Tigers 2B Polanco On DL With Separated Shoulder

BOSTON -- The Detroit Tigers paid a steep price for their latest victory.
<!--------------------------START PLAYER CARD------------------><TABLE class=tableheadFixWidth cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD class=whitelink colSpan=2>Placido Polanco</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left> Second Base
Detroit Tigers

Profile</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=190 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead align=middle><TD align=middle colSpan=6>2006 SEASON STATISTICS</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">GM</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">HR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">RBI</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">R</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">OBP</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">AVG</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#ffffff><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">103</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">3</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">44</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">54</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">.325</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">.294</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!---------------------INLINE MINI-PLAYER CARD ENDS HERE--------------------->
Reliable second baseman Placido Polanco was placed on the disabled list on Wednesday, one day after he suffered a separated left shoulder in a 3-2 triumph over the Boston Red Sox.
The veteran infielder was injured after making an over-the-shoulder catch in shallow right-center field in the seventh inning. The play helped preserve a 2-1 lead for the Tigers with the potential tying run at second base. Polanco made the catch in full stride, but lost his balance and landed on his left shoulder.
"I felt it [pop out]," Polanco said after Tuesday night's game.
Batting mostly second in the lineup and sometimes in the leadoff spot, Polanco is hitting .294 with three homers and 44 RBI this season.
"You don't replace a guy like Polanco," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "We'll have no excuses. We'll go out and play our [tails] off and we'll see if we're good enough."
In his ninth major league season -- second with the Tigers -- Polanco owns a career average of .300 with 62 homers and 374 RBI. The 30-year-old Dominican also has played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies.
Omar Infante, who had been serving as a utility infielder, will receive the bulk of the playing time at second base in Polanco's absence. Infante was Detroit's starting second baseman last season before the Tigers acquired Polanco from Philadelphia for reliever Ugueth Urbina in June.
In Tuesday's game, Leyland used catcher Ivan Rodriguez at second base since Infante started at third base and had already been replaced by Brandon Inge. It was Rodriguez's first appearance at second base in his 1,983rd major league game. Rodriguez also used Polanco's glove, which has the Dominican flag sewn on it.
Infielder Ramon Santiago was recalled from Triple-A Toledo of the International League on Wednesday to replace Polanco on the roster.
The Tigers (78-41) own the best record in baseball and a 6½ game lead over the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central Division.

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It was weird seeing Pudge at second last night

This is a HUGE loss for the Tigers. At the time of his injury, Polonco was the toughest batter in the AL to strike out, was fifth in the league in hitting with runners in scoring position and third among second baseman in fielding with just six errors.

After tonight's ESPN game with the Red Sox, the Tigers play four (4) with Texas, four (4) with the White Sox, three (3) with the Yankees and three (3) against the Angels.

That is a brutal schedule, especially without your starting second baseman and No. 2 hitter.

Look out below!!

Charlie

:modemman:

Charlie Maxwell said:

This is a HUGE loss for the Tigers. At the time of his injury, Polonco was the toughest batter in the AL to strike out, was fifth in the league in hitting with runners in scoring position and third among second baseman in fielding with just six errors.

After tonight's ESPN game with the Red Sox, the Tigers play four (4) with Texas, four (4) with the White Sox, three (3) with the Yankees and three (3) against the Angels.

That is a brutal schedule, especially without your starting second baseman and No. 2 hitter.

Look out below!!

Charlie

:modemman:

Click to expand...

are you still sticking by your they will not make the playoffs statement you made about a week ago?

The Polanco injury hurts but two things: 1) the Tigers have been extremley luck when it comes to injuries this year, probably as close to healthy as any team all year and 2) though losing a frontline player is hard, he is the most replaceable player other than LF (thames/monroe combo). Think about it catching would kill trrying to replace a HOF with Vance Wilson, 1b maybe but Shelton is a huge slump and would probably hurt them in a pennant race, ss and 3b (drop off would be huge, Inge replaceable but not many an 3b in orgainzation) and CF and RF (Mags and Granderson are all star caliber and hit leadoff and cleanup in lineup). Losing a player hurts but Infante (who hit close to 20 HR's 2 years ago) is an adaquete replacement and his offense isn't much worse than Polanco's and better power numbers something the Tigers have been sorely lacking during this mini-slump.

always loved Polanco...too bad his agent screwed him over or he'd probably still be wearing the birds on the bat.

Iceman,

Yes, I am sticking by my statement that the Tigers WILL NOT make the playoffs.

Charlie
:modemman:

OK Charlie, So if the Tigers are out who's in?

DickyW said:

OK Charlie, So if the Tigers are out who's in?

Click to expand...

I second that!! This series with the Red Sox all but put them out of reach for the Tigers. They (Tigers) could lose the divison though unlikely, but to actually get past up by a few teams would be a monumental collapse and just don't see this happening espcialliy after how well they have played this year against Boston and Minnestoa who would have to beat them almost everytime the rest of the year to catch them.

This year's playoffs will include the Angels, Yankees, Red Sox and White Sox

Charlie

:modemman:

Boston?? Beckett's fastball has zero movement, Wells is still a 40+ big fat slob except now he throws like one. Talk about doing the moonwalk! This team just got done playing 3 with TB & KC and lost ground.

Minny?? The ass whipping by Toronto at home pretty much summed it up. no Liriano along with too much Silva and Boof Bonser???

Toronto?? Out of the three I like this team the best but they are just too far back

Charlie Maxwell said:

This year's playoffs will include the Angels, Yankees, Red Sox and White Sox

Charlie

:modemman:

Click to expand...

OK Charlie. Well i guess if your right you'll look like a genius for sure. Lackey has looked pretty impressive for the Angels. His last win was around the last time the BoSox took a weekend series

BTW talk about a team with a tough remaining schedule the Angels have it as tough as it gets

Charlie Maxwell said:

This year's playoffs will include the Angels, Yankees, Red Sox and White Sox

Charlie

:modemman:

Click to expand...

Charlie:

Where's the love for the A's? They continue their traditional August hot streak. Expecting a September slide?