Angels Coach Breaks Leg on Opening Day First Pitch

Don Baylor, 64, is scheduled for surgery Tuesday after his leg buckled during the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day

Baseball season got off to a painful start for Angels hitting coach Don Baylor, who suffered a leg injury when he caught the ceremonial first pitch before Monday's Opening Day game at Angel Stadium.

Baylor, 64, is scheduled for surgery Tuesday after he fractured his right femur as he caught the pitch from former Angel Vladimir Guerrero. The fracture might take up to six months to heal, according to team officials.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Don right now," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Obviously it's (a freak accident), and we'll just see how it turns out. He's obviously in a lot of pain."

Baylor's right leg buckled as he stooped from a catcher's position behind home plate to catch Guerrero's low and wide pitch. Baylor, a survivor of multiple myeloma, struggled to get up and was helped off the field by Guerrero and the team's training staff.

He was transported to UCI Medical Center.

Assistant hitting coach Dave Hansen will take over the team's hitting coach duties as Baylor recovers.

Guerrero and Baylor represent the only two Angels to win American League MVP awards.

The Angels lost to Seattle, 10-3.
 

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