’m not an optometrist but it’s all case dependant with lots of different factors.
You mark that frame an 8, and you're entering a world of pain.
http://justwaterplease.com/
I’m 20/15 with contacts. I’d like the lasik but I’m very afraid of them having to pull my eyeballs out of my head to do it.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
It’s really pretty foolproof, I think McCann was the exception. I’m about due for my ten year touch -up.
Here are Pujols's stats: 1.000/1.000/4.000/5.000. That's right. He is batting a thousand, with a thousand OBP (naturally), and every hit has been a home run, and thus his OPS is a perfect 5.000.
nowadays its better than it was 10 years ago….now there virtually no complications back in the day they had problems with eye dryness, among other things.
also its important to note, you usually can’t get lasik unless the optometrist thinks ur eyes are done gettin worse.
Heyward,Hanson,and Shaffer r ready now!! Why do you think they havent signed the "right handed bat"?
by fatazfoot on Jan 7, 2009 8:59 PM EST
That’s not how they do it…they just cut a little flap in your cornea and then resurface the lens above your pupil.
You can just get new ones. That way you can fool the ID scanners.
by soup du jour on Feb 19, 2010 3:45 PM EST up reply actions
Contacts aren’t always the best bet. I have an astigmatism in my right eye. I get 20/20 vision with contacts using both eyes, but my right eye alone is 20/30 at best with contacts, and they just can’t get it any better. With glasses I’m 20/15 both eyes, 20/20 right eye alone.
I’m just sayin’
Shouldn't Reid Gorecki get a shot in RF before that Heyward kid everybody talks about?
Always good news when our players can see...
Hopefully now he can see Jordan Schafer coming right at him and the “LF” that sits next to his name at the start 2011.
As a fellow sufferer of later loss of vision resulting in wearing cool eyewear
I think that little mac should sport the John Salley of James worthy shades. It will greatly develop his tail catching capabilities as he winks into the crowd.
Just sayin…
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
~Earl Wilson
Remember Diaz
That’s the first thing they did when they signed him. Turns out he’s a better hitter now that he can see the ball.
Not related to Nate’s vision, but the Braves 40 man roster has him wearing #24, so scratch that off the list of potential Heyward numbers.
"Matt Diaz is a baseball player."-Joe Simpson
Isn't that Schafer's jersey number?
In terms of numbers, purely from memory, #33, 7 (gasp!), or 22 seem like the most possible, most commonly used jersey numbers that could be available. For some reason, figuring out Heyward’s and McLouth’s jersey numbers interest me right now.
It does seem like #7 is off limits until the women who still have the he who will not be named jersey actually realize he’s not on the team anymore. Give or take a year or two.
Schafer changed to 2. They’re got Mariano Gomez as 33 right now, but obviously he’d have to make the team to keep it. Same thing with JC Boscan and 22, which seem a lot less likely than Gomez making the team.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
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