Vlad Guerrero Injury is Blessing in Disguise

by Rev Halofan on Sep 7, 2007 12:56 AM PDT in Angels News

With baseball's biggest division lead and facing a road trip aginst sub-.500 teams next week, Vlad Guerrero's tricep tenderness could not have come at a more opportune time for the Angels.

Everyone at this point of the season needs a little rest, and a few days off for any overworked player now will only serve as a tonic. Vlad's critical role in the Angel lineup is the difference maker for this team and one they will have to rely on to go any distance in October. The sky is blue and water is wet if that previous sentence did not underscore one of the most obvious facts on Earth. A rested Vlad, though, could easily be the impact bat of the post-season.

Take it easy Vlad, we have good pitchers - in fact with Bartolo Colon's imminent return, we have a 6-man rotation - and a hot Garret Anderson is assisting the lineup's need for mmmph. Add to all this our crowded, deep outfield and infield and not the toughest stretch of games coming up and get a good rest while you nurse back that tender tricep.

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and rest thy knees also

as long as the tricep thing isn't serious

GA GA he's the man, if he can't do it, no one can

by Moondoggy on Sep 7, 2007 6:23 AM PDT reply actions

I wouldn't call it a blessing....

...but the timing is certainly fortuitous, the good guys do have a 99.67% chance of making the post season!

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/ps_odds.php

...on the road....

by Jack Kerouac on Sep 7, 2007 6:35 AM PDT reply actions

You mean Bartolo's imminent return to suckiness?

by PieceOfAase on Sep 7, 2007 8:45 AM PDT reply actions

Big Bad Vlad

This is certainly a good time to sort out our outfielder overload, but I'm not sure how long this type of injury takes to fully heal.

At least it's not in his legs, those injuries are bad news.

by elricsi on Sep 7, 2007 9:23 AM PDT reply actions

Bart's return

is not a good thing imo. He can't get out of the 6th in AAA.

I'm giving Figgins a big F U. Seattle isn't winning 90. I am not worried.

by hauldog on Sep 7, 2007 9:58 AM PDT reply actions

i have a feeling

Bart's gonna make some of you eat some crow. a lot of you have been on a crow diet all season anyway so what's a little more right?

by SCHalo on Sep 7, 2007 11:00 AM PDT reply actions

i will gladly eat it

but my first pre-Vegas wager would be that he won't be able to get it done.

by yeswecan on Sep 7, 2007 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions

OBVIOUSLY

the odds are not good on my "feeling." i'm just basing this inclination on hm basically being on the shelf all year in denial of an injury. even when he said he was fine everyone could tell he wasn't. no he's had some rehab sessions and the reports are souinding good. it helps to have a vet for the post season run. i hope he comes through cuz that would be a big time bonus.

by SCHalo on Sep 7, 2007 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Colon's rehab/bullpen sessions

are ALWAYS good. Scioscia, Black, Butcher, Stoneman all used to come back and say "Bart had a great bullpen session, especially his last pitches!"

Too bad that doesn't translate into gametime.

by shiftyeyedgoat on Sep 7, 2007 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions

Scioscia generic quote

"The ball was coming out of his hand good"

I'm giving Figgins a big F U. Seattle isn't winning 90. I am not worried.

by hauldog on Sep 7, 2007 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions

"Bart's a competitor"

"Right now, I think Bart has the ability to bring his stuff, which includes a confident approach. We're going to look at a couple of things and make some decisions as we move forward."

by melvintoast on Sep 7, 2007 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions

"If he can command his pitches ...

the way we know he can, he's another piece closer to making us a championship-caliber ballclub."

Don't call me Desmond

by highlandhalo on Sep 7, 2007 6:38 PM PDT up reply actions

I hope he is good

But their is not any room for him the postseason 4 man rotation. I do not want his availablity muddying the waters either.

I'm giving Figgins a big F U. Seattle isn't winning 90. I am not worried.

by hauldog on Sep 7, 2007 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions

pushed to bullpen mop-up maybe?

I could see him pulling an Escobar circa 2005.

by shiftyeyedgoat on Sep 7, 2007 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions

Pulling an Escobar

I'd love to see him do that. That kicked my respect for Kelvim up higher than it had been before.

Will Bart be man enough to do it, though?

Angels fan since '67

by red floyd on Sep 7, 2007 4:37 PM PDT up reply actions

A few ABs for Juan?

With Vlad missing, perhaps this is an opportunity to give Juan some much needed ABs. Angels need to determine if he's worth having on the 25-man roster if the Angels do indeed actually make the playoffs. He's looked awful so far, but he needs to be given a chance. Perhaps he gets the start in right field tonight.

Ain't no stoppin' us now. We got the groove!

by Fan Since 1981 on Sep 7, 2007 11:55 AM PDT reply actions

Fatolo...

Bart is done. All of our starters (El Magic, excluded) have been pretty solid as of late. Do we really need Bart back?

I'm thinking, no.

MS-Society HERE to read more about it, and donate some money!

by sipperphoto on Sep 7, 2007 12:11 PM PDT reply actions

Two Points

1) Keep Bart as far away from the starting rotation as possible. At this point I feel much more confident with a relatively inexperienced Saunders starting in the playoffs than I would with Bart. Agree with post above, HE'S DONE.
Scioscia's loyalty to vets could really hurt us here.

2) Rev. is correct about Vlad's injury being a blessing in disguise (so long as it is only minor -- sounds like it is). In fact, I was thinking about writing a diary on the subject of how injuries at the right time sometimes can help a team. I also think Figgy's injury and Napoli's can be similarly helpful.

The baseball season is a long grind, and when you add in the playoffs it is tremendously long. I think the mental exhaustion is even bigger than the physical part. For this reason, position players definitely do benefit from a few weeks away from the field. Look for Figgy, Nappy and Vlad to be mentally fresh and focused when they each return.

by Jack Frost on Sep 7, 2007 6:41 PM PDT up reply actions

I would add that .....

clinching relatively early gives us the benefit of resting GA and Cabrera and Matthews for a few games down the stretch. I think Cabrera especially (I think he's only missed a few games all year) could benefit from this.

Kendrick, Kotch, and others have recently had significant time off so they shouldn't be as likely to suffer from mental exhaustion.

by Jack Frost on Sep 7, 2007 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions