Injuries Adding Up for NL Central

The baseball season is in full swing with April nearly finished.  Numerous teams have already been hit by a flurry of injuries that have threatened to side-track their team's plan early on.  Several teams in the NL Central have lost a handful of key players.

The question for trainers to ask is how many of the injuries are due to conditioning and training, and how many are due to on-field-play.  So far at least the Cardinals and Pirates have been able to overcome team injuries.  Both teams have won seven of their last 10 and are 1-2 in the division. 

The NL Central leading St. Louis Cardinals currently have three players on the 15-day DL.  Starting Pitcher Chris Carpenter is out with a “strained left ribcage muscle.”  Middle Reliever Jaime Garcia is out for “left elbow soreness.” Troy Glaus 3B recovering from shoulder surgery is expected to be back this week.  Kyle Lohse is listed as day-to-day with a jammed right knee.  David Freese had an injury to his Achilles’ tendon at the beginning of the season. 

The PIttsburch Pirates have been hit with a flurry of injuries as of late.  Ryan Doumit C broke a bone in his wrist which needed surgery and will be out at least until the end of June.  Nate McLouth CF is day-to-day with a “right oblique” injury, one that if it becomes serious can take a long time to heal. Jack Wilson SS is out until early May with what has been describe as a left middle finger sprain or bruise. 

These injuries go with RP Phil Dumatrait who has been out all year with shoulder soreness and RP Craig Hansen who was place on the 15-day DL retroactive back to April 20 with “neck spasms.”  McLouth’s injury, if mild, should have him back in the lineup this week, but aggravating it is risky because of how long it takes for a Grade 2 or Grade 3 injury to heal. 

With Doumit and McLouth both down, the Pirates have relied on their replacements and the bench to provide much of the hitting.  Speaking of his replacement role Jason Jaramillo said, “I feel comfortable…it’s one of the things where you get in there and you feel confident.”

The Chicago Cubs Milton Bradley CF is day-to-day with a “strained right groin.”  Derrek Lee 1B is having a problem with “neck spasm” and is listed as day-to-day.  SP Carlos Marmol is day-to-day with discomfort in his left knee.  Aramis Ramirez 3B has a strained left calf and like the other Cubs injuries, is expected back this week. 

This is the second time on the season Ramirez has missed games due to an injury.  He had back problems earlier in April and was scratched from the lineup.  For all the teams with multiple injuries, Lou Piniella’s Cubs might be the worst off.  Speaking after Friday’s game where Ramirez and the continued problem with Bradley’s groin, Piniella said, “We don’t have any infielders.” 

The Cubs are 4-6 in their last 10 and cannot afford another injury to their infield.  On Saturday SS Ryan Theriot twisted his knee but stayed in the game.  Piniella would have had to moved people around quite a bit to effectively cover the positions.  The Cubs expect Ramirez to be available this week.

The Houston Astros have SP Brandon Backe out until early may at least with a “strained intercostals muscle.”  Aaron Boone is out for the year with a heart condition.  Brian Moehler has a “mild knee sprain” and will be out until next week at the earliest.  Humberto Quinero C has a “sore shoulder” and is on the 15-day DL.

The Milwaukee Brewers have just one player on the DL, Pitcher David Riske our with “right elbow tightness.”

The Cincinnati Reds have avoided any major injuries on the young season, and are the only NL Central team to do so.  The relatively healthy state of their team might have contributed to the Reds win-loss record being over .500 at this stage.

Whether teams are able to avoid any further injuries is largely up to the trainers, the players, and fate.  Perhaps the team that is able to avoid injury, or at least best over come injury, to any of its key players is the team what will survive to the end.  Picked by many to win the division, it seems the Cubs are the team most hurt by injuries so far.