Sheffield could be out two to three months
Sheffield could be out two to three months because of thumb
By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
March 8, 2004
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield could be sidelined up to three months because of an injured right thumb.
Sheffield was hurt in a spring training game Saturday against Toronto. At first, the Yankees thought the injury was just a bruise. But after an MRI exam Sunday, the team decided to send him to Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser, a hand expert in New York.
``Now I'm officially worried about it,'' general manager Brian Cashman said.
Cashman said the worst-case scenario would be that Sheffield needs surgery, meaning he would be out two to three months. There are no signs of a break, Cashman said, but he would not say whether there was ligament damage.
The best-case scenario, Cashman said, would be that the right fielder could return for spring training games.
The Yankees open the season with two games against Tampa Bay in Tokyo on March 30-31.
``These things are tricky, so we want to make sure that we have a specialist give us an opinion of what exactly is going on with that thumb,'' Cashman said. ``It could be an old injury, or it could be a new one. We'll find out.''
Sheffield left the Atlanta Braves in the offseason to sign a $39 million, three-year contract with the Yankees. He was among players who testified before a federal grand jury that indicted Barry Bonds' personal trainer for illegal distribution of steroids. Sheffield has denied using steroids.
He was hurt trying to get to a fly ball by Orlando Hudson that landed for a triple. Sheffield downplayed the injury, describing it as ``nothing major.''
``I could play right now if I had to,'' he said. ``It's just a little sore. I've got all my range and motion and (I'm) doing everything with it. They don't want me to take a chance.''
Asked whether he were worried, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner responded: ``Sure I am.'' But he also added: ``I'm sure he's going to be OK.''
New York already is without center fielder Bernie Williams, who had an appendectomy and will probably miss the season-opening series in Tokyo.
Sheffield said he aggravated an injury from last season, when he was hurt July 10 during a headfirst slide in Chicago.
``I stole a base, third base, and I kind of jarred it a little bit,'' he said. ``From that day on my thumb was sore. I've been treating it since that time, and it's just starting to get better, and I banged it up again. It just feels like somebody jammed you with a pitch. The next time you go out in the outfield and come back, it hurts like that. Nothing more. The swelling has gone down a lot.''
Cashman said the Yankees were not aware of the hand injury when they agreed to the deal with Sheffield, who passed a physical.
``There is not an issue here for me on a pre-existing injury,'' Cashmansaid.
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Re: Sheffield could be out two to three months
i really hate to wish or root for injuries to players, but i cant help myself but to make exceptions for yankees(snicker snicker). nothing i would love more than to see the 200 million dollar yankees have to struggle to find able bodies to fill out thier lineup.
wonder if they might want garcia and spencer back?....LMAO
Re: Sheffield could be out two to three months
No surgery needed for Sheffield
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com Ticket information
TAMPA -- The Yankees breathed a collective sigh of relief on Tuesday, as Gary Sheffield will not need surgery on his injured right thumb.
Sheffield, who would have missed two or three months had he required surgery, visited a hand specialist in New York on Tuesday morning. He will return to Tampa on Tuesday afternoon and be back in Yankees camp on Wednesday.
After meeting with team physician Dr. Stuart Hershon and specialist Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center at 6:30 a.m., Sheffield was diagnosed with a recurrent injury of a previously torn ligament in the thumb.
Sheffield originally sustained the injury last July 10 at Wrigley Field while sliding into third base. He missed one game for the Braves, who didn't deem the injury severe enough to warrant an MRI. The thumb did not seem to bother Sheffield over the rest of the season, as he hit .333 with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs after the All-Star break.
"He played through this thing last year in the second half of the season," said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. "He's got stability, so we'll see how he comes through the next two weeks. If there are no issues, there will be nothing further with it, and he'll continue to play."
Sheffield aggravated the injury on Saturday after falling while chasing down a fly ball. An MRI on Sunday revealed ligament damage. The Yankees sent him to New York to meet with Dr. Rosenwasser, a specialist who for years has been treating Yankees players, including Don Mattingly, Derek Jeter and Nick Johnson.
Cashman said that the team would continue to monitor the injury, adding that surgery is still an option for the outfielder. Sheffield signed a three-year, $39 million contract with the Yankees in December, and is expected to be the team's starting right fielder on Opening Day.
"We're not out of the woods on this, don't get me wrong," said Cashman. "But today's news is certainly more encouraging after he saw the hand specialist than yesterday's news. The concern is still there."
Sheffield hit .330 with 39 home runs and 132 RBIs last season for Atlanta, and finished third in the National League MVP voting. On Monday he said that his thumb was just sore, but that he "could play right now" if he had to.
"I've injured this thumb before, so that's probably what they see," he said on Monday before leaving for New York. "It's just a small setback."
According to Cashman, Sheffield told the doctors that he would choose not to have surgery even if the injury occurred in the offseason.
"You treat the patient, not the injury," said Cashman. "There is an injury, the MRI revealed that. But Gary has played through it before without a problem, and right now that's the course of action we're going to take. If he feels the way he did in the second half of last year, he'll just keep playing."
Sheffield has not -- and will not -- receive any injections to help him manage the pain, according to Cashman, who said that if Sheffield were to require shots, he would likely undergo the surgery instead.
If Sheffield has any problems playing through the pain, or if his performance is affected by the injury, then both he and the team will consider surgery as an option.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," said Cashman. "If there's a problem, Gary is a smart guy, so we'll all face it together. We'll have to wait and see, evaluate it over the next two weeks."
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