Detroit Tigers: Injury to Brennan Boesch Sets Him Back

Detroit Tigers outfielder Brennan Boesch experienced a setback today when it was announced that he will be missing a few days due to a minor right oblique injury, according to the Associated Press' Noah Trister.

Boesch cannot afford to miss any time, as he is likely competing for a roster spot with Quintin Berry. Boesch, who has been prone to long slumps during his three-year career, is on his last chance with the Tigers.

When asked by Chris Iott of MLive.com whether he was frustrated by the early injury, Boesch replied, while shrugging, "It's part of being an athlete. It's never fun. There's not a guy in here who can't say that he's gone through it…It's much worse in June or July, when you're battling in a season."

While Boesch needs to be healthy, hopefully he understands that he is in a situation where he isn't guaranteed a roster spot. He needs to prove to the coaching staff that he can be consistent throughout the entire season.

Boesch, who only had one home run and 10 RBIs between August and October of 2012, needs to find a way to make contact and drive the ball.

On Feb. 10, Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon spoke with Tom Gage from the Detroit News about the improvements Boesch has made during the offseason:

"

You'll see better balance, a shorter stride and shorter stroke, but I don't think you'll see a lot of differences in his stance.

He's just going back to what he was doing when he was doing well. He's gotten a lot of different voices out of his head, so to speak.

"

While most players and coaches talk about how much the offseason helps them into their best shape, unfortunately if Boesch's injury lingers, then all of the talk hyping his improvement won't mean a thing.

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