MLB's 10 Most Fragile Players

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Injuries are a team killer. When a player goes down, especially for an extended period of time, the entire team must pick up the slack the loss of that player creates. 

While some injuries are freak accidents, and others are small bumps and bruises that get played through, there are some players who are almost impossible to keep on the field for an extended period of time.

Looking back for the past five years, the following are the most frequently injured players who not only got hurt a lot, but got hurt badly and thus had to spend considerable time on the disabled list.

Chris Young

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Chris Young has tremendous talent but, unfortunately for him and his teammates, it’s been really difficult to get him on the field over the past five years.

Young has spent at least some time on the DL every year since 2007, including a significant number of days in each of the last three seasons.

Although one of the injuries was completely unavoidable (and horrific…he got hit in the face by a line drive) he’s also suffered issues with his pitching shoulder.

Young, currently a member of the New York Mets, is already on the DL in the 2011 season; if he can ever get healthy, though, the Mets should get a huge addition to their rotation…IF he ever gets healthy. 

Year	Days on DL	Reason on DL
2007	15	Strained Left Oblique
2008	89	Strained Right Forearm Nasal Fractures
2009	112	Inflammation in Right Shoulder
2010	164	Inflammation in Right Shoulder

Joel Zumaya

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We all know how Joel Zumaya can light up the radar gun, but he hasn't been doing it much lately because of a series of injuries that have been landing him on the DL. 

Zumaya is a huge part of the Tigers' bullpen but, at this point, the Tigers are going to need to move forward with the thought process that Zumaya may never come back.

Most likely, he will not be the same pitcher if he does. 

Here is Zumaya's list of injuries for the past five years:

Year	Days on DL	Reason on DL
2007	107	Ruptured Tendon in Right Middle Finger
2008	130	Recover from Surgery on Right Shoulder
2009	96	Sore Right Shoulder (x2)
2010	96	Fractured Olecranon Process - Right Elbow

Chien-Ming Wang

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Remember the days when Chien-Ming Wang was the Yankees ace? His sinkerball was one of the best in all of baseball; but then the injuries came...

Wang has missed a ton of time in the past five years, including at least 100 days on the DL since 2008; and, much like Zumaya, Wang is still on the DL and it's unclear when (if) he'll return. 

As of now, Wang is in the Washington Nationals organization. 

Year	Days on DL	Reason on DL
2007	23	Strained Right Hamstring
2008	106	Lisfranc Sprain Torn Tendon in Right Foot
2009	125	Strained Right Shoulder Weak Hip Muscles
2010	182	Recovery from Right Shoulder Surgery

Rich Harden

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When Rich Harden is healthy, he can be one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. Luckily for hitters, Harden is rarely healthy these days.

Even in recent years, Harden has taken low-paying, one-year contracts to try and regain his value but, nonetheless, Harden continued to get injured and has been unable to show the baseball world he can stay healthy. 

When Harden has been able to be healthy, though, he's been ineffective, which has led many to believe all the injuries to his arm have made him lose his dominant stuff from some years ago. 

Year	Days on DL	Reason on DL
2006	146	Sprained Right Elbow Back Strain
2007	151	Strained Pitching Shoulder (x2)
2008	37	Strained Right Subscapularis Muscle
2009	26	Strained Lower Back
2010	64	Tendinitis in Right Shoulder Strained Left Glut Muscle

Angel Guzman

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Angel Guzman has had some pretty rough years in the recent past; even more unfortunate for Guzman is that all of his injuries have been happening on his throwing arm. 

Look at the laundry list of injuries, and days on the DL, Guzman has faced. It's hard to believe he'll ever be able to be effective, especially over the long- haul of a season, ever again. 

 

Year	Days on DL	Reason on DL
2007	121	Strained Right Elbow
2008	155	Tommy John Surgery
2009	15	Strained Right Triceps
2010	182	Torn Ligament in Right Shoulder

Mike Sweeney

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Mike Sweeney is the first hitter to appear on the list, but he won't be the last. There was a time when Sweeney was a lock for a solid batting average, but those days are long gone now. 

Since 2006, Sweeney has made at least one visit to the DL each year. It's tough to keep a job on a professional baseball team, let alone perform, when you're missing so much time. 

Year	Days on DL	Reason DL
2006	98	Bulging Disc in Upper Back
2007	74	Cartilage Damage in Right Knee
2008	97	Surgery on Both Knees
2009	15	Back Spasms
2010	54	Back Spasms Inflamed Back

Erik Bedard

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My, how the mighty have fallen. Erik Bedard had a few great seasons and it seemed as if he was going to be the next big pitcher in baseball. 

Then, the injuries came and Bedard has been trying to get back to his old form ever since. 

What do you think? Looking at the list of injuries he's had since 2007, will he ever get back to his old form? Or even close to it?

Years	Days on DL	Reason on DL
2007	22	Strained Right Oblique
2008	102	Surgery on Torn Labrum Sore Hip
2009	100	Inflamed Left Shoulder (x2)
2010	182	Recovery from Surgery on Left Shoulder

Kelvim Escobar

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Kelvim Escobar is another on the long list of pitchers who looked to have been becoming the next big thing but then got injured and has not been able to pitch effectively since.

In particular, the last three years have been really bad for Escobar as he has spent at least 180+ days on the DL in each of those years!

Even worse news for Escobar is that every single one of his injuries that has put him on the DL from the past five years has been to his throwing arm.

Year	Days on DL	Reason on DL
2006	15	Right Elbow Irritation
2007	15	Irritation in Right Shoulder
2008	184	Torn Labrum in Right Shoulder
2009	182	Recovery from Surgery on Right Shoulder
2010	182	Soreness in Right Shoulder

Nick Johnson

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Nick Johnson had such great potential, especially given the plate discipline he had, but injuries have absolutely overtaken his career. 

Much like the others on this list, Johnson has spent considerable time on the DL and only once since 2007 has Johnson not spent over 100 days on the DL. 

The Yankees experimented by bringing Johnson back last season but, with a significant injury, he was unable to play much, and thus, that experiment came to an end.

Year	Days on DL	Reason on DL
2007	183	Surgery on Fractured Right Femur (x2)
2008	138	Torn Tendon in Right Wrist
2009	16	Strained Right Hamstring
2010	148	Inflamed Tendon in Right Wrist

Eric Chavez

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Eric Chavez, another one on the list to pass through the Yankees' organization at some point in his career, will round our list. 

Chavez had been a feared hitter for the Oakland Athletics for many years, but injuries have certainly changed the way pitchers pitch to him in the recent years.

Year	Days on DL	Reason on DL
2007	66	Strained Left Oblique
2008	155	Inflammation on Right Shoulder Back Spasms
2009	163	Strained Right Forearm and Elbow
2010	135	Neck Spasms