Myers: I lied "because I felt like an idiot"
Okay, we were just informed by Ruben Amaro via Phillies spokesman Kevin Gregg that Brett Myers has changed his story about how he hurt his eye. Myers initially informed the team that a ball hit him in the face during a game of catch with his four-year-old son. Here's what Gregg said a few minutes ago: “What actually happened was, he slipped getting out of his car last night, hit his face and suffered significant swelling around his eye—I don’t know which eye yet, I’m trying to find out. He’s icing it today, he’s going to see our medical staff tomorrow in Clearwater...We were misinformed by Brett.” I asked, so Brett told the Phillies two different stories? “He told one story, and then told us this story,” Gregg said. Amaro has so far not returned a phone message I left immediately after Gregg's update. That’s all we know right now. There are obviously lingering questions, and I’m working on getting answers. *** UPDATE: The Inquirer's Jim Salisbury reached Myers by telephone, and here is the story related by the pitcher and his wife Kim: Myers said he had arrived home from dinner last night in Jacksonville, Fla. They were in Jacksonville because Myers had the day off from rehab activities in Clearwater. He said he had two beers at dinner and rode home in the back seat of his wife's Escalade in a car filled with friends, and that the family's babysitter was driving. Myers' parents were at home with the children. In the Escalade, the back seat is a bench-style seat, and the middle seats are separate chairs. Myers said that he tripped while passing through those middle chairs. He said his feet got tangled in children's toys. He then fell out of the Escalade and hit his face on the side of the door. He was not cut, but his left eye was "swollen like a balloon" when he woke this morning. Late this morning, Myers said he called minor league athletic trainer Brian Cammarota and told the fanciful story about his son and the game of catch. He said he called Cammarota back about five minutes later and told him the real story becuase "I didn't feel right about that." Soon after that, Myers received a text message from Amaro asking Myers to call the GM. They talked, and that was the end of it. The Phils refused to make Cammrota available for comment. Asked why he made up the story about playing catch with his son, Myers said: "Because I felt like an idiot." Kim Myers called it a "freak accident," and both she and Brett insisted that was the entire story. They conceded that, because of Myers' 2006 arrest for assaulting Kim in Boston (charges were later dropped), the current situation would raise questions. "No, I did not hit him with a frying pan," Kim Myers said, with a laugh, while teasing her husband for being a "klutz." I placed a call to the Jacksonville Sherrif's department to see if any incidents had been reported involving Myers in the past 24 hours, but my message has not been returned.
Myers: I lied "because I felt like an idiot"
Andy Martino
Okay, we were just informed by Ruben Amaro via Phillies spokesman Kevin Gregg that Brett Myers has changed his story about how he hurt his eye. Myers initially informed the team that a ball hit him in the face during a game of catch with his four-year-old son.
Here's what Gregg said a few minutes ago: “What actually happened was, he slipped getting out of his car last night, hit his face and suffered significant swelling around his eye—I don’t know which eye yet, I’m trying to find out. He’s icing it today, he’s going to see our medical staff tomorrow in Clearwater...We were misinformed by Brett.”
I asked, so Brett told the Phillies two different stories?
“He told one story, and then told us this story,” Gregg said.
Amaro has so far not returned a phone message I left immediately after Gregg's update.
That’s all we know right now. There are obviously lingering questions, and I’m working on getting answers.
***
UPDATE:
The Inquirer's Jim Salisbury reached Myers by telephone, and here is the story related by the pitcher and his wife Kim:
Myers said he had arrived home from dinner last night in Jacksonville, Fla. They were in Jacksonville because Myers had the day off from rehab activities in Clearwater. He said he had two beers at dinner and rode home in the back seat of his wife's Escalade in a car filled with friends, and that the family's babysitter was driving. Myers' parents were at home with the children.
In the Escalade, the back seat is a bench-style seat, and the middle seats are separate chairs. Myers said that he tripped while passing through those middle chairs. He said his feet got tangled in children's toys. He then fell out of the Escalade and hit his face on the side of the door.
He was not cut, but his left eye was "swollen like a balloon" when he woke this morning. Late this morning, Myers said he called minor league athletic trainer Brian Cammarota and told the fanciful story about his son and the game of catch. He said he called Cammarota back about five minutes later and told him the real story becuase "I didn't feel right about that."
Soon after that, Myers received a text message from Amaro asking Myers to call the GM. They talked, and that was the end of it. The Phils refused to make Cammrota available for comment.
Asked why he made up the story about playing catch with his son, Myers said: "Because I felt like an idiot."
Kim Myers called it a "freak accident," and both she and Brett insisted that was the entire story. They conceded that, because of Myers' 2006 arrest for assaulting Kim in Boston (charges were later dropped), the current situation would raise questions.
"No, I did not hit him with a frying pan," Kim Myers said, with a laugh, while teasing her husband for being a "klutz."
I placed a call to the Jacksonville Sherrif's department to see if any incidents had been reported involving Myers in the past 24 hours, but my message has not been returned.
Comments (99)
Doesn't sound good.— Dull- Uh-oh....— BobbyD
- maybe his wife hit HIM this time— RZA1217
- this guy is worse than Vick, get rid of him already, he is useless to us now
- Just two beers...— therackonteur
- yea, just two beers..... that is, two (pitchers of) beer.......— joeolive
Comment removed.- He is thinner.— stoky
- So, changing his story from one incredibly lame one to another incredibly lame one makes him feel like less of an idiot?— scottash
- So, changing his story from one incredibly lame one to another incredibly lame one makes him feel like less of an idiot?— scottash
- And this is the clown who, at $12 million a year, is the highest paid pitcher on the staff and the second highest on the team, after Ryan Howard's $15 million. What has he done for this team or to earn his salary but be a continual embarrassment and a waste.— pajamas
- Can't we get a catcher who can get a hit once in a while. Ruiz..the KING OF THE TWO HOPPERS— stoky
Ever watch "Cops" , it is never 1 beer or 6 when someone is drunk, it is always 2. A running joke with law enforcement apparently. Anyway, he is a big boy and he can drink 2 cases as long as he pitches well.- Uh, oh, is right. I'll say...30% chance drunk and fell, 40% chance wife clocked him, 20% chance bar fight, 10% he was in fact sober and fell out of the car and smashed his face. In the summer, on a dry night.— Jim C.
- Kim Myers making a joke like that serves as a bit of irony...— Philly Fan in Kuwait
- Doubt if it was a fight with his wife; more like he was drunk as a skunk and got into a fight outside a bar. Have to agree with scottash that both stories are idiotic. Guess he won't be our closer? I still like Park for that role if Lidge continues to struggle.— chuckw
- I think Kim got payback for Boston.— NJA Jr.
- He only has 7 weeks left on his contract then he will be someone elses problem.— Dull
- Myers is a dumb jock. Make Park our closer.— spinmeister
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- 2 beers? Lightweight— mikeyhigs
- Not the most interesting article— sportsdead
- NUTS TO LIDGE— stoky
- Dubee Lidge just blew another save. Make the trade for Billy Wagner, Ruben.— Dr. Michael
- WHY WAS THE INFIELD DRAWN IN WITH 1 OUT AND THE BASES LOADED???? A double play ends the inning!!— eagyop
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- just the two beers...— alex.blasscyk
- Dubee Lidge just blew another save. Make the trade for Billy Wagner, Ruben.— Dr. Michael
- Too bad it isn't Lidge....— zdog
- i'm inclined to believe it. i have definitely woken up all hung over and miserable only to realize that i did something stupid and injured myself the night before. then i lied about it. sure, there is nothing dumber than hurting yourself drunk.— l_destouches
- 2 beers and he is sitting in the back of the van? I dont think so.— P Even
- My daughter worked as a nurse in the ER. She says that everyone who comes in has always had two beers, and everyone who is shot or stabbed was minding their own business. I'm not saying he's lying. I just thought it was a funny comment. :)
- His wife went all Ike Turner on him...
- my God, you people are a bunch of dumb asses. Who cares?! So he lied, big deal. Like no one here has ever lied before. And if any other scenario happened, again... who cares? I would hate to be an athlete in this city. Too many high and mighty people throwing stones from their glass houses.— LongestYard
- This is weird.— Julius May
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- This team is ready to choke.— Phillies08
- Either way he better get his act together since it clear he will be the closer soon.....— Conshy04
- Myers is a clown, but I'd rather see him close than that stiff Lidge.— Leron
- getalife folks. Whoooooooo caresss. Worst case scenario? He's a man who had a few with some friensd and got popped. OMG! .— joeibt
- Chances are he'll be elsewhere next year.— StevenT
- His wife hit him the last time. I think he's an abused husband. Kim's not somebody to mess with.— gtb513
- Who cares?!?!?!?!....We need a closer. Get him tuned up and send Lidge to vacation with Adam Eaton.— ernestmwilliams
- Don't worry Phils fans. This useless imbecile will be gone after the season, but he's such a waste I'm afraid the team will have to eat a large portion of his way too high salary to get another team to take him off their hands. I still think he should have gone to jail for punching his wife, but you know what they say, relating to her not pressing charges. "I don't know what they call these women that marry these dumb, ugly, rich jocks, but I think it rhymes with bore".— baabyrrej
- Don't worry Phils fans. This useless imbecile will be gone after the season, but he's such a waste I'm afraid the team will have to eat a large portion of his way too high salary to get another team to take him off their hands. I still think he should have gone to jail for punching his wife, but you know what they say, relating to her not pressing charges. "I don't know what they call these women that marry these dumb, ugly, rich jocks, but I think it rhymes with bore".— baabyrrej
- Oh, PLEASE, People! Let it go! Mike Vick is an Eagle and you have to give Myers and his wife a hard time? Gimme a break. PK— PhillyTheKid
- You gotta love Brett. At least he didn't blow a save today.— Rick Wise Guy
- Since most people are right handed you usually get hit in the left eye. We will see which eye was involved. My guess ,he was drunk got in a fight and got popped. This is why he waited till the following morning to report it or he would be on the police blotter. The truth will slowly comeout.— man13
- Where is my post??— Wally 24
- Hey odd job put up my post.— Wally 24
- You know its incredible how Myers controls his wife’s mouth while throwing his voice like that, especially after he beats her nearly to death each day of her life. -- And how about the investigative reporting here, knowing there was conflicting statements Jim jumped right in to see if he could bring you some real dirt from the Jacksonville police department.— Wally 24
- No big deal ... Lidge is lights out and Hamels is pitching in MVP form. We're good. NOT!— schwenksville
- Who cares how it happened...I don't care if Mike Vick is now running a stupid pitcher fighting ring, and Myers is part of it...if he can close out a game lets just get him back and in the games, before Lidge rains on our next parade.— phillybob
- Seems to me Brett and Kim went out on the town and had a good time, like most of us, and when they got home he fell out of the car just like he said. I don't know about you but I'd be a little hesitant in telling my employer I'd had 1 to many and fell out of the vehicle too.— Wally 24
- After telling the story about the kid and the ball they both must have realized how stupid that sounded especially when the eye swelled so badly. All very reasonable explanations if you ask me.— Wally 24
- Who really cares. As long as he pitches better than Lidge when he comes up— BBAX
- i think the kid and ball story is dumber than the fell out of the car story....— chollie
- His reasoning is hard to believe. By now he HAS to be used to feeling like an idiot.
- Jim C. gets it right.
- I say, if it would have been his kid that threw the ball that hard, then make his kid the closer!— SMOKEY811
- After this season they should use the money they will save by not re-signing Myers to tie up Cliff Lee long term.— Brauny
- I dont know who this gregg character is but he sounds shadey to me!!! Tell him to get his stories straight. Hahahaahahah J/K KG...much love!!!!!— NoMoMo
- Its Mike Vick's fault— TommyGun
- Brett Myers feels like an idiot. And they say the idiot is always the last to know. Congratulations Brett.— bcsk
- So what?— J D
- When I first heard this afternoon that he was injured playing with his 4 year old son, I wondered. I hate the idea of speculating, so I was glad to see this article posted tonight, and feel a bit freer to speculate now. I'm still out of line guessing this, but considering the past, and the Michael Vick degree of truth scheme in the past reflected by the lack of original truth, it does not seem out of line to recall the physically abusive past toward Myers' wife, sad to say. Sorry Brett, but we're trying to root for a rarity of back to back titles here, and are not impressed with nonsense. Speaking of nonsense, this week, via the magic of XM radio, I called in to reply to Scott Graham offering the opinion that the Phils should consider Billy Wagner, who supposedly will be reactivated by the Mets very soon, and could be dealt by the 8/31 deadline. I said that considering the way pitchers take time to recover from arm surgery woes, my hunch was that Myers would offer more than Wagner. I still feel that way, but after still another Brad Lidge nightmare this afternoon, perhaps the Phils need to consdier Wagner versus Lidge. We don't know how Wagner is, but we know how Lidge is. And as terrific a job as Amaro has done, it's such a gamble to go toward the finish and assumedly post season with Lidge's work matched up against the likes of Mo Rivera.— KBland
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- Phils will announce Sunday it is a season ending eye injury— BHite15
Percs and 10 beers will make anyone klutzy... right, Brett?— NRGjunk- Did I hear Smoltz' name somewhere?— NRGjunk
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- Out with two women, drinking, swollen eye...? This is a reality show waiting to happen— LA Mike
- anything for a story. calling the sherrif's department was just a little over the top don't you think? you media types are really getting carried away.— low tide
- who cares?— Phront_Runner
- Of course Brett was sober, it was Lidge who was drunk !— mick314
- Maybe his son beat him up for not catching the ball.— HandNik
- hE LIED BECAUSE HE IS AN IDIOT.— RICH W ALLEN
- even with a black eye i think he can manage to blow fewer saves than lidge— ballzy101
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- Give Myers some credit. At least he had a designated hitter, I mean, driver.— EL Zorro
Why must a person lie about something so trivial as falling out of a car? Was he really too drunk to exit properly? This story tells me that Brett Myers has no character and cannot be trusted. To think he would lie on his 4 yr old son in this manner. You know he would lie to a woman in a heartbeat.- Have another beer. Your done anyway! Move on...— alex.blasscyk
- Knowing his problems with his wife, I'll bet she popped him in the eye.— Grapost
- I've watched enough cop shows to know that when someone says they only had "2 beers" its usually the equivalent to at least 8.— mengler
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- I don't think all of the facts are in yet, but I think he's still lying and covering something up. Why have even two beers when he's pitching the next day? People up here are talking about him helping as closer and this is his response. I was hoping the Phillies wouldn't bring him back after his contract expires before this. Now I hope he doesn't even pitch for them this year.— kmon
- We all know how dangerous it is getting out of an Escalade...Hey Putz..just use the word car!! I hope she socked him one.— bossfan12
- you people need to get over it..what makes you so much better than him? every single person on here has done somethin stupid in their life yet cuz he is a pro athlete he is not allowed to...he is a human being also...get over yourselves and what happened to him..and i bet half of you have fallen out of a car before too sober or drunk so save your breath cuz your wasting everyone elses time..the guy screwed up and admitted to it..i hate this city and the people in it cuz everyone thinks their so much better than the athletes and that they dont make mistakes....get well soon brett...we need a closer!(and not billy wagner as someone stated cuz he is as bad as lidge)— PhillySports23
- who cares????— Will.i.Am
- joeolive, matters what 2 beers he had. If he had bud light or any mass market american beer, than he wasn't close to being drunk. If he had an IPA or any other strong beer, then he was buzzed or toasted.— flavious27
- He got hit with an errant throw from Lidge. Another blown save.— VANDERGRAAFK
- He got hit with an errant throw from Lidge. Another blown save.— VANDERGRAAFK
- He got hit with an errant throw from Lidge. Another blown save.— VANDERGRAAFK
- He got hit with an errant throw from Lidge. Another blown save.— VANDERGRAAFK
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- Shades of Dick Allen! Wanna bet it was an overhand right or left hook that caused the mouse on his eye?— brinkmang
- he can have 2 swollen eyes...he needs to come in and CLOSE out a game— PhillyMike2009
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