Misha77Piazza
04-08-2002, 03:01 PM
I hope nothing is serious with his hand.....even though the x-ray showed negative but they decide to go for second opinion just to be on safe side.
Feature News
04/07/2002 9:40 pm ET
Injured Vaughn returns to N.Y.
First baseman to have hand checked
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
Mo Vaughn takes a curtain call afer his first home run as a Met on Wednesday. (Mark Lennihan/AP)
ATLANTA -- Any excitement the Mets may have felt about taking two of three games from the Braves this weekend was tempered on Sunday by the news that Mo Vaughn's right hand may be hurt worse than originally believed.
The big first baseman was out of the lineup for the second consecutive day as New York dropped a 5-2 decision in 14 innings at Turner Field. Vaughn did not accompany the team to Chicago afterwards. Instead, he headed back to New York Sunday night and will be checked out by team doctors on Monday. He will, however, join the team in Chicago in time for Tuesday's contest against the Cubs.
X-rays taken of Vaughn's hand in Atlanta were negative. However, New York manager Bobby Valentine said that there was some clouding in the x-rays, most likely due to swelling in the hand. He stressed that it wasn't "anything major" but admitted Vaughn might have suffered a slight break. Vaughn didn't know if that were the case. That said, Valentine indicated that the doctors in Atlanta didn't think the injury warranted time on the disabled list.
"I'm going to get it checked out with our own doctors tomorrow," said Vaughn, who is hitting .176 [3-for-17] in four games with a homer and two RBIs. "I'll get it checked out and then go to Chicago tomorrow night. I've already played 18 innings on it so we'll see. But the swelling is down and it feels better every day."
Vaughn was hit near the fourth metacarpal, just above the wrist, by a Jimmy Anderson pitch in the first inning of Thursday's game against Pittsburgh. He stayed in that game but went hitless in his next three at-bats. He started Friday's series-opener against Atlanta and picked up a hit in five at-bats, but his swing was awkward and lacked authority.
Though he said he was able to grip the bat, Vaughn said he didn't take any batting practice on Sunday.
"The swelling is still there so it's not as good a situation as I would like it to be," Valentine said. "There's moderate concern there. I don't want it to be a six week or two month thing. A couple of days are fine; I have no problem with that. But we can't deal with months. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day."
One of Valentine's concerns is that Vaughn will downplay the severity of the injury and attempt to play through the pain. Vaughn has a history of playing hurt and has already indicated that he's used to playing while nicked up.
"We don't need any heroes in April," Valentine said. "I like his spirit though."
Vaughn's two seasons in Anaheim were marked by injuries. He hurt his ankle on opening night in 1999 and spent some time on the disabled list. Then when he hurt his bicep in 2000 he played through the pain for much of the second half of the season and still managed to hit 36 homers and drive in 117 runs. That injury eventually required surgery and caused him to miss all of last season.
When asked if he would be honest with Valentine and come clean if his hand really did hurt, Vaughn laughed and gave a quick, "No".
"I've played with injuries before," said Vaughn, who will likely have to wear a cumbersome pad on his hand when he returns to action. He called the pad "dumb".
John Valentin played first base over the weekend in Vaughn's absence and committed two errors, the second of which contributed to Atlanta tying the score in the eighth inning on Sunday. It marked the first two starts at first base in Valentin's career.
"It's a new position for him," Vaughn said. "When you do it right, it looks easy. But he's been on the other side of the infield his whole career."
Vaughn said he was getting ready to pinch hit once the game went into extra innings.
"I had my spikes on and everything," Vaughn said. "Sitting in the dugout the whole game was horrible. It's not a comfortable place for me."
Mike Piazza is still listed as day-to-day
Making matters worse for the Mets was the fact that they were also without the services of Mike Piazza on Sunday. The nine-time All-Star suffered a contusion of his left knee in a home plate collision Saturday night with Chipper Jones. X-rays taken of the knee were negative and Piazza is listed as day-to-day.
"It's still a little sore but I'm feeling better," said Piazza, who should play on Tuesday in Chicago. "Bobby asked me if I was ready to go in there today and I told him whatever he wanted. I felt as a last resort I could have hit. Whatever he wanted me to do."
Kevin Czerwinski covers the Mets for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Feature News
04/07/2002 9:40 pm ET
Injured Vaughn returns to N.Y.
First baseman to have hand checked
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
Mo Vaughn takes a curtain call afer his first home run as a Met on Wednesday. (Mark Lennihan/AP)
ATLANTA -- Any excitement the Mets may have felt about taking two of three games from the Braves this weekend was tempered on Sunday by the news that Mo Vaughn's right hand may be hurt worse than originally believed.
The big first baseman was out of the lineup for the second consecutive day as New York dropped a 5-2 decision in 14 innings at Turner Field. Vaughn did not accompany the team to Chicago afterwards. Instead, he headed back to New York Sunday night and will be checked out by team doctors on Monday. He will, however, join the team in Chicago in time for Tuesday's contest against the Cubs.
X-rays taken of Vaughn's hand in Atlanta were negative. However, New York manager Bobby Valentine said that there was some clouding in the x-rays, most likely due to swelling in the hand. He stressed that it wasn't "anything major" but admitted Vaughn might have suffered a slight break. Vaughn didn't know if that were the case. That said, Valentine indicated that the doctors in Atlanta didn't think the injury warranted time on the disabled list.
"I'm going to get it checked out with our own doctors tomorrow," said Vaughn, who is hitting .176 [3-for-17] in four games with a homer and two RBIs. "I'll get it checked out and then go to Chicago tomorrow night. I've already played 18 innings on it so we'll see. But the swelling is down and it feels better every day."
Vaughn was hit near the fourth metacarpal, just above the wrist, by a Jimmy Anderson pitch in the first inning of Thursday's game against Pittsburgh. He stayed in that game but went hitless in his next three at-bats. He started Friday's series-opener against Atlanta and picked up a hit in five at-bats, but his swing was awkward and lacked authority.
Though he said he was able to grip the bat, Vaughn said he didn't take any batting practice on Sunday.
"The swelling is still there so it's not as good a situation as I would like it to be," Valentine said. "There's moderate concern there. I don't want it to be a six week or two month thing. A couple of days are fine; I have no problem with that. But we can't deal with months. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day."
One of Valentine's concerns is that Vaughn will downplay the severity of the injury and attempt to play through the pain. Vaughn has a history of playing hurt and has already indicated that he's used to playing while nicked up.
"We don't need any heroes in April," Valentine said. "I like his spirit though."
Vaughn's two seasons in Anaheim were marked by injuries. He hurt his ankle on opening night in 1999 and spent some time on the disabled list. Then when he hurt his bicep in 2000 he played through the pain for much of the second half of the season and still managed to hit 36 homers and drive in 117 runs. That injury eventually required surgery and caused him to miss all of last season.
When asked if he would be honest with Valentine and come clean if his hand really did hurt, Vaughn laughed and gave a quick, "No".
"I've played with injuries before," said Vaughn, who will likely have to wear a cumbersome pad on his hand when he returns to action. He called the pad "dumb".
John Valentin played first base over the weekend in Vaughn's absence and committed two errors, the second of which contributed to Atlanta tying the score in the eighth inning on Sunday. It marked the first two starts at first base in Valentin's career.
"It's a new position for him," Vaughn said. "When you do it right, it looks easy. But he's been on the other side of the infield his whole career."
Vaughn said he was getting ready to pinch hit once the game went into extra innings.
"I had my spikes on and everything," Vaughn said. "Sitting in the dugout the whole game was horrible. It's not a comfortable place for me."
Mike Piazza is still listed as day-to-day
Making matters worse for the Mets was the fact that they were also without the services of Mike Piazza on Sunday. The nine-time All-Star suffered a contusion of his left knee in a home plate collision Saturday night with Chipper Jones. X-rays taken of the knee were negative and Piazza is listed as day-to-day.
"It's still a little sore but I'm feeling better," said Piazza, who should play on Tuesday in Chicago. "Bobby asked me if I was ready to go in there today and I told him whatever he wanted. I felt as a last resort I could have hit. Whatever he wanted me to do."
Kevin Czerwinski covers the Mets for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.