Lester to the DL

[VA Sox Fan]

Pregame news: Lester to DL

Posted by Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff July 6, 2011 04:16 PM

 

 

Jon Lester was schedueled to have an MRI this afternoon, but regardless of what the test shows, he's heading to the disabled list, Sox manager Terry Francona said at his press conference moments ago.

 

Lester is being replaced on the roster by Scott Atchison who will be used out of the bullpen. The Globe's Pete Abraham reported the Sox will start Alfredo Aceves on Sunday in Lester's turn. Francona said that had yet to be determined.

 

Francona said that the hope is still that Lester, who left last ngiht's game after four innings, has a lower lat strain and nothing more significant. He indicated the team had thought about having him skip his Sunday start anyway and then come back at the back end of the rotation after the All-Star break so he can have optimal rest.

 

The Sox rotation has taken a beating. Clay Buchholz was examined in North Carolina and the results of that examination is being discussed with Red Sox doctors and an update on Buchholz' back condition could come later today.

 

Francona said the team would be cautious with Carl Crawford's return, but for now the projection is that Crawford will rejoin the team in Baltimore after the All-Star break. Francona said that Crawford would likely go out and play minor league rehab games after the All-Star break and skip the Tampa Bay series.

 

Francona said he and the medical people concurred it didn't make sense for Crawford to play on the Tropicana Field artificial grass even though Crawford played on it for nine seasons and never had a hamstring injury.

 

Kevin Youkilis is playing first base. Francona said he asked Youkilis if he would feel comfortable going back there because he hasn't worked out there all year including in spring training. Gonzalez, who is also slumping, has a stiff neck and is being held out tonight.

[Palodios]

Hopefully it is a short stay, and this turns out to be a good timing. With the ASB, he'll only miss one or two starts.

[boston22407]

We should be okay

[redsoxbeatz]

No one plays through injuries anymore.

[BornToRun]

No one plays through injuries anymore.

 

Which is probably smart. In most cases, it's better to just let it heal rather than let it get worse. There are exceptions made though, like when Curt Schilling single-leggedly raped both the Yankees and Cardinals after having his surgery.

[Spitball]

Geesh! I certainly hope the injury bug stops before it turns into 2010 all over again. I believe Lester is eligible to get off the DL on July 22.

[Thunder]

Big loss. I'm confident he would have had a no-hitter. He was totally dominant in his 4 hitless innings.

[AtWork]

All considered - it sounds like this could have been a lot worse. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this injury is as minor as everyone's reporting.

[Thunder]

I think it is.

[redsoxbeatz]

Which is probably smart. In most cases' date=' it's better to just let it heal rather than let it get worse. There are exceptions made though, like when Curt Schilling single-leggedly raped both the Yankees and Cardinals after having his surgery.[/quote']

 

True. It's the frustrating speaking.

 

Good thing for #1 (#2?) offense.

[Famousnorcal]

Really hope it is a short stay on the DL, we need Lester in the rotation...

[redsoxbeatz]

He will miss at least his first start after the All-Star, pretty sure. Could be two. I bet Buch will miss at least two, too. /sigh

 

Aceves & Atchison will probably be the pitchers. I wish they'd give some kids from the farm a chance. I mean, why not!

[a700hitter]

He will miss at least his first start after the All-Star, pretty sure. Could be two. I bet Buch will miss at least two, too. /sigh

 

Aceves & Atchison will probably be the pitchers. I wish they'd give some kids from the farm a chance. I mean, why not!

Give Millwood a shot. Otherwise, release him.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Give Millwood a shot. Otherwise' date=' release him.[/quote']

 

I would much rather see Kyle Weiland or Felix Doubront come up and take the extra slot in the rotation over Millwood. They're both doing well in AAA and deserve a shot up here.

[BornToRun]

This could've turned out to be a bigger problem than it is. It's probably sort of a good thing, Lester gets some rest at the halfway point and the allstar break means he won't be missing too many starts. At least we have a silver lining to look at.

[AtWork]

From what I've heard even when Millwood's gotten good results he hasn't looked all that impressive.

[a700hitter]

From what I've heard even when Millwood's gotten good results he hasn't looked all that impressive.

When he was at the top of his game, he was not impressive, but he was effective.

[boston22407]

ALTIMORE -- Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester, who has been on the DL since July 6 due to a lat strain, threw off a bullpen mound for the first time since he suffered the injury against the Blue Jays on July 5. Rather than treat the outing as a simple side session, Lester (10-4, 3.31 ERA) ended up simulating a few innings with breaks in between sets of pitches. He appeared to throw his full arsenal of pitches as he builds toward his start on Monday.

 

While the Sox believe that it would be unfair to expect Lester to pitch without restrictions on Monday, they are also hopeful that he can handle a workload that is not far short of normal, with manager Terry Francona suggesting that the left-hander might be asked to throw 80-90 pitches in his outing against the Royals.

 

"That’s not shortening him too much," Francona said before the bullpen session. "That might shorten him an inning."

 

More important, the Sox are extremely pleased with how complete Lester's recovery appears to be from an injury that has the potential to linger.

 

"There’s no issues. That’s good. We’re just trying to ramp him up and let him get strong," said Francona. "He feels nothing in that lat, which is great. That’s what we wanted. Now it’s just the idea of getting him back to where he can go out there and start a game and not be so limited to where he can only throw 50 pitches."

[Dojji]

When he was at the top of his game' date=' he was not impressive, but he was effective.[/quote']

 

This argument is a leftover from before Millwood started getting lit up in the minors.

 

Stay away.

[a700hitter]

This argument is a leftover from before Millwood started getting lit up in the minors.

 

Stay away.

In his last 2 starts for Pawtucket, these were his lines:

 

Jul 15 6 inn 5H 1R 3BB 5K

Jul 20 7 inn 7H 1R 1BB 5K

 

It doesn't look like he is getting lit up lately.

[Dojji]

Now who's cherry picking?

 

4+ ERA in the minors = stay the heck away.

[ORS]

When he was at the top of his game' date=' he was not impressive, but he was effective.[/quote']

So then he stinks, right? [/saltalmacchia Thread]

[a700hitter]

Now who's cherry picking?

 

4+ ERA in the minors = stay the heck away.

He is pitching very well lately. He had a very good major league career. We might as well see what he has left in the tank to get out major leaguers.

[a700hitter]

So then he stinks' date=' right? [/saltalmacchia Thread']

He actually won an ERA title. Salty will never win anything, because he stinks.

[AtWork]

John Lackey won a Cy Young. Does he not stink?

[a700hitter]

So then he stinks' date=' right? [/saltalmacchia Thread']

Plus Salty has never been impressive or effective. At best he has been adequate.

[ORS]

He actually won an ERA title. Salty will never win anything' date=' because he stinks.[/quote']

That's actually impressive.

 

However, what's interesting is two identical takes.....effective but not impressive, for two different players, but only one of them stinks. Pret-ty, pret-ty, interesting.

[ORS]

Plus Salty has never been impressive or effective. At best he has been adequate.

This is bologna. An above average offensive catcher is effective.

[a700hitter]

That's actually impressive.

 

However, what's interesting is two identical takes.....effective but not impressive, for two different players, but only one of them stinks. Pret-ty, pret-ty, interesting.

Salty is has been adequate, but not effective.

[ORS]

Salty is has been adequate' date=' but not effective.[/quote']

Ok, so we are playing the word definition game.

 

I see.