Tough Break: Tigers' Prospect Sizemore Fractures Ankle

Scott Sizemore, a top prospect for the Detroit Tigers and heir apparent at second base, fractured a bone in his left ankle during Thursday's game in the Arizona Fall League.

As a result, Sizemore will miss the rest of the AFL season, but should be fully recovered by spring training.

The fracture took place when a base-runner took a hard slide into Sizemore’s left leg while his foot was planted to turn a double-play.

The silver lining is that the injury is a “nondisplaced” fracture, meaning that the bone has cracked but remains in alignment. It is believed that his recovery time should be six to eight weeks.

Sizemore, 24, was on a tear in the AFL, hitting .368 with three home runs and nine RBI in his first five games.

General manager Dave Dombrowski, who has already publicly stated that he expects Sizemore to be his club’s starting second baseman next season, was disappointed by the injury, but understood that it is just the nature of the game.

"He was playing very well, offensively and defensively, and feeling really good," Dombrowski said. "But these things happen.”

Sizemore, the Tigers’ fifth-round selection in the 2006 draft, hit an impressive .308/.389/.500 with 17 homers, 66 RBI, and 21 stolen bases between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo in 2009.

Those numbers impressed Dombrowski enough to warrant anointing Sizemore as the second baseman of the future if Placido Polanco, an impending free agent, signs with another club as it is largely believed he will.

Dombrowski also went on to say that Sizemore’s injury would have no impact on potential contract negotiations with Polanco as the club believes Sizemore will be ready to take the reins at the keystone corner in 2010.

"You wish it wouldn't have happened. You'd rather have another month [in Arizona] under his belt,” Dombrowski said. “But he'll be fine."

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