D’Antona (Chatham ’02) out for three weeks
Jamie D'Antona (Chatham '02) is injured again, but he is leading the Swallows in home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage.
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Jamie D’Antona (Chatham ’02), one of the most interesting characters in Jim Collins’s The Last Best League, is headed to the DL of the Tokyo Swallows after suffering a pulled left hamstring (JapanToday). D’Antona has lived up to power-hitting expectations and is leading the Swallows in home runs (19) and RBIs (69), but he is also maintaining his free-swinging approach at the plate with nearly one strikeout per game (87 in 89 games–see full stats on TokyoSwallows.com).
Before signing with the Swallows, D’Antona was a top major league prospect. In 2008, D’Antona hit .365 with 21 home runs and 79 RBIs in AAA action. He was brought up to MLB for 18 games by the Diamondbacks before ending his season with knee surgery. Last off-season, D’Antona signed with the Tokyo Swallows of Japan’s Central League.
This is a huge disappointment for the Swallows. D’Antona was a vital source of run support and an important part of the team’s chemistry both on and off the field.
Hopefully he can make a speedy recovery.
He’s back in the lineup now!