Just like the last two times we won a World Series.

Before I’d make a judgment like this I’d want to know how frequently players heal while playing through these sorts of injuries.

What’s especially odd about this pattern – and it clearly is a pattern – is that this can only assumed to be organizational policy, coming from the 2007 recipient of the Dick Martin Award, “for the medical staff that best prevents injuries, rehabilitates players who do get hurt and contributing to the overall baseball medicine knowledge base”

There was this Wedge quote, in way of explanation, in the Hoynes, ahem, article:

“Whether you shut him down early or shut him down late,” said Wedge, “if the guy is still able to go out there and be better than the alternative. . . . It’s hard to push a guy to shut it down when he wants to play … He knows we’re better as a ball club with him at 80 percent, especially when you have other injuries to other key players.”

So, if the injured player is thought to be better/more likely to be productive than the backup or alternative, then you keep trotting him out there? Or, I would hope, until the player’s injury begins to deteriorate from continued play? What about letting someone heal?

Rabble, rabble. Inside information. Rabble rabble. Kremlinologists.

It clearly is an organisational policy to lie about injuries until forced to reveal something, if not the whole truth. The fact that they do that doesn’t so much bother me as the fact that I am not sure the all the tacical/strategic reasons why they do it.

I’m sure Shapiro could make us all feel much better by explaining the reasons for lying to their fans. Because I do feel a little insulted when they insist that, for example, Brodowski is healthy, when it is plain to see that he lost velocity. Or that Hafner is damaged. Or Victor.

Hey, it looked like you were wincing while you wrote that. I noticed you were favoring your left hand…..are you having a little arthritis flare up?

OK, well, keep some ice on it and we’ll do some cortisone before the game thread tonight.

Go on the DL? No, I don’t think you’ll need to do that, you’re too valuable of a poster. We can’t afford to have you laid up with Chuck out of commission like he is and with Brick slumping.

you’re absolutely right, andrew, that we should have faith and trust in the FO’s decision making process in this regard. and what we don’t know is how many players have managed to overcome ‘nagging’ injuries without an extended period of rest or time on the DL.

honestly, i expected more reaction to the title of hoynes’ article, “wedge enduring injury onslaught”. that really cracks me up. “It’s only a fleshwound!”

No way the trainers let guys play if it makes their injuries worse. Too much money invested in those horses.

Do you really think other teams didn’t know that Victor’s elbow was hurting? Did concealing Hafner’s shoulder injury make him hit better? Did Borowski sneak his 67 mph fastball past anybody?

It seems more likely the Indians hid the injuries because they don’t want the team in a tailspin—a la Blake’s “it’s just us”—and probably to maintain the illusion for fans that the season isn’t over. Note, as soon as Victor goes on the DL, the New York Times declares the Indians out of it.

The weird thing is the Indians can probably get better offensive production out of Shoppach than they did from Victor (.216, 25-for-116, since April 30) and more production from Francisco than they got from Hafner. The offense will be better, though it clearly doesn’t have the upside it would have with a healthy and career-year Hafner and Martinez.

whups, hit wrong reply button….

they seem to be applying the same strategy to betancourt (back?). hamilton, on the radio the other day, made it sound like he had turned the corner physically … maybe he represents the other side of the coin.