For baseball fans, the month of March usually ushers in a sense of optimism -- even for Cubs fans. But perhaps this year more than others, there is also a strange sense of, "Geez, I hope our star player doesn't get some kind of freak injury that will totally destroy any chance our team has of making a postseason run." Despite the fact that most teams have yet to play a real spring training game this year, four players have already succumbed to weird injuries. Pittsburgh's Corey Hart sliced his foot in a hot tub, and Toronto's Michael Saunders (pictured below) stepped on sprinkler while shagging fly balls.
![michael saunders injury]()
But both of those pale in comparison to what happened to these guys:
Chris Sale breaks his foot unloading his truck.
![chris sale, chris sale truck injury]()
If not for Clayton Kershaw, Sale would be the best left-handed pitcher in the game. That's why most Chicago White Sox fans lost their minds when their ace broke his foot while unloading his truck last week. Sale said it was "just a freak accident" when he landed awkwardly stepping off his truck.
"I've just done it a million times and this time it didn't work out so well," he said. "It's essentially a sprained ankle. I'll be fine. They aren't going to have to cut it off. It's still here."
Sale's broken foot would have made a lot more sense if this was the truck he was unloading:
![monster truck]()
Ronald Belisario fractures his shoulder getting out of a swimming pool.
![ronald belisario injury]()
Belisario was trying to earn a spot in the Tampa Bay bullpen this year, but that's probably not going to happen after he was diagnosed with a broken left shoulder. Belisario said he slipped getting out of his pool a few weeks ago but never had his shoulder looked at. He probably should have.
Michael Taylor cuts his finger throwing gum out of the dugout.
![michael taylor gum injury]()
In 2013, Michael Taylor was trying to grab a roster spot with the Oakland A's. But things went south for the 6' 5" outfielder when he tried to throw his gum out of the dugout. Taylor was just too damn tall, and his pinkie finger caught the top of the dugout, resulting in a good-sized gash. He missed over a week because of the cut and never really caught on in Oakland.
Marc Rzepczynski hurts his eye while golfing.
![Marc Rzepczynski eye injury]()
The former Cardinals reliever's last name is a nightmare, and so was his trip to the Admiral's Cove golf course in Jupiter, Fla. in the spring of 2013. Rzepczynski was still on the first hole when "an acorn or some other debris" landed in his left eye following a shot from the rough. The left-hander missed almost two weeks because of the freak injury and was forced to sleep standing up so it would heal properly.
Joel Peralta hurts his neck getting out of his car for some sandwiches.
![joel peralta injury]()
Talk about embarrassing. Not only did Peralta's appetite force him to miss a portion of spring training and the World Baseball Classic in 2013, but the world also found out that the Rays relief pitcher rode around town in a Camaro. For all of his troubles, let's hope those sandwiches were from somewhere respectable like Jimmy John's.
Jhonny Peralta has an allergic reaction to a bowl of clam chowder.
![Jhonny Peralta]()
What are the odds that another Peralta's appetite forced him to miss some spring training action? By the looks of those cheeks, I would say not as bad as you'd think. Perlata's mishap also occurred during the spring of 2013 when the shortstop was a member of the Detroit Tigers. Manager Jim Leyland said Peralta didn't know it was clam chowder until he ate it. We're not sure which is weirder in this case, being allergic to soup or the placement of the "h" in Peralta's first name.
Elvis Andrus is too sore to play after getting a tattoo of his father.
![Elvis Andrus father tattoo]()
We get the whole 'honoring the memory of your father with a massive tattoo on your arm' thing. Seriously, it's a great way to pay homage to your old man. But waiting until spring training four years after your dad's death and flying in a tattoo artist from Dallas even though the Rangers' spring training facility is in Arizona probably wasn't the smartest thing Andrus could have done. He was so sore after getting his ink that he missed one game. But to his credit, the ink job that took nine hours to complete is super bitchin'.
Derek Holland tears a knee ligament when he trips over his dog.
![Derek Holland wrecks knee after tripping over dog]()
Almost every member of the Texas Rangers spent time on the shelf in 2014, but some more so than others. Holland won the award for the weirdest injury to a Rangers player, though, when he said his dog Wrigley clipped him from behind while they were clowning around on the stairs in January.
Holland missed all but six games of the 2014 season, but at least he learned a valuable lesson: When you name your dog after anything associated with the Cubs, you're more than likely setting yourself up for some kind of epic fail.
Clint Barmes breaks his collarbone carrying deer meat.
![clint barmes]()
In 2005, the Rockies infielder originally claimed that he broke his collarbone while carrying groceries up the stairs. But the badass police must have gotten ahold of him and told him to change his story because it turned into a fractured collarbone that resulted from carrying deer meat given to him by teammate Todd Helton. But when rumors began to swirl that the broken clavicle was a result of an ATV crash, Barmes denied it, probably because it was too badass, and the deer meat story was the one he stuck with.
Steve Sparks dislocates his shoulder trying to tear a phone book in half.
![steve sparks, steve sparks baseball card]()
The Milwaukee Brewers sucked something awful during the 1993 season, and for most of the '90s for that matter. So, Brewers general manager Sal Bando decided to bring in a motivational speaking group called Radical Reality to help boost team morale. Two meatheads were part of the troupe, and they both ripped a thick phone book in half to show what human beings could accomplish "if so inspired."
Sparks, a 28-year-old knuckleballer trying to earn a roster spot with the Brew Crew, found out the hard way that tearing a phone book in half was also a great way to dislocate your non-throwing shoulder, and it cost him a roster spot.
Want more? Wade Boggs once hurt himself taking off his cowboy boots: The 26 Dumbest Sports Injuries of All Time
But both of those pale in comparison to what happened to these guys:
Chris Sale breaks his foot unloading his truck.
If not for Clayton Kershaw, Sale would be the best left-handed pitcher in the game. That's why most Chicago White Sox fans lost their minds when their ace broke his foot while unloading his truck last week. Sale said it was "just a freak accident" when he landed awkwardly stepping off his truck.
"I've just done it a million times and this time it didn't work out so well," he said. "It's essentially a sprained ankle. I'll be fine. They aren't going to have to cut it off. It's still here."
Sale's broken foot would have made a lot more sense if this was the truck he was unloading:
Ronald Belisario fractures his shoulder getting out of a swimming pool.
Belisario was trying to earn a spot in the Tampa Bay bullpen this year, but that's probably not going to happen after he was diagnosed with a broken left shoulder. Belisario said he slipped getting out of his pool a few weeks ago but never had his shoulder looked at. He probably should have.
Michael Taylor cuts his finger throwing gum out of the dugout.
In 2013, Michael Taylor was trying to grab a roster spot with the Oakland A's. But things went south for the 6' 5" outfielder when he tried to throw his gum out of the dugout. Taylor was just too damn tall, and his pinkie finger caught the top of the dugout, resulting in a good-sized gash. He missed over a week because of the cut and never really caught on in Oakland.
Marc Rzepczynski hurts his eye while golfing.
The former Cardinals reliever's last name is a nightmare, and so was his trip to the Admiral's Cove golf course in Jupiter, Fla. in the spring of 2013. Rzepczynski was still on the first hole when "an acorn or some other debris" landed in his left eye following a shot from the rough. The left-hander missed almost two weeks because of the freak injury and was forced to sleep standing up so it would heal properly.
Joel Peralta hurts his neck getting out of his car for some sandwiches.
Talk about embarrassing. Not only did Peralta's appetite force him to miss a portion of spring training and the World Baseball Classic in 2013, but the world also found out that the Rays relief pitcher rode around town in a Camaro. For all of his troubles, let's hope those sandwiches were from somewhere respectable like Jimmy John's.
Jhonny Peralta has an allergic reaction to a bowl of clam chowder.
What are the odds that another Peralta's appetite forced him to miss some spring training action? By the looks of those cheeks, I would say not as bad as you'd think. Perlata's mishap also occurred during the spring of 2013 when the shortstop was a member of the Detroit Tigers. Manager Jim Leyland said Peralta didn't know it was clam chowder until he ate it. We're not sure which is weirder in this case, being allergic to soup or the placement of the "h" in Peralta's first name.
Elvis Andrus is too sore to play after getting a tattoo of his father.
We get the whole 'honoring the memory of your father with a massive tattoo on your arm' thing. Seriously, it's a great way to pay homage to your old man. But waiting until spring training four years after your dad's death and flying in a tattoo artist from Dallas even though the Rangers' spring training facility is in Arizona probably wasn't the smartest thing Andrus could have done. He was so sore after getting his ink that he missed one game. But to his credit, the ink job that took nine hours to complete is super bitchin'.
Derek Holland tears a knee ligament when he trips over his dog.
Almost every member of the Texas Rangers spent time on the shelf in 2014, but some more so than others. Holland won the award for the weirdest injury to a Rangers player, though, when he said his dog Wrigley clipped him from behind while they were clowning around on the stairs in January.
Holland missed all but six games of the 2014 season, but at least he learned a valuable lesson: When you name your dog after anything associated with the Cubs, you're more than likely setting yourself up for some kind of epic fail.
Clint Barmes breaks his collarbone carrying deer meat.
In 2005, the Rockies infielder originally claimed that he broke his collarbone while carrying groceries up the stairs. But the badass police must have gotten ahold of him and told him to change his story because it turned into a fractured collarbone that resulted from carrying deer meat given to him by teammate Todd Helton. But when rumors began to swirl that the broken clavicle was a result of an ATV crash, Barmes denied it, probably because it was too badass, and the deer meat story was the one he stuck with.
Steve Sparks dislocates his shoulder trying to tear a phone book in half.
The Milwaukee Brewers sucked something awful during the 1993 season, and for most of the '90s for that matter. So, Brewers general manager Sal Bando decided to bring in a motivational speaking group called Radical Reality to help boost team morale. Two meatheads were part of the troupe, and they both ripped a thick phone book in half to show what human beings could accomplish "if so inspired."
Sparks, a 28-year-old knuckleballer trying to earn a roster spot with the Brew Crew, found out the hard way that tearing a phone book in half was also a great way to dislocate your non-throwing shoulder, and it cost him a roster spot.
Want more? Wade Boggs once hurt himself taking off his cowboy boots: The 26 Dumbest Sports Injuries of All Time