Christian Vazquez is a lucky man, and he has the shiner to prove it.
The Boston Red Sox catcher was on the wrong side of a scary incident last week when he took a baseball to the face prior to a spring training game. Luckily for Vazquez and the Red Sox, though, he didn't suffer any serious injury and should be ready for Opening Day.
He did, however, get a nasty little black eye that he showed off Monday in his first media session since taking the ball to the face.
Yeah, that's going to leave a scar.
Vazquez explained he suffered the injury during pitcher fielding practice when new Red Sox right-hander Hirokazu Sawamura hit him in the face with a throw. Vazquez said he wasn't looking when the ball was thrown (obviously).
A week later, though, he's feeling good.
"I'm doing good," Vazquez told reporters Monday. "I can see, that's the only thing. I don't worry about the swelling. I was worried about my eye, but my eye is good. I can see perfect. I have an appointment Wednesday with my eye doctor and (will be) ready for Opening Day."
Vazquez said the stitches come out before the Red Sox's opener Thursday, to be replaced by butterfly stitches.
That's not the only good news for the backstop, either.
"But my wife likes it, so we're good," Vazquez said.
