Posted on Thu, Jul. 25, 2002
Sweeney lands on disabled list
DETROIT - First baseman Mike Sweeney's battle of the back continued on Wednesday. As expected, he went on the 15-day disabled list.
Sweeney missed 11 games because of lower back pain that has since invaded his left hip.
The Royals called up first baseman Chan Perry from Class AA Wichita to take Sweeney's spot on the 25-man roster. To make room for Perry on the 40-player under-control roster, the Royals placed injured outfielder Mark Quinn on the 60-day disabled list.
Sweeney's assignment to the disabled list was backdated to July 14 so, technically, he could come off next Tuesday. But that's not likely to happen.
"I have to get over this, take some batting practice, then go to Omaha for a couple days before coming back," Sweeney said.
Sweeney's .355 average ranked second in the American League on Wednesday to Ichiro Suzuki's .358 for Seattle. He was the Royals' All-Star representative and had 16 home runs and 49 RBIs in 84 games.
This is the first time he's been on the disabled list in his career.
"I'm impatiently being patient," he said.
"It's frustrating but I guess everybody can't be Cal Ripken."
The Royals have decided that complete rest is the best remedy. They've even stopped his treatments out of concern they might be irritating the area, he said.
Perry, brother of Texas Rangers third baseman Herbert Perry, was batting .321 with 11 homers, 62 RBIs for the Wichita Wranglers. He had a five-hit, six-RBI game against El Paso last Sunday and had a 19-game hitting streak from May 15 to June 3.
The call-up caught him off guard.
"This is the surprise you want, though," he said. "That's the reason we're playing. That's what it's all about, being here."
Perry, 29, spent seven years in the Cleveland Indians' organization. His only major-league experience was 13 games in 2000 when he went one for 14 (.071).
His first name, Chan, is pronounced "Shan." His parents named him after University of Florida quarterback Chan Gailey, a former Dallas Cowboys head coach.
"We're from Gator country," he said.
Knoblauch knocked
What else could possibly happen to Chuck Knoblauch? Well, try this:
During the ninth inning on Tuesday night, he was walking through the dugout when Raul Ibanez took a practice swing and hit Knoblauch's left arm -- just above the strained elbow that kept him out for more than a month.
"Oh, he felt bad, obviously," Knoblauch said. "He didn't see me coming."
Knoblauch said he didn't believe the mishap caused any serious complications to his previous injury. But, just in case, manager Tony Pena held him out of the lineup against Detroit on Wednesday night.
"Hopefully, it'll be only one day," he said.
Ibanez was working on shortening his swing as he prepared for his last at-bat.
"I never swing in the dugout but this dugout is so big, I thought I had room," he said. "I looked behind me and didn't see anyone."
Knoblauch, though, suddenly approached and got smacked.
"Raul is so hot now," Pena said, "that he's not only hitting the ball, he's hitting people with his bat."
The incident reminded bench coach Bob Schaefer of something that happened in his previous tour on the Royals' staff.
"The last time I hit a player with a bat, he hit for the cycle," Schaefer said.
"It was George Brett. I was hitting fungoes in Toronto when he walked by and I got him with the bat."
That was July 25, 1990, and no Royals players has had a homer, triple, double and single in the same game since.
"A couple of weeks later, I asked George, `Need a tuneup?' " Schaefer said. "He said, `No thanks.' "
Etc.
? Luis Alicea's nine-game hitting streak ended when he went hitless in four at-bats and ended the game by rapping into a double play.
? Tigers shortstop Ramon Santiago was put on the disabled list after X-rays on Wednesday showed a fractured right hamate bone. He underwent surgery and will be out four to six weeks. He left Tuesday night's game and initial X-rays were negative.
? The Tigers recalled outfielder Craig Monroe from Class AAA Toledo, Ohio, and claimed right-handed pitcher Erik Sabel off waivers from Arizona. Monroe joined the club immediately but Sabel will miss the Royals series.
On deck
The Royals are to conclude their three-game series against Detroit at 1:05 today at Comerica Park. Right-hander Miguel Asencio, 2-2, 5.49 ERA, will oppose Tigers left-hander Mike Maroth, 2-3, 4.74 ERA.
Sweeney lands on disabled list
DETROIT - First baseman Mike Sweeney's battle of the back continued on Wednesday. As expected, he went on the 15-day disabled list.
Sweeney missed 11 games because of lower back pain that has since invaded his left hip.
The Royals called up first baseman Chan Perry from Class AA Wichita to take Sweeney's spot on the 25-man roster. To make room for Perry on the 40-player under-control roster, the Royals placed injured outfielder Mark Quinn on the 60-day disabled list.
Sweeney's assignment to the disabled list was backdated to July 14 so, technically, he could come off next Tuesday. But that's not likely to happen.
"I have to get over this, take some batting practice, then go to Omaha for a couple days before coming back," Sweeney said.
Sweeney's .355 average ranked second in the American League on Wednesday to Ichiro Suzuki's .358 for Seattle. He was the Royals' All-Star representative and had 16 home runs and 49 RBIs in 84 games.
This is the first time he's been on the disabled list in his career.
"I'm impatiently being patient," he said.
"It's frustrating but I guess everybody can't be Cal Ripken."
The Royals have decided that complete rest is the best remedy. They've even stopped his treatments out of concern they might be irritating the area, he said.
Perry, brother of Texas Rangers third baseman Herbert Perry, was batting .321 with 11 homers, 62 RBIs for the Wichita Wranglers. He had a five-hit, six-RBI game against El Paso last Sunday and had a 19-game hitting streak from May 15 to June 3.
The call-up caught him off guard.
"This is the surprise you want, though," he said. "That's the reason we're playing. That's what it's all about, being here."
Perry, 29, spent seven years in the Cleveland Indians' organization. His only major-league experience was 13 games in 2000 when he went one for 14 (.071).
His first name, Chan, is pronounced "Shan." His parents named him after University of Florida quarterback Chan Gailey, a former Dallas Cowboys head coach.
"We're from Gator country," he said.
Knoblauch knocked
What else could possibly happen to Chuck Knoblauch? Well, try this:
During the ninth inning on Tuesday night, he was walking through the dugout when Raul Ibanez took a practice swing and hit Knoblauch's left arm -- just above the strained elbow that kept him out for more than a month.
"Oh, he felt bad, obviously," Knoblauch said. "He didn't see me coming."
Knoblauch said he didn't believe the mishap caused any serious complications to his previous injury. But, just in case, manager Tony Pena held him out of the lineup against Detroit on Wednesday night.
"Hopefully, it'll be only one day," he said.
Ibanez was working on shortening his swing as he prepared for his last at-bat.
"I never swing in the dugout but this dugout is so big, I thought I had room," he said. "I looked behind me and didn't see anyone."
Knoblauch, though, suddenly approached and got smacked.
"Raul is so hot now," Pena said, "that he's not only hitting the ball, he's hitting people with his bat."
The incident reminded bench coach Bob Schaefer of something that happened in his previous tour on the Royals' staff.
"The last time I hit a player with a bat, he hit for the cycle," Schaefer said.
"It was George Brett. I was hitting fungoes in Toronto when he walked by and I got him with the bat."
That was July 25, 1990, and no Royals players has had a homer, triple, double and single in the same game since.
"A couple of weeks later, I asked George, `Need a tuneup?' " Schaefer said. "He said, `No thanks.' "
Etc.
? Luis Alicea's nine-game hitting streak ended when he went hitless in four at-bats and ended the game by rapping into a double play.
? Tigers shortstop Ramon Santiago was put on the disabled list after X-rays on Wednesday showed a fractured right hamate bone. He underwent surgery and will be out four to six weeks. He left Tuesday night's game and initial X-rays were negative.
? The Tigers recalled outfielder Craig Monroe from Class AAA Toledo, Ohio, and claimed right-handed pitcher Erik Sabel off waivers from Arizona. Monroe joined the club immediately but Sabel will miss the Royals series.
On deck
The Royals are to conclude their three-game series against Detroit at 1:05 today at Comerica Park. Right-hander Miguel Asencio, 2-2, 5.49 ERA, will oppose Tigers left-hander Mike Maroth, 2-3, 4.74 ERA.
