Ex-Giants pitcher reveals he had vision problems during Game 7 of 2014 World Series
This doesn’t rank high on the list of Royals’ fans historical what-ifs, but Eric Hosmer’s hard-hit ball in the bottom of the third inning of Game 7 of the 2014 World Series was a big turning point.
The score was 2-2, and Lorenzo Cain opened the inning with a single. Hosmer followed by blistering a pitch past Giants relief pitcher Jeremy Affeldt. Second baseman Joe Panik dived and snared the ball, which he flipped to Brandon Crawford to start a double play.
Had the ball gotten past Panik, the Royals would have had first and third with no outs against a pitcher who couldn’t see straight.
Seriously.
In an interview with Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, Affeldt revealed the vision issue he was dealing with in the pivotal game of the World Series and the concern expressed by catcher Buster Posey.
“For whatever reason, one eye was picking up stuff that was close and the other eye was picking up far, and I wasn’t getting to where everything was coming together. It was like seeing in 3D, or things were jumping at me,” Affeldt told Schulman. “I felt like I was looking through a glass of water. Colors were different from eye to eye.
“I’m picking up two of Buster. I can see him in 3D. I don’t know if I’m seeing the Buster image that’s close to me or the one that’s farther away.”
Affeldt, whose career started with the Royals, was the winning pitcher in Game 7 after allowing one hit and no runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief after taking over for starter Tim Hudson. Madison Bumgarner relieved Affeldt and threw five shutout innings to get the save.
No one was happier about Bumgarner coming into the game that Affeldt. He talked about pitching in the fourth inning after the Giants had scored what proved to be the winning run in the top half of the frame.
One of Affeldt’s warm-up pitches hit the grass in front of the plate, and Posey was worried.
Affeldt told him: ”I’m picking you up. I’m picking up the fans behind you and a lot of times I have to figure out which target I’m throwing at.”
Posey’s response: “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Things got worse when Affeldt plunked Gordon in the upper back with a 2-2 pitch to open the fourth inning. As Joe Buck noted during the broadcast: “That got away from Affeldt.”
“Then I hit Gordon with a curveball,” Affeldt told Schulman. “I got the wrong target. Buster is freaking out. Then I get a double-play and get out of it. I’m sitting there in the dugout and my eyes are killing me. (Manager Bruce) Bochy looked at me and said, ‘You’re done. Bum’s got it.’ Buster took a deep breath and goes, ‘Thank God.’”
Salvador Perez hit into a double play after Gordon was hit and Mike Moustakas also grounded out as Affeldt finished the inning.
You can read about what Affeldt said about his outing in Game 7 and more in the story, which requires a subscription.
