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Rockies' John Axford leaves camp after his son was bitten by rattlesnake

(USA TODAY Sports)
(USA TODAY Sports)

Colorado Rockies reliever John Axford left team camp last Wednesday after his 2-year-old son was bitten by a rattlesnake, according to the Denver Post.

Following a game March 25, Axford received a call from a Phoenix-area hospital, explaining that his son had been bitten twice on the foot by a rattlesnake. Axford, 31, said he was in "sheer panic" upon hearing the news.

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Axford's son, Jameson, is currently in stable condition. Doctors believe they were able to save his foot, though it's possible he'll need to have one of his toes amputated. It's believed Jameson stepped on a baby rattlesnake while walking in the backyard of the family's house in Arizona.

Axford returned to camp briefly Tuesday in order to throw a bullpen session, but said he doesn't know when he'll be able to come back to the club on a full-time basis. He's currently planning to stay with his family for as long as possible.

"The last thing I want to do is think about baseball," Axford said. "We're not sure what is happening. We're trying to take things step by step."

For now, Axford is asking for positive thoughts.

"Any positive thoughts people have for [Jameson] would definitely be well-received," he said.

While not technically official, it's been assumed that Axford would make the Rockies' bullpen coming out of camp. He signed a minor-league deal with the club during the offseason, but was added to the 40-man roster in March. Axford is still expected to make the club, but his son's current medical situation could keep him away from the team for an undetermined amount of time.

We here at The Stew are sending our positive thoughts to the Axford family, especially Jameson.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik