H1Man
03-30-2007, 04:45 PM
Wilson put on disabled list
Tigers backup catcher sidelined by sore right elbow
With the regular season just a few days away, the Tigers' luck on the health front seems to be running thin.
One day after left-hander Kenny Rogers went on the 15-day disabled list, backup catcher Vance Wilson joined him on the DL with a sore right elbow on Friday.
The issue has been a lingering one for Wilson, who believes he first injured it on a throw against the Nationals in Viera, Fla., a week ago. The Tigers hoped Wilson was on his way to a recovery on Thursday when an MRI exam showed no structural damage. They instead saw the problem worsen.
"It just didn't get any better," Wilson said. "So they put me on some medicine, [which] kind of took care of the old tendinitis I had, but that wasn't the problem I was having. It's kind of some shooting pain up in my arm, some nerve stuff, and that hasn't gotten any better.
"I think I strained something and it continues to irritate the nerve. It's not the pain. I can deal with the pain. It's the nerve."
The irritation in the nerve, which Wilson described as a pinching sensation, is enough that Wilson can't throw with much arm strength. It also hurts to hit, which he noticed when he had three at-bats at designated hitter on Thursday against the Astros.
"I can throw it," Wilson said, "but once I have to throw it hard, I change my arm angle and then I can't throw it. My arm shuts down."
Thus, the Tigers are shutting Wilson down for now. He's not expected to undergo any more tests, but he'll receive another course of medicine.
Because Wilson played Thursday, the Tigers can't make the move retroactive. He won't be eligible to be activated until April 14.
To take Wilson's spot, the Tigers recalled Mike Rabelo from Triple-A Toledo. The top backstop prospect in the organization, Rabelo went 2-for-14 for the Tigers this spring before being optioned to Minor League camp. After starting last season as a backup at Double-A Erie, he batted .277 in 62 games for the Seawolves before making the jump to the Mud Hens and batting .270 in 38 games there. He made his Major League debut for Detroit last September.
Unlike non-roster invitees Dane Sardinha and Steve Torrealba, Rabelo is already on the 40-man roster. Just as important, as Wilson pointed out, Rabelo is familiar with most of the Tigers pitchers, having worked with some of them in the Minors and others in Spring Training as well as last September.
http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070330&content_id=1870638&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=det
Tigers backup catcher sidelined by sore right elbow
With the regular season just a few days away, the Tigers' luck on the health front seems to be running thin.
One day after left-hander Kenny Rogers went on the 15-day disabled list, backup catcher Vance Wilson joined him on the DL with a sore right elbow on Friday.
The issue has been a lingering one for Wilson, who believes he first injured it on a throw against the Nationals in Viera, Fla., a week ago. The Tigers hoped Wilson was on his way to a recovery on Thursday when an MRI exam showed no structural damage. They instead saw the problem worsen.
"It just didn't get any better," Wilson said. "So they put me on some medicine, [which] kind of took care of the old tendinitis I had, but that wasn't the problem I was having. It's kind of some shooting pain up in my arm, some nerve stuff, and that hasn't gotten any better.
"I think I strained something and it continues to irritate the nerve. It's not the pain. I can deal with the pain. It's the nerve."
The irritation in the nerve, which Wilson described as a pinching sensation, is enough that Wilson can't throw with much arm strength. It also hurts to hit, which he noticed when he had three at-bats at designated hitter on Thursday against the Astros.
"I can throw it," Wilson said, "but once I have to throw it hard, I change my arm angle and then I can't throw it. My arm shuts down."
Thus, the Tigers are shutting Wilson down for now. He's not expected to undergo any more tests, but he'll receive another course of medicine.
Because Wilson played Thursday, the Tigers can't make the move retroactive. He won't be eligible to be activated until April 14.
To take Wilson's spot, the Tigers recalled Mike Rabelo from Triple-A Toledo. The top backstop prospect in the organization, Rabelo went 2-for-14 for the Tigers this spring before being optioned to Minor League camp. After starting last season as a backup at Double-A Erie, he batted .277 in 62 games for the Seawolves before making the jump to the Mud Hens and batting .270 in 38 games there. He made his Major League debut for Detroit last September.
Unlike non-roster invitees Dane Sardinha and Steve Torrealba, Rabelo is already on the 40-man roster. Just as important, as Wilson pointed out, Rabelo is familiar with most of the Tigers pitchers, having worked with some of them in the Minors and others in Spring Training as well as last September.
http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070330&content_id=1870638&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=det