Ex-major-leaguer Darin Ruf sues Reds for career-ending injury
May 23 - Nearly two years after his final game, former major leaguer Darin Ruf filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the Cincinnati Reds for an injury at Great American Ball Park that he claims ended his career.
According to the lawsuit filed in Hamilton County (Ohio) Common Pleas, Ruf injured himself on a tarp during a game on June, 2, 2023, in Cincinnati while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers.
In that game, while playing first base, Ruf chased a Luke Maile foul ball down the right field line and hit the edge of a rolled tarp, forcing him to leave the game. Per CBS Sports, he suffered a fractured kneecap and a knee laceration and was placed on the 60-day injured list.
According to the lawsuit, the injury prevented him from resuming his career.
"This didn't need to happen. I wish it didn't happen," Ruf said in a release. "Players shouldn't have to worry about hidden hazards like that on a Major League field."
The lawsuit claims the tarp, which is made of metal, had no cushion or cap to provide protection and states that the Reds are liable for the grounds crew's negligence.
"This was an obvious and avoidable risk," Tad Thomas, Ruf's attorney, said in the release. "There are basic safety protocols every MLB team should follow. Leaving an unpadded metal roller on the edge of the field is inexcusable."
Ruf, 38, began his nine-year career with the Philadelphia Phillies, playing five seasons before moving on to the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets. He joined the Brewers in May 2023, playing in 11 games before the knee injury.
In 581 games, Ruf hit .239 with 67 homers and 205 RBIs.
--Field Level Media
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
21 minutes ago
- Reuters
Justin Thomas: Oakmont can make players 'look stupid pretty fast'
June 9 - Justin Thomas doesn't have a specific method for attacking Oakmont Country Club, widely considered to be one of the most difficult golf courses in the world, other than to maintain his patience. Thomas tied for 32nd the last time the U.S. Open was played at Oakmont in 2016. That year he carded three rounds of 3-over 73. The fourth was a 69 in the second round, which he called one of the best rounds of his life despite spraying his tee shots all over the course. "I think I hit four fairways, but I remember I hit seven greens and I shot 69. I chipped in three times. I was beyond exhausted when I got done," Thomas said Monday ahead of this week's U.S. Open. "I actually played with Brooks (Koepka) the first two days. I remember he was so pissed off. He just couldn't get over it." Thomas is anticipating long practice rounds this week, as players grind away trying to figure out every nuance of Oakmont's legendary greens. While he called them "some of the worst practice rounds of the year," Thomas also hopes that the lore of Oakmont gets in his competitors' heads. "Being perfectly honest and very selfish, I hope it psychs a lot of players out," he said. "It's a part of the preparation, like trying to go hit wedges or trying to get the speed of the greens or anything. It's getting a game plan for how you're going to approach the course mentally and strategically. "I understand this place is hard. I don't need to read articles, or I don't need to hear horror stories. I've played it. I know it's difficult. I also have faith that if I go play well and I'm driving the ball well and I'm hitting my irons like I know I can, I'm going to have a lot of birdie opportunities." Thomas, 32, hasn't enjoyed a ton of success at the U.S. Open, where his best finish was a tie for eighth at Winged Foot in 2020. He comes in ranked fifth in the world thanks to a win at a signature event at the RBC Heritage -- his first since 2022 -- and a pair of runner-up finishes this season. One of those came at the Truist Championship last month, but Thomas then missed the cut at the PGA Championship and is coming off a T31 at the Memorial. He arrived in Pennsylvania this week "shocked" to find how soft Oakmont's fairways still are due to the heavy rains the area has received. Thomas anticipates those receptive fairways and greens that still have some bounce in them will be much firmer come Thursday. And that's when the patience will need to come to the forefront. "If you just get lazy, like on any drive, any wedge shot, any chip, any putt, you can kind of look stupid pretty fast, especially at a place like this," he said. "I just feel like it's a great week to be in a great place mentally and very, very patient and kind of picking our spots out there." Oakmont has undergone some changes since 2016, when Dustin Johnson shot 4-under par to win. Thomas admits he doesn't remember enough to compare the conditions to that year, but he would be more than happy to replicate that Friday round four times -- even if it means going to battle against Oakmont's brutally long rough again. "I would prefer to not do that," he joked. "But if that means I shoot 69 every day, I'll take four fairways and seven greens right now." --Field Level Media
Reuters
31 minutes ago
- Reuters
Pulisic's dad fires back at Donovan
June 9 (Reuters) - Christian Pulisic's dad Mark hit back at Landon Donovan on Monday after the U.S. soccer great appeared to criticize the midfielder for his decision to sit out the upcoming Gold Cup to rest after wrapping up his season with AC Milan. On Sunday, Donovan was a pundit for the UEFA Nations League final, in which Portugal beat Spain on penalties, for Fox Sports and made it clear he was unhappy with Pulisic's decision to ask U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino to leave him out of the Gold Cup squad. "This is what it means to represent your country," Donovan said on the broadcast while watching Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo. "This is what it means. And if you don't want to take this as a professional soccer player, as someone who gets the opportunity to wear that jersey and take it seriously and responsibly, then don't come in. This is what it means. "He's (Ronaldo) 40-years-old. He's played a long ass season. He's tired. He's out there grinding. Hurt himself in the process, and I can't help but think about some of our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It's pissing me off." While Donovan did not mention Pulisic by name, it was clear he was referring to him as well as Yunus Musah and Antonee Robinson, who are also skipping the tournament for rest despite not being injured, according to USA Today. By way of response, Mark Pulisic asked ChatGPT to explain Donovan's sabbatical from soccer in 2012-2013, which ultimately led to him being left out of the 2014 World Cup squad. "Landon Donovan took his sabbatical because he was feeling both physically and mentally exhausted after years of intense competition and the pressure that comes with being a top athlete," the AI programme said in a response to the prompt. "He'd been playing professionally from a young age and had participated in multiple World Cups, so he felt the need to step back and take some time for himself. This break allowed him to rest, travel, and ultimately return to the game with a refreshed mindset." Mark Pulisic posted a screenshot of the ChatGPT reply on Instagram and Christian liked it. Donovan is not alone in being critical of Pulisic's decision with former U.S. great Alexi Lalas levelling similar criticisms, saying the team needs as much playing time together as they can get with the World Cup coming to the U.S., Mexico and Canada next year.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Host city CEOs say US immigration raids create ‘uncertainty' for 2026 World Cup
Executives from the US host city committees for next year's World Cup said on Monday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) raids have created 'uncertainty' as they prepare to host an influx of foreign visitors. The 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted with Canada and Mexico, will take place in 11 cities across the US, and is predcited to draw more than five million visitors over the course of the 40-day tournament. However, visa processing times have been slow for several countries, travel bans have been instituted (including for recently qualified Iran), and raids ostensibly aimed at deporting undocumented immigrants have seen the government arrest and deport visa holders, permanent residents and even citizens. At a gathering in New York City, Philadelphia host committee CEO Meg Kane spoke for the group when asked by the Guardian what impact the Ice raids have had on the organizations' ability to welcome fans with open arms – a message disseminated by the host cities themselves and Fifa president Gianni Infantino. 'There are certainly things that are happening at the national level, the international level. There are going to be geopolitical issues that we don't even know right now that are going to affect the tournament next year,' Kane said in part. 'We recognize that we're planning within uncertainty. And one of the things that I think we all recognize is that we have to be really good at operating within that uncertainty. While there are certain situations that we are watching … the [Trump] administration has been extremely supportive of Fifa World Cup. It has recognized both in the second term under President Trump, but also in the first term under President Trump, when the letters of intent were signed, how important the Fifa World Cup is to elevating the nation.' The host city committees are concerned, in part, with communicating potential issues to fans in areas such as transportation, lodging, and safety. All host city heads said they hoped to provide a welcoming environment for all who visit for the World Cup, but demurred when asked how they deal with the contrast of that message alongside heavy-handed immigration crackdowns and travel bans. 'I mean, we're all watching it and monitoring it real time,' said Jason Krutzsch, vice president of the Los Angeles host city committee when asked about the situation in his home city, which is currently experiencing a raft of violence surrounding Ice raids and the deployment of the national guard. 'I think our goal is still to deliver the conceptional experience and work with our local administration and public safety officials and making sure that we can deliver a safe and secure event in a year.' Krutzsch, Kane, and other host city chairs said that they are confident that Fifa and the federal government are discussing the topic, but ultimately the decision on who to allow into the US for the World Cup lies with those two bodies. 'I think the right people at the federal level, at the Fifa level, are having those conversations,' said Mike Loynd, president of the Boston host city committee. 'And I think the intent, even there, is to welcome the world. It's really not our place in the organization to comment on anything other than that.' Added Kane: 'We allow for Fifa to continue having constructive conversations with the administrations around visas, around workforce, around tourism, and that will be prepared for whatever comes our way to make this a great tournament, because that's what the charge of the host cities are.'
