Injury Bug Takes Big Bite Out of Northeast

It wouldn't be the dog days of summer without a good old fashioned panic attack in the Northeast, where baseball fans live and die with the outcome of each night's game. In almost perfect symmetry, the Red Sox, Yankees and Mets all got bad news on the injury front Wednesday.

Considering where the big three sit in the standings, fans in New York and Boston have plenty to be concerned about. Let's look at each team's situation and try to assess how bad things are right now and how bleak they could get.

Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz has already missed almost two months this season with a torn tendon sheath in his wrist. Now the slugger is reporting that he's hearing a "clicking" sound in the wrist he injured back on May 31 in Baltimore. The good news for Boston fans is that, on its own, the clicking sound isn't a concern. Indeed, Ortiz was back in the lineup for Wednesday night's game against the Royals.

However, as injury guru Will Carroll points out, the problem could be more mental than anything. If Ortiz's swing gets less violent and vicious because he is afraid of getting injured, it could hurt his productivity -- a frightening proposition for Boston in the wake of the Manny Ramirez trade.

The worst-case scenario -- Ortiz re-injuring his wrist and missing the rest of the season -- is an ugly one for Boston. Though the Red Sox are arguably the deepest franchise in the game, they lack an impact corner bat in the high minors. There is no slugging version of Jed Lowrie or Justin Masterson or Michael Bowden waiting in the wings in Pawtucket.

If Ortiz is merely a diminished hitter, though, they should be fine. Boston's chances of catching the Rays or holding off the Yankees for the wild card might be a little more tenuous, but the team is very well-rounded. The loss of Manny Ramirez certainly gives them less margin for error, but it's hardly doom and gloom time in New England.

On to New York, where the Mets placed closer Billy Wagner on the 15-day disabled list after a series of tests revealed a strain in his left forearm. Wagner has hardly been perfect this year, blowing seven saves, but no other pitcher on the staff has a save this season, and the ninth-inning meltdown against the Phillies two weeks ago when Wagner was unavailable is still fresh in the minds of Mets fans.


The good news is that Wagner's injury doesn't appear to be structural and he could return in the minimum on Aug. 18 against Pittsburgh. On top of that, the Marlins and Phillies certainly don't look like they're going to run away from the New York over the next two weeks.

Aaron Heilman will take over closing duties in the meantime, and while his 5.25 ERA is ugly, his strikeout and walk numbers are very strong. If Wagner is out for an extended period of time, the Mets could be in trouble. He's far and away the best reliever on the team -- no other pitcher in the bullpen has an ERA below 3.00. It's part of a flaw in roster construction that has plagued New York all year. There just in't a lot of organizational depth.

But for now, at least, there's no reason to worry about the Mets losing the lynchpin in their relief corps for more than a few weeks. They might have some ground to make up when Wagner returns, but it'll probably be a hill, not a mountain, they'll have to climb.

Last but not least, what about the Yankees? The Bronx's personal savior, Joba Chamberlain, left his start last night with shoulder stiffness. He had an MRI in New York and now he's on his way to Birmingham, Ala. for a dreaded visit with Dr. James Andrews.

Chamberlain has lived up to the hype in every way since transitioning to the starting rotation earlier this year, going 3-1 with a 2.76 ERA in 12 starts.

New York's struggle to find reliable starting pitching has been well documented all season. Heck, it's the reason Chamberlain was placed into the rotation in the first place. As steady as Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte have been, Chamberlain is already the ace of the staff. That's awfully hard to replace.

He's certain to miss his next start, and considering his age and his importance to the organization long-term, the Yankees will almost certainly be ultra-cautious. In other words, a trip to the disabled list appears likely. A visit to Dr. Andrews makes it seem even more ominous.

If Chamberlain is out for a month or more, it might just bury New York. It's not that there aren't direct replacements for him available. Ian Kennedy has pitched well since being sent down to Triple-A and the scouting reports from Phil Hughes' two rehab starts have been positive. It's that Kennedy and Hughes (and a handful of other options like Darrell Rasner and, yes, Carl Pavano) were supposed to shore up the back of the rotation, taking starts away from the woeful Sidney Ponson and the fringy Dan Giese.

Replace Chamberlain with, say, Phil Hughes and not only will the Yankees see a drop-off in Chamberlain's spot in the rotation, but they'll also be forced to give the ball to Ponson or Giese every fifth day as well. New York is already behind the eight ball as they chase the Rays and Red Sox in the AL East. Losing Joba Chamberlain would be devastating to the Yankees' chances of extending their string of consecutive playoff appearances.