The New York Mets disabled list is expanding at an alarming rate. Outfielder Angel Pagan has been down since April 21 with a strained oblique. Pitcher Chris Young re-injured his shoulder, which will�cost him the 2011 season and possibly more. And then slugging first baseman Ike Davis hit the DL last week when he strained his calf in Colorado.
Now comes word that the Mets may be without third baseman David Wright for awhile with a stress fracture in his lower back. The stress fracture was revealed in an MRI taken on Monday. Wright will seek a second opinion on the injury before an official timetable is set, but it's likely some rest and a DL stint will be necessary to get him back to full strength.
And that's where the Mets desperately need him. His average has dipped to a putrid .226 thanks in large part to the lingering back injury, which Wright believes he suffered making a diving tag (above) on Houston Astros outfielder Carlos Lee on April 19.
The stress fracture certainly serves as a valid explanation for his slump and loss of consistent power, but he refuses to use the injury as an excuse.
"It's constantly there," he said of the discomfort in his back. "I feel it, but that's no excuse. It's no excuse for going out there and getting off to a slow start because I thought I could play through it."
That's admirable. Probably not the best decision on several levels, but still admirable.
Despite his struggles, replacing the face of their franchise on the lineup card won't be easy for New York. Willie Harris gets the nod on Monday night and that's not likely to strike fear into the opposition. Rookie Justin Turner, who delivered a career-high five RBIs on Sunday, could also see a few starts. The Mets will likely dig into their minor league system once a DL decision is made, but there aren't too many inspiring options down there either.
So I guess manager Terry Collins will be forced to ask for a little more out of Carlos Beltran offensively. Like, hey, three home runs is pretty cool. Think you can try for four tonight?
Katy Perry Vinessa Shaw Rebecca Romijn Nadine Velazquez Pink
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