@SeanGagnier
This is not what Jim Leyland or Alex Avila wanted to hear - Gerald Laird collided with Don Kelly attempting to run down a fly foul ball and injured his knee. Laird went down, grabbing his knee in pain and needed trainer Kevin Rand to help him get off the field.
It looked bad, and for Laird it probably felt bad, but things aren't as bad as they look. The Tigers announced that it was only a knee sprain and that Laird would be listed as day-to-day and would be reevaluated on Saturday.
Laird seemed upbeat about the injury saying that he was glad he didn't blow it out.
Avila is probably happy he didn't blow it out as well, seeing as he caught darn near every game down the stretch last season when Victor Martinez was injured. The stress of catching every day may have helped to inflame Avila's knees and add to his tendinitis last season.
Fresh out of knee surgery to clean out the tendinitis caused by his last back-up catcher's injury, an injury to Laird was not what Avila hoping for.
While the doctors don't believe Laird's injury is serious, if on Saturday during the reevaluation they deem things to be more serious the Tigers could turn to a number of prospects in the minors. Rob Brantly has been tearing things up in the minors and could be the best choice but Bryan Holaday or James McCann could also get a call.
Perhaps they go with Omir Santos, Avila's back-up last year after the injury to Marinez. They signed him to a contract as an insurance policy but he was less then stellar at the plate. One of the prospects may get the call over him.
Only Saturday and the doctors will be able to answer the questions now.
No comments:
Post a Comment