News on Juan

[MFFL]

Posted on Fri, Aug. 22, 2003
Rangers puzzled as Juan might be done
By T.R. Sullivan
Star-Telegram Staff Writer


CHICAGO - Juan Gonzalez is not going to be traded. It's highly unlikely that he'll even play again this year.

The only real mystery left is exactly what the injury is that has Gonzalez on the disabled list with no return in sight.

Gonzalez's agent, Alan Nero, said an MRI and a second opinion on Gonzalez's injured right calf muscle have revealed that he has a tear and could be sidelined for at least two more weeks in a soft cast. If that's the case, it would make it unlikely that Gonzalez could get ready before the end of the season.

The Rangers have just 34 games left after a 7-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field on Wednesday, and Gonzalez has not swung a bat in more than a month.

"He's disappointed and relieved," Nero said. "He obviously wants to get better."

The new diagnosis caught the Rangers by surprise.

"That's not consistent with what we have," Rangers general manager John Hart said from Spokane, Wash., where he was watching a Rangers' minor league team play. "Obviously we wanted to see an MRI, and we had one last week. We didn't see [the tear.] I know he wanted to get a second opinion, but that's not what we had before."

Gonzalez had the MRI last week and John Conway, the Rangers' team physician, said the results showed there was fluid behind the muscle. Conway's recommendation was for Gonzalez to undergo a procedure that would have the fluid removed, which would speed up the recovery.

Nero and Gonzalez sought the second opinion from Dr. James Key in Dallas. Conway and Key were supposed to confer on the injury, but the Rangers are offering no further comment on the situation.

Gonzalez originally injured the leg running the bases against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on July 19. At the time, the Rangers were hoping they could trade Gonzalez, and the Kansas City Royals were interested.

The injury squelched all trade talk, although Gonzalez insisted that he was still "open-minded" about waiving his no-trade clause.

Regardless of what the injury is, there's almost no way that Gonzalez will be ready to play by Sept. 1, which would completely crush any chance of a trade. Any player traded after Sept. 1 is not eligible to be on the postseason roster of the team that acquires him.

Gonzalez has spent the last month getting treatment twice a day and has yet to resume baseball activities, most notably swinging a bat.

The Rangers, at least publicly, have still not given up on the possibility of Gonzalez's playing again this season.

"We're hoping he can get healthy and play for us," manager Buck Showalter said.

Gonzalez, who is a free agent at the end of the season, is hitting .294 with 24 home runs and 70 runs batted in.

[Dooby]

"An MRI confirmed that Juan hurt himself while trying to simultaneously pull both his big bag of money and his equally big bag of nothing."

[Drbio]

Originally posted by: Dooby
"An MRI confirmed that Juan hurt himself while trying to simultaneously pull both his big bag of money and his equally big bag of nothing."

LOL Dooby. If Juanspare can't play they might as well cut his butt and get him out of our clubhouse. I hope noone offers Juan more than the vet minimum next year.....if anything at all.

[mavsfanforever]

lol dooby.

I think we won't see him in Rangers Uniform anymore.

[Drbio]

I think they have to get him off the injured list before they are eligible to cut Juanspare. Otherwise, a grievance can be filed and the Rangers could potentially lose money and face league sanctions.

When he is activated, look for him to be placed on irrevocable waivers. If I were the Rangers though, I would wait to cut him until the day that he would become ineligible to play on another teams postseason roster. He should get no benefit at all.