YankeesAreGods
05-21-2006, 10:14 AM
Here are the current news on Gary Sheffield's injury and Re-hab .
NEW YORK -- Gary Sheffield's return to the Yankees might take longer than expected, as the right fielder cut his tee work short on Friday night after feeling soreness in his injured left wrist.
Sheffield had been cleared to begin progressive rehabilitation drills by a hand specialist on Friday, but after watching him take 10 swings off a tee, hitting coach Don Mattingly shut Sheffield down.
"He took one [swing], it sort of rolled [his wrist] over and got real sore on him. It grabbed him," said manager Joe Torre. "I don't think it's a setback, we just may have to wait a little longer."
Sheffield has been out of action since May 6 with the bruised left wrist, which he suffered on April 29 in a collision with Toronto first baseman Shea Hillenbrand.
Since going on the disabled list, Sheffield has repeatedly ducked reporters, refusing to discuss his condition or the progress of his rehab.
Torre spoke with Sheffield before he took the swings on Friday, saying that he seemed excited about the latest developments.
"He was feeling good about himself, because he was starting to feel pretty good," Torre said. "He even picked up a bat ahead of when we thought he would."
After having the tee work shut down Friday, it is unclear when Sheffield will try to swing a bat next, though Torre said it could be any day, based on how the outfielder feels.
"He was a little discouraged by it," Torre said. "But that's understandable."
Walking wounded: Bernie Williams, who felt tightness in his backside on Friday night, and Jorge Posada, who left Friday's game with upper back spasms, were not in the starting lineup on Saturday.
"It became sort of comical last night," Torre said of the injuries. "I even went over to Cash [general manager Brian Cashman] and said, 'What kind of club did you give me?' I was trying to make him smile, because he was in a worse mood than I was. You shrug your shoulders. Every time our trainer comes up to me, I try to walk away."
Williams felt the tightness while running from first to second on a first-inning double. Although Torre decided not to start him, he was available off the bench as a pinch-hitter, and should return to the lineup on Sunday.
"I was afraid to go full-speed, because I didn't want to make it worse," Williams said. "Today is another day."
Posada said he first felt his back tighten up before the game on Friday, but he went ahead and played anyway. When he tried to throw the ball to second base before the second inning and had trouble reaching the base, he removed himself from the game.
Complete coverage >"I'm feeling better than yesterday," said Posada, who could return to the lineup on Sunday.
Kelly Stinnett started behind the plate on Saturday, while Miguel Cairo played left field, the first time he has started there since Sept. 11, 2003, when he was with St. Louis.
Torre contemplated starting Kevin Reese in left field, but with Pedro Martinez pitching, he opted to go with the veteran Cairo.
"He has some experience against Pedro," Torre said. "I was going to put the kid out there, but I didn't think it was the right thing to do."
Indefensible: Including Saturday, the Yankees have committed errors in eight consecutive games, committing 22 over the past 13 contests. In New York's first 28 games, the team made a total of 10 errors.
"It's been terrible," Torre said. "Especially if it's going to take a little more work to score runs, we need to not allow extra outs for the opposition. We're capable of being better, so we have to get back to that again."
Six of those last 22 errors have been by Alex Rodriguez at third base, and he has eight in his last 17 games.
"A-Rod just seems to be moving too much," Torre said. "He doesn't look as set at third base as he normally is."
Bullpen shuffle: With Kyle Farnsworth battling tightness in his back, Scott Proctor throwing two innings on Friday and Aaron Small set to make a spot start on Sunday, the Yankees sent Mitch Jones back to Triple-A Columbus after one day, recalling right-hander Colter Bean to add an arm to the bullpen.
"We just felt we wanted to get another arm here," Torre said. "For me, not knowing what Farnsworth's situation was, plus having used Proctor for a couple of innings, I thought it was safer to do that."
Farnsworth's injury isn't serious, as he said he could pitch on Saturday if the team needed him to do so.
Bean gives the Yankees 13 pitchers on the staff, and Torre said it may stay that way until Small can pitch out of the bullpen again later in the week. New York is one of only four teams in the Majors with at least 13 pitchers on the active roster, joining Milwaukee (14), San Diego and Tampa Bay (13 each).
Surgery set for Carl: Carl Pavano will undergo surgery on Thursday in Birmingham, Ala., to remove a bone chip from his right elbow. He will begin a throwing program approximately six weeks after the surgery.
"I'd rather have nothing, but it is what it is. I'll deal with it and move forward," Pavano said. "I feel like there's no doubt in my mind that I can pitch again this year."
Pavano hasn't pitched for the Yankees since June 27, 2005, thanks to a variety of injuries to his shoulder, back, backside and now his elbow.
"It's like the never-ending injury, but they're all separate. It's frustrating," said Pavano, who spent much of last season blaming himself for his injury woes. "It's just stuff that happens, so I'll keep working like I always have, keep a positive frame of mind and not beat myself up over it. I don't have much control over it. I'll do what I have to do in order to get back."
NEW YORK -- Gary Sheffield's return to the Yankees might take longer than expected, as the right fielder cut his tee work short on Friday night after feeling soreness in his injured left wrist.
Sheffield had been cleared to begin progressive rehabilitation drills by a hand specialist on Friday, but after watching him take 10 swings off a tee, hitting coach Don Mattingly shut Sheffield down.
"He took one [swing], it sort of rolled [his wrist] over and got real sore on him. It grabbed him," said manager Joe Torre. "I don't think it's a setback, we just may have to wait a little longer."
Sheffield has been out of action since May 6 with the bruised left wrist, which he suffered on April 29 in a collision with Toronto first baseman Shea Hillenbrand.
Since going on the disabled list, Sheffield has repeatedly ducked reporters, refusing to discuss his condition or the progress of his rehab.
Torre spoke with Sheffield before he took the swings on Friday, saying that he seemed excited about the latest developments.
"He was feeling good about himself, because he was starting to feel pretty good," Torre said. "He even picked up a bat ahead of when we thought he would."
After having the tee work shut down Friday, it is unclear when Sheffield will try to swing a bat next, though Torre said it could be any day, based on how the outfielder feels.
"He was a little discouraged by it," Torre said. "But that's understandable."
Walking wounded: Bernie Williams, who felt tightness in his backside on Friday night, and Jorge Posada, who left Friday's game with upper back spasms, were not in the starting lineup on Saturday.
"It became sort of comical last night," Torre said of the injuries. "I even went over to Cash [general manager Brian Cashman] and said, 'What kind of club did you give me?' I was trying to make him smile, because he was in a worse mood than I was. You shrug your shoulders. Every time our trainer comes up to me, I try to walk away."
Williams felt the tightness while running from first to second on a first-inning double. Although Torre decided not to start him, he was available off the bench as a pinch-hitter, and should return to the lineup on Sunday.
"I was afraid to go full-speed, because I didn't want to make it worse," Williams said. "Today is another day."
Posada said he first felt his back tighten up before the game on Friday, but he went ahead and played anyway. When he tried to throw the ball to second base before the second inning and had trouble reaching the base, he removed himself from the game.
Complete coverage >"I'm feeling better than yesterday," said Posada, who could return to the lineup on Sunday.
Kelly Stinnett started behind the plate on Saturday, while Miguel Cairo played left field, the first time he has started there since Sept. 11, 2003, when he was with St. Louis.
Torre contemplated starting Kevin Reese in left field, but with Pedro Martinez pitching, he opted to go with the veteran Cairo.
"He has some experience against Pedro," Torre said. "I was going to put the kid out there, but I didn't think it was the right thing to do."
Indefensible: Including Saturday, the Yankees have committed errors in eight consecutive games, committing 22 over the past 13 contests. In New York's first 28 games, the team made a total of 10 errors.
"It's been terrible," Torre said. "Especially if it's going to take a little more work to score runs, we need to not allow extra outs for the opposition. We're capable of being better, so we have to get back to that again."
Six of those last 22 errors have been by Alex Rodriguez at third base, and he has eight in his last 17 games.
"A-Rod just seems to be moving too much," Torre said. "He doesn't look as set at third base as he normally is."
Bullpen shuffle: With Kyle Farnsworth battling tightness in his back, Scott Proctor throwing two innings on Friday and Aaron Small set to make a spot start on Sunday, the Yankees sent Mitch Jones back to Triple-A Columbus after one day, recalling right-hander Colter Bean to add an arm to the bullpen.
"We just felt we wanted to get another arm here," Torre said. "For me, not knowing what Farnsworth's situation was, plus having used Proctor for a couple of innings, I thought it was safer to do that."
Farnsworth's injury isn't serious, as he said he could pitch on Saturday if the team needed him to do so.
Bean gives the Yankees 13 pitchers on the staff, and Torre said it may stay that way until Small can pitch out of the bullpen again later in the week. New York is one of only four teams in the Majors with at least 13 pitchers on the active roster, joining Milwaukee (14), San Diego and Tampa Bay (13 each).
Surgery set for Carl: Carl Pavano will undergo surgery on Thursday in Birmingham, Ala., to remove a bone chip from his right elbow. He will begin a throwing program approximately six weeks after the surgery.
"I'd rather have nothing, but it is what it is. I'll deal with it and move forward," Pavano said. "I feel like there's no doubt in my mind that I can pitch again this year."
Pavano hasn't pitched for the Yankees since June 27, 2005, thanks to a variety of injuries to his shoulder, back, backside and now his elbow.
"It's like the never-ending injury, but they're all separate. It's frustrating," said Pavano, who spent much of last season blaming himself for his injury woes. "It's just stuff that happens, so I'll keep working like I always have, keep a positive frame of mind and not beat myself up over it. I don't have much control over it. I'll do what I have to do in order to get back."