Mark Berman's Blog

Houston Astros catcher Humberto Quintero will be home for the Fourth of July and nothing could make him angrier. Quintero was placed on the 15 day disabled list Tuesday after he was hit on the head by the backswing of Los Angeles Dodgers shorstop Luis Maza.

Quinterto suffered a concussion and spent one night in the hospital. Quintero still has a headache. His eyes still bother him, and he's still a little dizzy, but the only place he wants to be is with his team. For the moment that's not possible.

"I have never come out of a game before and I feel bad about that," Quintero said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. "I don't want to sit at home and watch the game but there's nothing I can do about it."

Quintero said he is slowly recovering.

"I am feeling better but I still have a headache and its hurts a lot." Quintero said. "I am still a little dizzy too, but the doctors say that is normal."

The fact that Quintero cannot remember what happened bothers him a great deal.

"I don't remember anything," Quintero said. "It's scary, man. After they told me what happened I said, Wow.

"He didn't hit me hard, but he hit me in the right spot."

Maza called Quintero to apologize and, while the Astros catcher said it wasn't necessary, he appreciated the gesture.

"Luis called me on my cell phone," Quintero said. "He called to tell me he didn't mean to do it and that he didn't want to hit me.

"It means a lot. We've been friends for a long time. He thought (calling) was the right thing to do."

Quintero, who recently shook off getting hit in a bad place to stay in a game, said he'll be back in the Astros lineup as soon as possible.

"I've been working hard and calling the game good and my swing is good," Quintero said. "I am going to forget about what happened, work hard, and do what I have to do."