Tigers#1
09-18-2006, 08:06 PM
Tigers deny Polanco done for year
GM Dombrowski says second baseman on track for return
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
DETROIT -- President/general manager Dave Dombrowski said on Sunday night that Placido Polanco remains on track for a possible return this season, despite comments from Polanco on Sunday afternoon that he'll miss the rest of 2006 and possibly part of next year after suffering what he believed to be a setback in his rehab from a separated left shoulder.
Dombrowski said that Polanco is on schedule to hopefully take batting practice as soon as Monday in Chicago prior to the Tigers' opener against the White Sox. The second baseman had an injection on Saturday for the shoulder, which prevented him from taking batting practice on Sunday and could keep him shut down for another day.
"If he was out for the year, we would [say that]," Dombrowski said.
Dombrowski's comments echoed a statement from head athletic trainer Kevin Rand, through a team spokesperson, that they're still working with him on a daily basis.
It's a different story from what Polanco said during the afternoon. Asked about his shoulder after Sunday's 12-8 loss to the Orioles, he told reporters, "I'm out for the rest of the year and maybe Spring Training [next year]."
He repeated the statement to other reporters on his way out of the clubhouse, though he did not elaborate as to why he felt he would be out.
Dombrowski didn't want to speculate as to why Polanco made the remarks, whether it was out of frustration at daily questions about the shoulder or frustration at what he might have felt was a setback.
Polanco's locker was nearly empty after the game, but he had a bag packed for the team flight on Sunday evening to Chicago, and he made the trip. Several teammates were caught by surprise when told of Polanco's statement and said they hadn't heard anything.
Polanco has been out of action since separating the shoulder making a diving catch in Boston on Aug. 15. He had been making steady progress toward a possible return to action, but has been battling soreness since he began taking live batting practice over the last few days. Polanco did not take batting practice on Sunday, though that wasn't a total surprise given a day game after a night game.
Before the game, manager Jim Leyland said that Polanco's shoulder was "pretty sore," and that he was guessing Polanco would not be ready to play on Monday.
"But I can't say that for sure," Leyland said. "He might be 100 percent today."
Asked after the game -- but before Polanco's comments -- when Polanco might return, Leyland said, "I have no idea."
The original hope was that Polanco could play sometime this coming week, possibly during the White Sox series. If he can't return at all, then the Tigers would have to finish their magical season without one of their main components.
Polanco was batting .294 with 17 doubles, three home runs and 44 RBIs in 103 games before the injury, primarily hitting second. Defensively, he was a steady presence at second base and formed an impressive double-play tandem with shortstop Carlos Guillen.
The Tigers are 11-20 since Polanco went on the disabled list on Aug. 16. They hadn't won a game without a home run in that span until Saturday's 2-0 win over the Orioles. They've used a combination of Omar Infante and Neifi Perez to take Polanco's place at second, though Infante has received the bulk of the playing time there lately.
GM Dombrowski says second baseman on track for return
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
DETROIT -- President/general manager Dave Dombrowski said on Sunday night that Placido Polanco remains on track for a possible return this season, despite comments from Polanco on Sunday afternoon that he'll miss the rest of 2006 and possibly part of next year after suffering what he believed to be a setback in his rehab from a separated left shoulder.
Dombrowski said that Polanco is on schedule to hopefully take batting practice as soon as Monday in Chicago prior to the Tigers' opener against the White Sox. The second baseman had an injection on Saturday for the shoulder, which prevented him from taking batting practice on Sunday and could keep him shut down for another day.
"If he was out for the year, we would [say that]," Dombrowski said.
Dombrowski's comments echoed a statement from head athletic trainer Kevin Rand, through a team spokesperson, that they're still working with him on a daily basis.
It's a different story from what Polanco said during the afternoon. Asked about his shoulder after Sunday's 12-8 loss to the Orioles, he told reporters, "I'm out for the rest of the year and maybe Spring Training [next year]."
He repeated the statement to other reporters on his way out of the clubhouse, though he did not elaborate as to why he felt he would be out.
Dombrowski didn't want to speculate as to why Polanco made the remarks, whether it was out of frustration at daily questions about the shoulder or frustration at what he might have felt was a setback.
Polanco's locker was nearly empty after the game, but he had a bag packed for the team flight on Sunday evening to Chicago, and he made the trip. Several teammates were caught by surprise when told of Polanco's statement and said they hadn't heard anything.
Polanco has been out of action since separating the shoulder making a diving catch in Boston on Aug. 15. He had been making steady progress toward a possible return to action, but has been battling soreness since he began taking live batting practice over the last few days. Polanco did not take batting practice on Sunday, though that wasn't a total surprise given a day game after a night game.
Before the game, manager Jim Leyland said that Polanco's shoulder was "pretty sore," and that he was guessing Polanco would not be ready to play on Monday.
"But I can't say that for sure," Leyland said. "He might be 100 percent today."
Asked after the game -- but before Polanco's comments -- when Polanco might return, Leyland said, "I have no idea."
The original hope was that Polanco could play sometime this coming week, possibly during the White Sox series. If he can't return at all, then the Tigers would have to finish their magical season without one of their main components.
Polanco was batting .294 with 17 doubles, three home runs and 44 RBIs in 103 games before the injury, primarily hitting second. Defensively, he was a steady presence at second base and formed an impressive double-play tandem with shortstop Carlos Guillen.
The Tigers are 11-20 since Polanco went on the disabled list on Aug. 16. They hadn't won a game without a home run in that span until Saturday's 2-0 win over the Orioles. They've used a combination of Omar Infante and Neifi Perez to take Polanco's place at second, though Infante has received the bulk of the playing time there lately.