A's Cepedes Leaves Game Early; Griffin Suffers Setback

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

It looks as the the wave of injuries that has already hit the team on the east side of the bay pretty hard, may be on its way to back to Oakland. Yoenis Cespedes, the A’s left fielder, was forced to exit Thursday’s game during the seventh inning. Cespedes has just begun to hit his stride this season. While only batting .238 after getting off to a slow start Cespedes has hit four home runs in the last week.

Unfortunately, it now appears that the 28-year old Cuban star may be sidelined with a hamstring injury after he limped off the Houston Astros’ field at Minute Maid park in the seventh inning. He is expected to be kept out of the A’s lineup for at least a couple days if not more.

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Pioneer Surgeon Jobe dies at age 88

In 1974 surgeon Dr. Frank Jobe treated Los Angeles Dodgers' southpaw Tommy John and changed the face of the game of baseball forever. Jobe performed an experimental surgery on John. He transplanted a tendon to replace a torn ulnar collateral ligament in the pitcher's elbow. John's comeback, thought to never be possible, lasted a successful 14 years. Thus, on that day 40 years ago the then revolutionary and now commonly performed, "Tommy John Surgery" was born. Sadly, Dr. Jobe passed away on Thurday at the age of 88.

Read the rest of the story on  Dr. Jobe on OutsidePitchMLB.com - Outside Pitch Sports Network, a MLB Advanced Media Affiliate 

(*If you would like even more information on the Father of Tommy John Surgery click here.*)

Greinke Injured, CrAzy A's Fans and Trying to go to EVERY Single Home Game in a Season

Just a quick update because it is something I think is pretty news worthy .... I know that all injuries should be newsworthy but some more than others and I kinda felt like writing for bit since I am awake from voting for my boy Eric Sogard for the Face of Major League Baseball. Which is pretty freakin' awesome because it shows the power of a true fan base and a tight knit one. We are seriously AmAzing and it's not just this competition - not at all! We are creative, we love our players and they love us! We are crAzy but we are cool too. The RF Bleachers (I'd say we again but gotta give credit where credit is due!) make friends with the players from other teams and in turn they love us all! It's greAt and incredibly cool. We've also been called the loudest fans in baseball ... just ask the Detroit Tigers .... even after being shut out by Verlander in game 5 (yes, I do realize this has happened twice) - we still gave our players a five minute standing ovation ... so while we may be NERDS (both baseball and otherwise) ... we are the coolest nerds you will ever meet and by far the best fans in baseball .... but I completely digress ... 

Michael Hickey/Getty Images 

My point in starting this was really as the title may suggest that the Dodgers' star pitcher - well after Kershaw of course - Zach Greinke was forced to leave their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks early due to a calf injury. He faced only retired only one batter Diamondbacks leadoff hitter, Tony Compana on a first pitch fly ball to left. On his third pitch to second baseman Cliff Pennington Grenke landed wrong on his right leg. He threw one more pitch and hobbled a bit off the rubber and out came the trainers. Greinke threw two warm up pitches before being taken into the clubhouse for treatment. Greinke was diagnosed with a mild right calf strain. While this might not sound bad and doesn't sound like a big blow to the Dodgers, it could be. With the compressed Spring Training schedule due to the team's early start to the season in Australia there could be a question as to whether or not Greinke can start the season on time. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's outfielder Josh Hamilton recently suffered a calf strain that has him sitting out from Spring Training for the next couple of weeks. The injury makes it even more likely that Kershaw and either Hyun-Jin Ryu or Dan Haren will  be the starters for their opening series down under. There is a chance that this was just a cramp. Greinke says he's had them before and could pitch through it but at this point since it is still February there is no reason for the Dodgers to want him to do that ...

I mean that makes sense doesn't it? It's Spring Training, he's their second best starter and he actually told the press at one point that he had "absolutely no excitement about going to Australia." He did kinda try to correct that comment yesterday saying, 

If we're going to be there, and we obviously are, yes I'd like to pitch there," he said. "My comments, I didn't realize they would cause a stir. I'm looking forward to playing over there. No one wants me to say it, I had to vote to go, my vote was not to go. Now that we are going, I want to be there. I don't want the team to go and me sit here and watch. I don't want to go and watch. I want to play. I want to pitch good, I want to win games. You're forced to do what you're not used to do, it's harder to be able to do it to the best of your ability."

That last part of the comment was referring to his being outside his comfort zone by having to change his pitching routine and preparation for the trip to Australia. Again, I don't blame the guy because shit who wants that? I'd LOVE to go to Australia dont get me wrong but I get annoyed when I have to watch my team open in Japan (and now they are talking about Taiwan for next year ... why always my A's?? I mean seriously!!) and I just have to wake up in the middle of the night not travel there and play the game! I mean shit, that would suck. I once tried going to every single home game one year (made it to 78!) but that was rough and all I had to do was show up and sit there ... but some days the couch and a tv can be much more appealing ... Just sayin' - I'm not the perfect fan but I do try ... So yeah, I will leave y'all with that and of course this ...

 If you are awake and it is before 5am on the West Coast  - wait! What the hell are you doing reading this ... get back on Twitter and VOTE #EricSogard 4 #FaceOfMLB! I so hope I get to write about this in the morning saying that he is the winner!! #NERDPOWER!!!! (I'm even wearing my own #RallySpecs as we speak because I'm cool like that and because I am incredibly blind ...)

For it's 1, 2 ... 3?? Wilson & Koufax Both Hit in Head by Line Drives

Alright, both of these incidents happened in Arizona during early Cactus League practices and not in Los Angeles but they did happen to a former Dodger and a current Angel .... 

There's a slightly disturbing trend happening to players of Los Angeles Major League Baseball teams. Two players, one former and one current, have been hit in the head with line drives in the last four days. One has to wonder who's next since things seem to happen in threes.

It's a scary thought, getting hit in the head with a line drive. A ball moving that fast and hitting you in the right place can very possibly kill you. That means Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax and Angels' pitcher CJ Wilson are both extremely lucky men. Both were struck in the head with a line drive during batting practice. Both, while still requiring medical attention, walked off the field on their own.

On Saturday at the Los Angeles Dodgers' training camp in Glendale, AZ Koufax was hit in the head by a line drive off the bat of Andre Ethier while watching pitching prospect Ross Stripling. Koufax, 78, maintained his footing but suffered a cut to the forehead.  He was, however, immediately carted off by the team’s trainers in a golf cart and immediately tended to by the medical staff. The HOF pitcher seemed to take it in stride being seen later that day in the Dodgers' clubhouse conversing with some of the players.

A mere four days later Angels' starting pitcher CJ Wilson was hit in the head by a line drive off the bat of Yorvit Torreabla while throwing live batting practice. Wilson was knocked to the ground suffering a gash on his head. He, like Koufax, never lost conciousness and actually wanted to continue pitching. At the insistence of the team and medical staff he was taken to the hospital for a CT scan as a precaution. Wilson downplayed the incident later tweeting,

@str8edger8cer Everything is fine, except that pitch I threw. Shoulda caught it. Thanks for the #PMA - lesson is to not pitch to contact! Haha

Image courtesy of Greg Flume/Getty Images

These kinds of injuries though should not be taken lightly though.  In 2012 Arizona Diamondbacks' pitcher Brandon McCarthy, then of the Oakland Athletics, was hit in the head with a line drive during a game. He was out for the rest of the season, underwent emergency surgery and experience a seizure last year. McCarthy’s misfortune sparked the approval of an optional padded cap for pitchers by MLB. However rare, the possibility of a serious injury is omnipresent.

To Read the Remainder of this Article Go to SportsUnbiased - Your Alternative Source For Sports

Rangers May Be Down Yet Another Starting Pitcher in Harrison, Could be Helpful for Oakland

Yet again as in almost every previous year to date the critics have gushed over the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to win the American League Western Division Title. This year, with the signing of Robinson Cano, among others, they are even throwing the Seattle Mariners into the mix. So why not the back to back AL West Champion Oakland Athletics? 

Two years in a row the Athletics have won the AL West and still all this talk, talk, talk of how the Rangers are better with Prince Fielder or how Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton will bounce back for the Angels, etc. It's clearly insanity right? The A's have a great team with a stellar rotation and arguably one of the leagues best bullpens. They make be lacking in a major power hitter but if guys like Brandon Moss, Coco Crisp & Josh Donaldson can bring their 2013 successes to 2014 and Josh Reddick can return to his 2012 form the A's should be just fine, as usual ... And as is also usual they will have to do it in underdog (and unappreciated fashion).

Harrison (Image courtesy of Getty Images)

On another note the Rangers MAY have lost yet another starting pitcher from there rotation today, leaving them with only two starting rotation spots filled by Yu Darvish and Martin Perez. Here's a quick story I did for MLB Nation on starting pitcher, Matt Harrison's possible sidelining: 

Before pitchers and catchers reported to Surprise, Arizona for the Texas Rangers' spring training camp there were already questions regarding the team's starting rotation. RHP Colby Lewis is expected to be fine for the season but he is just coming off of a hip surgery that no other pitcher has had before and it is not known if it will have any affect on his delivery or if he will remain healthy leaving Lewis fighting to take back his spot in the rotation. LHP Derek Holland is out until at least mid season due to knee surgery after an injury he acquired at home, tripping over his dog. For LHP Alexi Ogando there is no guarantee that his arm can hold up an entire season in a starting role. That left Texas with three proven starters, RHP Yu Darvish, LHP Martin Perez and LHP Matt Harrison.

Now it appears that the Ranger may be down another starting pitcher. Southpaw Matt Harrison was expected to return to camp this season at 100 percent after having three surgeries, two of them on his lower back to repair a herniated disk, that kept him out of the game for almost all of the team's 2013 campaign. He began experiencing stiffness in his neck on Tuesday. Being cautious this caused the team to keep Harrison from throwing his first live bullpen session of the spring.

It has been reported Thursday that the stiffness and pain Harrison had been feeling has now moved down to his lower back near the area where he had the two surgeries and that the Rangers are taking no chances with their proven starter. He will have an MRI today and will be returning to Texas on Monday to see team spine specialist, Dr. Drew Dorsett, who performed two of Harrison's surgeries last year. Harrison is being sidelined until at least a prognosis is given by Dr. Dorsett. On the subject Harrison told Associated Press reporters,

 There is obviously some concern there from what happened last year. I just hope that it's not a serious issue and something I can take a few days down and stay on top of my core program and get right back out there.

Hanson (Image courtesy of Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

The loss of Harrison could greatly strain the already ailing Ranger's starting rotation. There are other possibilities for them to use in starting rolls such as, the just signed, RHP Tommy Hanson. Hanson had a terrible year in 2013 going 3-4 with a 5.42 ERA in just 15 games with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He had been losing velocity on his fastball and also had a family tragedy that derailed his season. As of now there are no guarantees that Hanson will take a starting role, but it is  likely considering the injury count continues to build in Texas. Also fighting to fill the emptiness in the Rangers' rotation are Robbie Ross, Tanner Scheppers, Nick Tepesch and Michael Kirkman. However having to use Ross or Scheppers would deplete the bullpen strength leaving the Rangers weaker later in games.

Harrison was a star back in 2012 winning 18 games for the Rangers and posting a 3.29 ERA. He was the strongest of the Rangers pitchers going into the post season that year. As the Rangers pitching woes continue it is being questioned if they can really make a run at the American League Western Division Title this year.

 For More News from Around the League visit MLB Nation

A's Update: Cook and Doolittle Both Delayed by Injury!!

Ryan Cook
Getty Images

It is definitely a good thing that the Oakland Athletics beefed up their bullpen with strength and depth this off season. Even with the loss of closer Grant Balfour to free agency, the A's were able to bring in some very capable relief pitchers in Luke Gregerson, Jim Johnson and Eric O'Flaherty. O'Flaherty who is coming off of Tommy John surgery, will not be ready until May at the earliest but should still be a huge help to the Athletics after today's disturbing news.

It was announced Friday, via Jane Lee on Twitter, that both of the A's main set up men, Ryan Cook and Sean Doolittle, are already dealing with injuries,

@JaneMLB Cook will be a couple weeks behind. He's been dealing with shoulder inflammation. Melvin thinks he will be ready by OD.

@JaneMLB Doolittle also dealing with a setback. He has a right calf strain that will hold him back from throwing for a few days.

Ryan Cook's injury is more of a concern than Doolittle's since it involves the arm but seeing that as of now it is only inflammation there is a strong chance of recovery before the season opens.  Cook, 26, has a 2.30 ERA with the Athletics since coming over from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Trevor Cahill deal. In 2o13 with Oakland the right-hander was had a 2.54 ERA in 67 1/3 innings pitched.

Sean showing his classic move dubbed by fans as "Doolittling"
Doug Pensinger/Getty

The left-hander Doolittle, 27, had a 3.13 ERA in 2013 in 69 innings with the Athletics last season. Since being called up in early 2012, the former first baseman turned pitcher, has a 3.09 ERA and 9.3K/9 in 116 1/3 total innings.

Thankfully for the Oakland Athletics, their bullpen and their concerned fans it appears that both pitchers will be ready for Opening Day. It will also be a good time to test the bullpen's new depth, during Spring Training and not during the regular season. If for some reason the pair are not ready for Opening Day the A's stellar relief staff, considered by many to be the best in baseball, should be able to hold down the fort until Cook and Doolittle are healthy again.

For More News From Around the League Check Out MLB Nation