Wow. He must have been really, REALLY tired.
A few days ago, the Detroit Tigers announced that Kenny Rogers, the veteran anchor of their pitching staff, would start the season on the disabled list due to a "tired arm."
So tired, in fact, that it required surgery to remove a blood clot and repair arteries. Instead of missing a start or two, Rogers is now out until July at the earliest... and given that the lefty is 42 years old, that prognosis might be optimistic.
Chad Durbin is now expected to step into Detroit's rotation, behind Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander, Nate Robertson and Mike Maroth.
A number of other pitchers on the shelf as the season opens...
In Texas:
Eric Gagne's comeback hit a minor snag. Texas' new closer will open the season on the disabled list, buying him a little more time to recover from the elbow and back problems that cost him all of last season. Akinori Otsuka will close games for the Rangers until Gagne is ready.
In Cleveland:
C. C. Sabathia was plunked on the pitching arm by a line drive during his last start of the spring. He's got a nasty bruise, and may not be able to make his scheduled start on Opening Day. If the big lefty can't go, the Tribe might press Jake Westbrook or Paul Byrd into service.
In Queens:
The Mets' bullpen depth took a hit when a hairline fracture was discovered in Duaner Sanchez' shoulder. The injury likely stems from a taxi accident last July, which knocked Sanchez out for the last two months of the 2006 season. Sanchez may need surgery to stabilize the injury and won't be back until August.
The Mets won the National League East last season largely on the strength of their bullpen. But now they'll start the season without Sanchez and Guillermo Mota, who was re-signed despite the fact that he's about to serve a 50-game suspension for use of performance-enhancing drugs. For now, they'll hope that veterans like Chan Ho Park and Aaron Sele can pitch effectively in relief, while general manager Omar Minaya considers making a trade (Baltimore's Todd Williams is reportedly a person-of-interest).
In the OC:
The Angels might sport one of the American League's deepest rotations, assuming that Bartolo Colon and Jered Weaver return from injury. This week in the Cactus League, both pitchers showed positive signs. Colon reportedly hit 94 on the radar gun, while Weaver threw three solid innings in a minor-league game. Both are now expected to return to the Halos before the end of April.
In the Bronx:
Yankee pitching coach Ron Guidry, in a radio appearance, reported that Chien-Ming Wang threw forty pitches off a half-mound and reported no issues with his balky hamstring. Guidry now estimates that Wang will return sooner than originally estimated; the Yanks' ace could only miss a start or two.
In Seattle:
Mariners' closer J.J. Putz is expected to start the season on the active roster even though elbow trouble limited him to a single inning during spring training.
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