Wood out 6-8 Weeks

[ticon12389]

Cleveland Indians closer Kerry Wood could miss up to two months with a strained muscle in his upper back.

Trainer Lonnie Soloff said Wood has a moderate strain on his right side. The trainer says Wood will be out a minimum of six to eight weeks.

Wood felt sore after throwing on March 10. He wasn't concerned about the injury, but when the symptoms didn't ease, the right-hander underwent an MRI exam that revealed the problem.

The 32-year-old Wood has a history of elbow and shoulder problems and has undergone surgery on both.

While Wood is out, the Indians will use right-hander Chris Perez as their closer. Perez had one save last season after coming over in a trade from St. Louis.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2010/news/story?id=5013052


I'm eager to see Perez in the role for now

 

[Derek]

You're fuckin out!

Chris Perez is my favorite reliever, I think he'll do well.

 

[Gimme Some Mo]

I am shocked. This was a horrible signing from day 1. Sign a guy who had one good season and has been injured his whole career to a big contract. Pure genius.

 

[Damage]

I am shocked. This was a horrible signing from day 1. Sign a guy who had one good season and has been injured his whole career to a big contract. Pure genius.

One good season?

Anyways, it wasn't a terrible signing. We were suppose to contend last year. Did you want Borowski again and his 85 mph meatball? Nobody within the organization was ready to step up and be the CL. Wood was a bargain at 7 mill. Now he's a viable trade chip down the stretch.

 

[Gimme Some Mo]

One good season?

Anyways, it wasn't a terrible signing. We were suppose to contend last year. Did you want Borowski again and his 85 mph meatball? Nobody within the organization was ready to step up and be the CL. Wood was a bargain at 7 mill. Now he's a viable trade chip down the stretch.

I should have said one recent good season where he was also healthy. 8 years ago doesn't matter.

 

[Damage]

I should have said one recent good season where he was also healthy. 8 years ago doesn't matter.

Right. Thank Dusty Baker for ruining his and Mark Prior's careers. I mean yes, in hindsight, the signing sucks. But we didn't have a closer and we needed one.

It's so funny. People bitch that we sign these retread players, the Jason Michaels of the world, yet when we sign a big name, people still bitch.

 

[PIP]

You're fuckin out!

Chris Perez is my favorite reliever, I think he'll do well.

Back the fuck off....

 

[Skeeter]

this guy sucks

 

[Gunther]

Might not matter. If he heals up in a timely manner, he should be able to get himself into game-ready condition faster than most of our players. A veteran closer does not benefit as much from spring training as other players. If he keeps himself in shape, he should be able to come back strong.

More concerning to me is the fact that we were told this was "no big deal" as late as last week. This is a trend that I don't like about baseball over the last couple of years. What is to benefit at this stage in the season from keeping this info secret? If a guy is injured, then he's injured. It's not a state secret. Put him on the DL, get him the medical help and rehab he needs, and move on.

 

[PIP]

Well in all honesty this really doesn't matter.. The Tribe might be able to scrape out 65 wins or so if all goes right, so I guess not having a closer right now and grooming other candidates for the job is not so bad...

 

[Gunther]

From Hoynes:

Closer Kerry Wood lost to Cleveland Indians for six to eight weeks
By Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer
March 20, 2010, 2:43PM
UPDATED: 4:35 p.m.

Kerry Wood will open season on disabled list.GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians have lost closer Kerry Wood for six to eight weeks with a strained right latissimus dorsi muscle. Chris Perez will open the season as the closer.

The latissimus dorsi is located under the shoulder. Indians head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff said Wood is experiencing pain in his right armpit.

Wood underwent an MRI Thursday and the strain was discovered.

"It's a setback," said GM Mark Shapiro. "In the second half of last season Kerry showed dominant numbers and was a dominant guy. We haven't really had any challenging news this spring. You expect something to come up.

"This is not a long-term situation. It's a short-term situation."

Soloff called the injury a "moderate strain."

Wood's last Cactus League appearance was March 10. He was scratched from his next scheduled appearance March 13, but the Indians said the injury was not serious.

"This is an area that Kerry usually experiences soreness in during spring training," said Soloff. "After the soreness hadn't resolved in four or five days, we worked it up diagnostically with an MRI. The MRI revealed the strain."

Soloff said he didn't think the injury occurred on one pitch. Soloff said Wood has experienced soreness in the lat muscle for the last four or five years in spring training.

"If there is one positive, it's not his elbow or shoulder," said Soloff, "where he's experienced surgical issues in the past."

Wood has been on the disabled list 12 times in his career. He's headed for No.13 right now.

Soloff said Wood can start playing catch in 10 to 14 days. He said Wood would probably break camp with the Indians and continue his rehab in Cleveland. The Indians leave Arizona on April 3.

Wood is the third highest paid player on the team. He'll make $10.5 million this year. Last season went save 20 games in 26 chances.

Perez came to Cleveland along with Jess Todd from St. Louis last season in the Mark DeRosa trade. He was a closer throughout his minor league career, recording 60 saves. In 2008, he saved seven games for the Cardinals. He had one save for St. Louis last year before the trade and saved another game with the Indians.

"It's not a good situation for our team," said Perez. "We were expecting Kerry to have a big year for us.

"But it's only six to eight weeks. Hopefully, it's shorter than that. I hope Kerry comes back a couple weeks into the season."

Perez's goal is to close in the big leagues..

"I'm excited, but at the same time it stinks that it had to come with Kerry getting hurt," said Perez. "I think, hopefully, they're being cautious right now and that he comes back a lot quicker than the doctors said."

Perez, 24, looks at the opportunity as an "audtition."

"It's a good audtion," he said. "It's a good way for the new coaching staff to get a look at me. I hope I take the ball and run with it and get off to a good start and help this team get off to a good start. I think that's one of the easiest ways to ruin a season right off the bat is to have the bullpen blow games.

"It's going to be tough replacing Kerry. It definitely hurts our pen because everyone is going to have to slide up into different roles than what they expecting going into the season. At the same time, it's more opportunity for us. Somebody is going to have to pick it up. I hope it's me to start off with."

Perez, 6-4, 230 pounds, was drafted by the Cardinals in 2006. He was a sandwich pick, the 42nd player taken in the draft.

He went to Class A Quad City as a closer and saved 12 games. He progressed through the Cardinal system as a door slammer.

"I've been around some good closers the last couple of years in Kerry Wood, Ryan Franklin and Jason Isringhausen," said Perez. "I picked up stuff from all of them. The biggest thing they say is that it's mentality. You've got the stuff, you've got the tools. It's just believing in yourself and doing it."

SOURCE

 

[Derek]

Back the fuck off....

You don't like Eastbound and Down?

 

[macbdog]

Well, it could both hurt the club's chances of dealing Wood while simultaneously keeping the option from vesting. So it could end up being a blessing since the option vesting would be what the Tribe is trying to avoid.

Good news is, it isn't his arm, too, which improves the odds of Wood coming back and being effective afterwards. Like him or not, the club is paying 10M and they need some production from him.

I guess we will see what Perez can do. This also kind of guarantees that Jensen Lewis makes the team again. Not sure what to make of that.

 

[Damage]

Well, it could both hurt the club's chances of dealing Wood while simultaneously keeping the option from vesting. So it could end up being a blessing since the option vesting would be what the Tribe is trying to avoid.

Good news is, it isn't his arm, too, which improves the odds of Wood coming back and being effective afterwards. Like him or not, the club is paying 10M and they need some production from him.

I guess we will see what Perez can do. This also kind of guarantees that Jensen Lewis makes the team again. Not sure what to make of that.

Well, we don't get to see Wedge's twitches this year, might as well see Lewis's :chuckles:

 

[Gimme Some Mo]

It's so funny. People bitch that we sign these retread players, the Jason Michaels of the world, yet when we sign a big name, people still bitch.

I wouldn't consider Kerry Wood a big name. I guess for the Indians, he could be though. However, the only reason Wood is a "big name" is because everyone knows him for failing to reach his potential because of all his injuries. That will always be what people think of when they hear Kerry Wood.