This weekend David Wright of the N.Y. Mets was hit in the head by a 95 MPH fastball. He was wearing a helmet, yes, but the blow was still devastating:

He had a concussion that knocked him out for about a minute. For more on concussions in sports see: How Concussions Work – A huge hockey hit leads to a concussion

When the baseball hit his head, it had a kinetic energy of about 125 joules. For comparison, if he had been shot in the head with a 9mm handgun, the kinetic energy of the bullet would be about 500 joules. So he received about one quarter of the energy he would have received if he had been shot in the head.

See also:

David Wright released from hospital, expected to rejoin Mets in a few days

The Mets’ next move with Wright will be determined by tests and how he feels. The options run the gamut. Manager Jerry Manuel said he could return quickly enough that a stint on the 15-day disabled list wouldn’t be necessary. He also left open the possibility that Wright might be shut down for the remainder of the season. “It’s going to depend on the tests,” he said. “If there’s any question, it’s a possibility.”

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