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Saturday, September 04, 2004Glaus eyes third baseIn today's LA Times, current full-time DH Troy Glaus makes clear his intention to return to the hot corner:
Troy Glaus is happy to serve as the Angels' designated hitter for the remainder of this season because he's only 3 1/2 months removed from surgery on his right shoulder and hasn't begun the throwing portion of his rehabilitation program.I don't doubt Troy's strength of will, nor his ability to make a triumphant return to third. I do doubt the wisdom of this move. This shoulder injury is a serious thing- by all accounts he's lucky he can swing a bat with any kind of authority. And considering how the injury occurred in the first place (diving for a ball and landing with the arm at an unnatural angle, something that happens on a daily basis at the hot corner), isn't this something we should worry about becoming a recurring injury? It doesn't sound to me like this is the type of surgery that one ever fully recovers from (here I go playing doctor again...)- as Will Carroll says, "shoulder surgery is still far more complex and risky than, say, an elbow reconstruction." Meaning his shoulder will probably always be a little weaker than it was and his labrum will always be one wrong move from another tear. I'd say it's best for Troy to concentrate on the hitting, or possibly consider picking up a first basemen's mitt. Let's face facts: he makes his cash and helps his team at the plate, not third. His glove was nothing to sneeze at- not by any means- but neither was it spectacular. I don't think it really lowers his value much if he were to become a full-time DH. But the real question isn't what position Troy will play, it's who will he be playing it for? |
