They've Fallen And Can't Get Up

As I was busy attending four games in four days, there were some transactions and injuries that flew under the radar.

First, the big ones.

-- El Caballo, Livan Hernandez left Saturday night's game mid-batter with a strained knee. [Insert fat joke]

Where an ordinary man, such as you or I would wither under such extraordinary stress and strain, ¡Livan! has stood tall, even serving as his own doctor (he can do it all!). Just like he looks over his ample right shoulder and waves off the warming relievers, ¡Livan! initially waved off an MRI. Because, lord knows, why would we want a doctor looking at this when we have a Cuban-educated professional athlete making his own informed medical decisions? (Besides, everyone raves about how wonderful Cuba's universal health care coverage is; I'm sure he picked up a pointer or two during his years there)

Despite his protestations, he gave in and had an MRI. And then they drained his knee yesterday. There was no word on what came out, but I'm guessing frosting.

He's expected to start Thursday, still on pace for 280 or so innings.

-- Jose Vidro remains out with a torn tendon in his ankle. It’s only a partial tear, but it’s serious that he’s going to be out for at least the rest of the month. Given the location, higher up on the ankle, and the seriousness they’re showing, multiple MRIs and a stiff boot on his ankle, June sounds optimistic.

Thankfully, Jamey Carroll has proved more-than capable of backing him up. He doesn’t have the offense of Vidro, but he’s no slouch. And he’s a vastly superior fielder, having made at least four plays I’m confident Vidro wouldn’t have been near.

-- The other big blow is in right field, where Jose Guillen, who seems to have finally found the right medication levels, will be sitting the next few games out with a strained ribcage -- a strain that certainly wasn’t helped by him getting beaned yesterday. Again.

Sometimes when reading sports stories you have to read between the lines. St. Barry’s report on Guillen seems to be an example of this.

[Robinson] pulled aside his slugging right fielder, knowing he has a badly strained muscle in his right rib cage, and asked him to take a few days off.

Guillen, reluctantly, agreed...

Guillen, noted for wanting to play every day and temperamental when he's not in the lineup, smiled about the decision after the game. After managing a weak grounder and two lazy popups, resting seemed best.

I guess they had to up his dosage.

-- Henry Mateo, the seemingly pointless infield call-up, was sent back to the DL with the same sore arm he was put on the DL for in the first place. And proving the complete pointlessness of that transaction, he didn't reinjure or aggravate it; it just never healed in the first place. Why would you unDL an unhealthy player, rush him to the majors, be afraid to use him, then when you finally start him, do it against a lefty when he says it hurts to swing righty? That's just another day in the Three-ring circus that is Trader Jim and the Senile Ol' Man.

-- Wife Beating Wil Cordero begins a rehab assignment in the next week or so, as he attempts to come back from a torn knee. I never thought I'd say this, but hurry up, Wil! The sooner he gets here, the sooner that Jeffrey Hammonds' career comes to an end. Hammonds has looked brutal out there. The only thing I worry about Cordero coming back is Frank doing something wacky like platooning him with Nick Johnson. You KNOW that's coming, right? Prepare yourself now.

Wil wants to rehab in Harrisburg, because his wife is expecting their third child. There's no word on whether he plans to induce labor with a phone.

-- There haven't been any recent updates on Terrmel Sledge, but it's pretty safe to say he's done for the year. I'll even go as far to say that any chances he had to be a regular outfielder are done too. He was a good hitter, but not spectacular, especially given his age. But, he was an excellent outfielder. That will probably change, and his window is nearly closed, being blocked out by lots of rehab.

-- Antonio Osuna and his virtually infinite ERA recently had arm surgery (probably the 14th in his career). He won't even begin throwing for another 6-8 weeks. If he's going to come back at all, which isn't even definite, it's not going to be til August at the earliest. But, with the way our pen is throwing, he isn't really missed.

-- The Nationals' equivalent to Billy Bass, Joey Eischen, remains out with a broken arm. He just had the hard cast removed on Monday. Eischen, who's chief contribution to the team is being loud and keeping the sportwriters distracted and unable to pester Guillen or Guzman, can't come off the DL til June 28. He'll be ready to go then, no doubt.