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August 24, 2009

Under The Knife

Repeaters

by Will Carroll

Chipper Jones
Jones is or is not a lot of things. One of the things he isn't is a 1-for-22 guy, not without something being wrong. Sure, randomness rules the world, but I believe Jones' wrist is the issue here. He's been playing through the pain for a couple of weeks, but check swings really seem to be the big issue, leading many to believe he might have something along the lines of the tendon issue that Mark DeRosa and David Ortiz have dealt with in the past year. Jones is tough to read with injuries, but I have to think that an extended slump is going to get to him and push him to sit for a while. The Braves don't have great options with Martin Prado out, but finding something better than 1-for-22 isn't hard.

Aaron Harang (10/4)
At least we can't blame an emergency appendectomy on Dusty Baker, but Harang is likely done for the season after having emergency surgery to remove his appendix this weekend. While some players have come back from this quickly, especially given the changes in the surgery over the past decade, the Reds' place in the standings and the time of the year likely combine to make it so that Harang will be told to rest up and be ready for 2010. The issue now is how the Reds will fill out the rotation with their top three pitchers all on the shelf. Kip Wells will be the immediate replacement, but look for the Reds to use September as audition time, figuring out who will help them next year and what weaknesses they'll need to address.

Adam Jones (8/26)
The Orioles have the start of something good. Some young players with potential and some young pitching give fans in Charm City something to dream on. Keeping that core healthy is key, so watch for them to be very conservative with Jones; he left Sunday's game in the first inning with spasms in his "mid-back." We'll assume that phrase indicates his lumbar region and that the spasms are a muscular issue rather than anything structural. Assuming he responds to treatment and medication, the O's have nothing to gain by pushing him back out there. They can live with Felix Pie if it prevents this from becoming a chronic problem for Jones.

Alfonso Soriano (8/25)
The Cubs have five more years of Soriano on the books, something that Joe Ricketts is probably taking a long look at right now. That's a lot of money, and given Soriano's production this year, that could hang like an albatross over an aging, win-now team that isn't winning now. The hole at second base and the drop-off in production from Soriano and Geovany Soto are clear problems on offense, though Soriano's issues can be partially explained by injuries. He's had knee, hand, and back problems this season, but it's the knee that's acting up again. "Running is a problem," he told reporters and yes, that is one of the things he has to do. He'll undergo treatment for the next few days and is expected back by mid-week. With Milton Bradley and a diminished Soriano on the books, the Cubs seem to be surprised that having two DHs in an NL lineup is a problem. How Jim Hendry re-configures this team under new ownership is going to be as much a test for him as reconfiguring the Cubs back into a contender.

Freddy Sanchez (9/3)
The Giants knew what they were getting. Sanchez is a quality hitter when he's out there and decent enough in the field, but it's the "when" that's problematic. Since winning the batting title, Sanchez has spent more time in this column than at the top of any stat leaderboards, reducing the value he has. He's an upgrade, but the shoulder problem that has kept him out for nearly a week is a chronic one that was tough to control in Pittsburgh. Dave Groeschner and his staff are new to Sanchez, and their methods may or may not be different, which makes it maybe better, maybe worse, or maybe the same. You know how I feel about unknowns, and this is a chronic situation with an added unknown element. Sanchez still can't even swing a bat, so the DL is looking more and more likely.