Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Luckily, We Don't Need Healthy Players Down The Stretch

Dodgers.com looked like an episode of ER yesterday night.

Rafael Furcal is due for an MRI:

LOS ANGELES -- Rafael Furcal missed batting practice at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday to have an MRI exam on his lower back, the latest blow to a struggling Dodgers offense.

Once the results are in, the Dodgers will evaluate whether a trip to the disabled list is necessary for the shortstop. Manager Joe Torre said Furcal hurt himself playing a ball in the hole on Monday night against the Padres, twisting at a sharp angle to make a throw to first.

Furcal, an All-Star, has had a resurgent season with a .316 average, the fourth-best mark in the National League. He spent time on the disabled list this season for a hamstring injury and missed more time on the bereavement list, but his back, a problem in years past, had been healthy. He missed 125 games because of a lower back injury that required surgery in 2008.

"The fact that it just happened, that he felt it on that play," Torre said, "hopefully that indicates that it's something that's not related."

Manny Ramirez's recovery is taking longer than expected:

LOS ANGELES -- Instead of Manny Ramirez visiting Dodger Stadium as was expected on Tuesday, team trainer Stan Conte flew to him in Arizona as Ramirez works through a setback.

Ramirez has been on the disabled list with a right calf strain since July 20 and is still experiencing discomfort. He's working out at the team's Spring Training complex in Glendale.

"Until we get him on the field and playing in a rehab game, it's really tough to really plan on getting him back at this point in time," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "I think it's going to be probably a couple weeks if what Stan says [is right], and this could change depending on how comfortable he is."

Oh, and Jeff "Shaggy" Weaver has also hit the DL:

LOS ANGELES -- It turns out there was something wrong with Jeff Weaver.

The Dodgers placed the soon-to-be 34-year-old on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday because of tendinitis in his left knee. Reliever Ramon Troncoso was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to assume the vacated roster spot.

Weaver, 5-1 with a 5.35 ERA in 36 appearances, had very visibly struggled in his last five outings, when he let up 10 runs -- half of those in two innings on Monday. Weaver said he first felt pain in his knee a couple of weeks ago, something he had experienced before, but never as persistently.

Weaver did not alert the team until pitching coach Rick Honeycutt talked to him after Monday night's 10-5 loss to the Padres.

"For a couple outings, it was irrelevant and I had some success, so I didn't really think twice about it," Weaver said. "But now when it's affecting the outcome of games, it's in all of our benefits not to go out there. They talked to me after the game yesterday. Command is a big part of my game ... obviously they're going to ask questions about what's going on. I guess it's time to throw pride aside and take care of it and come back 100 percent."

Remember back when the New York Times credited Stan Conte at using actuarial analyses to better predict (and prevent and avoid) injuries? Yeah, that approached has worked really well.

8 comments:

Fred's Brim said...

I injured myself reading that

smashing my head on the desk will do that

Josh S. said...

Russell "I won't slide, don't ask me" Martin is also due for an MRI of his hip.

rbnlaw said...

Being older negates any predictability an actuary table could provide.

Bad mojo also negates it.

Russell Martin's stubborn refusal to slide has brought about its own reward.

Steve Sax said...

Did Russell really say he won't slide? I didn't see that.

If he did say that, for a guy that blocks the plate, that seems like a pretty stupid rule.

Betsy said...

Well he said something along the lines of I didn't think the ball would make it to the catcher and i didn't want to be a jerk and slide into him if he didn't have the ball. I think he needs to hang out with the LFP folks for a few games to understand he really should slide into him hard every time.

Josh S. said...

Sax: No, I was just playing off a lyric from this song.

rbnlaw said...

Hey Russ, it's only the post-season at stake.

No big.

Ryan said...

Has anyone else noticed that Manny has spent close to 50 games on the DL? 50 games is the punishment for violation of the MLB substance abuse policy. Players are not paid if they are suspended under the substance abuse policy. Players ARE paid if they are injured. Possibly the hammy isn't all that bad and Manny and Boras are trying to make a statement?