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Lugo: 'I'm worried'; Francona fears torn meniscus
By Adam Kilgore and Nick Cafardo
Globe Staff
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Julio Lugo has not received the results from the MRI on his right knee, but this morning he spoke in a hushed tone as he explained how his knee was first hurt and expressed his level concern about the injury, which forced him from last night's game after half an inning. Red Sox manager Terry Francona said that the fear is Lugo may have a meniscus tear.
Results of the MRI are being looked at in Boston by Dr. Bill Palmer at Mass. General, and the team should know something definitive later today.
"I'm worried," Lugo said. "Every time you have something hurt, you're worried because I know I'm the type, when something bothers me, when I say something, I'm in pain. Otherwise I'm not going to complain to pain. If you see me coming out, I'm hurting."
Francona said upon arrival here this morning that he spoke to team physician Dr. Thomas Gill and general manager Theo Epstein. He said that Gill studied the MRI last night and this morning "and I'm not sure he saw something that looked like a tear, but with the experience he has when he puts his hands on the knee there is something in there. Rather than rush into something, we'll send it up to Bill, that's his speciality, and we'll go from there."
As for how Lugo hurt the knee, Francona said, "That's a little murkier. He (Lugo) said it's been bothering him for 10 days to two weeks, but the last couple of days it started grabbing at him. I said something to him before the game 'Hey, how is your knee, OK?' He sad 'Yeah, a little sore.' Then he got out there in the first inning and he made a gesture like 'I gottta come out.'
Lugo felt such sharp pain last night that he tried calling to the bench and asked to be taken out in the middle of the top of the first, before the inning ended suddenly with a double play. "I couldn't move," Lugo said. Once he came into the dugout, Lugo immediately was taken for the MRI.
"It's been pain," Lugo said. "It's been pain, no doubt about that. Yesterday, it just gave up on me ... and I just couldn't move. I just couldn't run."
The injury, Lugo said, is not related to his quadriceps injury whatsoever; it's a different leg. Lugo can walk without pain, but running makes sharp pain shoot through his knee.
Lugo had been off to sterling start this spring, batting .450 with two doubles without making an error at shortstop. The start boded well for his competition with Jed Lowrie which for the moment is in question.
"I'm not worried about that," Lugo said. "I'm worried about myself right now. If I can play, then I'm the shortstop. If I'm healthy, it's different. I'm not worried about that."
The injury could be devastating to Lugo, who had drawn priase for his effort last season trying to come back from the left quadriceps injury. Lugo was focused on proving his first difficult two years in Boston were not representative of his true ability, and that he could be the player the Red Sox signed. Pending the results of the MRI, that could be in jeopardy.
"It is disappointing," Lugo said. "But at the same time, things happen for a reason. God works his magic. That's the only way i see it. Something happens, you can't explain why it happens, but it happens. I've been blessed in my life, all the good things that I got."
The Lugo injury could open the door for Lowrie to take over as the starting shortstop. Lowrie is starting at shortstop today vs. the Orioles. Depending on the severity of the injury, it could also open the door for impressive Nick Green to make the team as a utility man.
"I'm just going to stay the same," Lowrie said. "I never want to see anyone get hurt whether I'm in competition with him or not."
Francona is certainly relieved he has Lowrie to fall back on, but he said "making decisions is one thing. You don't want to ever see anyone get hurt. That's not what we're looking for. We go slow (in spring training) because we don't want to lose people. So we'll hope for the best. We'll see. That's as clear as I can be on it."
Keep the faith, Julio. Here's hoping the injury isn't severe and you can return as a fruitful baseball player. And if it happens otherwise, then, I'm sure you will do your utmost to heal and return.
Marv
In your Lugo quote you twice used an small "i" as in text messaging. It would be more readable to use the traditional capital "I" for the first person singular.
PLEASE TRADE THIS LOSER NOW!!!
And 1,000,000 Sox fans let up a rousing cheer ... *raaaaaahhhhhh*
Too bad. I had a feeling Lugo was going to have a comeback year of sorts. This would be a tough loss as it would really hurt the Sox depth in the infield. Anyone who is cheering right now isn't paying attention.
Trade him now? What a moronic thing to say. I am sure the market is very strong for an injured/overpaid player. They should trade him now? Why not wait until he comes back, hits again, and see if you can actually get something for him.
I love fans like this. Just because we don't need a guy, someone must want him, regardless of how hurt/crappy he is. A trade takes two teams, and no team wants an injured Julio Lugo. Idiot.
> it' a different leg
Just how many legs has Julio got?
There was a trade in the works with Lugo and a pitching prospect for a good catcher. What a coincidence that a nagging injury would surface at this time. Green has proven himself, Lowrie has proven himself, Lugo has not. Sox are not going anywhere without a solid catcher like Saltamacchia or Teagarden, with all due respect to Varitek.
I can't believe you guys are cheering for someone that's done nothing but try their best to contribute to our team. Just because you aren't satisfied with his production doesn't make it okay for you to cheer for a guy who's career could suddenly be over. I'd rather see lowrie as the teams starting shortstop, but you don't kick a guy when he's down. Show a little class.
Why did you report in the prior Lugo post that it was his right quad that ailed him last year when Lugo says in THIS post that is was his left quad?
Cheering an injury....thats classy. And I am a Sox fan too. Guy hits about .370 in 2007 world series and no one likes him.
Don't want people to be hurt, but as long as he cannot play this is only a good thing for the Red Sox
It's too bad. A healthy Lugo at SS could have helped the team quite a bit and would have given the Sox options. If it's more than a meniscus it's another $9 million down the toilet for this year.
GoSoxgogogo -
Go back to the rock you were under. A healthy Lugo might have helped us repeat as World Series champs last year. Having hm hurt is only detrimental to the team.
And seriously, cheering an injury is just pathetic.
Jed Lowrie should have been the incumbent after his performance last year. This spring it should have been his job to loose. He is the better prospect. Let him play. Nuff said.
sorry to hear bout julio, he is having a good spring and lowrie should be utility this year i think. no one should cheer an injury, not right people.
Lugo was an important part of the '07 championship and we are on the hook for a ton of money to this guy. It would be nice to have him come back strong this season and erase the memories of last year, not to mention justify his salary. If he can't, Lowrie and Nick Green will do just fine.
I'm sorry for Julio. He is a professional athlete and a proud man. Hopefully, Theo will look to make an upgrade here.
With the number of utterly classless, lacking general intelligence, as well as any baseball intelligence, comments on this article...I'da thought it was a Yankees newspaper/fan comments...not Boston.
Good Lord.
Lugo was focused on proving his first difficult two years in Boston were not representative of his true ability (BGlobe).
Is Lugo's true ability what he says it is, or what he does on the field?
He was also in jeopardy of losing his position as the starting SS. Staying healthy is part of the game. If a player cannot stay on the field, they are not contributing, for the most part. Lugo was horrible during those "difficult years" described by the article. Most Sox fans would have replaced him with anybody. Let's face it: he stayed in because the Sox overpaid by a rather huge amount. Ultimately, this investment was a major bust. Although, ole Julio made a lot of money.
Did anyone else notice how many times he said "I" and "hurt". Sounds a little bit like he's crying and selfish. More worried about himself than the team.
Met Julio last year as spring training at the taping of comcast's nightly sports show, he's an absolute class act and a great guy. Hope the best for him, he was proving his abilities this spring by hitting the cover off the ball and playing flawless defense. Hope he gets well soon and can contribute to the sox lineup.
I was thinking this would be Lugo's comeback year. Too bad. I hate to see a guy's career falter due to injury. I know he isn't great and hasn't really produced but I hoped he might turn it around. Looks like it'll be Lowrie and Green, with angel Chavez next in line, perhaps. I hope Lowrie hits and I hope he isn't overplayed.
Good on you Boston fans! I see that most of the responses are condemning the people who write disparaging, inflammatory (and almost always idiotic) comments. Let's take it to the next level and just ignore them. They are trying to get a response. Let's not give them the credit.
Lugo's injury is a bummer, first and foremost to Lugo personally, but also for the Sox. At least the recovery period for that injury is not as long as tendon, or ligament damage. Given a surgical repair he should only miss 6 weeks and be back just as strong. Let's hope.
Some of these comments -- like the ones rejoicing in a player's injury -- make me ashamed to call myself a lifelong (60-plus years) Sox fan. You clowns embarass yourselves and the team you supposedly support.
Torn meniscus usually means arthroscopic surgery to remove the cartilage. That'll put him on the shelf about four weeks. This isn't that big of a deal. If it had been a ligament tear that needed reconstructive surgery, then he'd likely be done for the year.
F
"Nick Green has proven himself"???? The only thing that he has proven in 275 major league games is that he makes Julio Lugo look like Babe Ruth. Do you mean that he has proven himself thru 40 spring training at bats?? Do you have any clue?
Did someone say Nick Green?
Yes, let's cheer injuries and hope that we have to put players on the DL. That makes a lot of sense. And those of you who want the Sox to trade Lugo, how do you think he'd do on his physical if the Sox traded him and his bum knee right now?
IDIOTS.
Too bad, so sad.
The irony of the fourth comment is that this guy calls himself a doctor. I hope that he isn't. But if he is, I'm glad he's not mine.
Good luck Julio! Very sorry to hear this and hope it is not serious.
Post #2 was so concerned with the use of the small i's that he forgot his english. The proper way to say it was that the writer used a small I not "an" small I Also those cheering about Logo's injury because you don't like a person is no reason to wish them ill. I agree that Lowrie should be the starting shortstop. If Lugo as a normal Lugo season Lowrie will soon be the ss.
I hope we don't lose him for any extended period of time. Who's going to ground into inning-ending double plays without him in the line-up.
Oh wait, Varitek's got it covered.
Third place: book it!
Hartounian
Yes, Lowrie has proven himself a big league SS, and Green would fit nicely as the utility infielder, which he has proven quite capable. Lowrie would be a waste as a utility man with his proven skills. Lugo has been a bust skill wise and vastly overpaid. Very dissapointing, even discounting the injuries. I am sure Lugo's energy level and output this spring is due to him being "well rested" because of his injuries and benching over the last two years, and because of a possible trade. I believe this "injury" and Lugo's performance this spring is an attempt by him for leverage in any trade.
Lugo's biggest contribution over the last two years is grounding into inning ending double plays, making an outrageous amount or errors, and a Manny enabler.
Lugo said last week "I play SS only, I am no infielder". Sound familiar ?
"Did anyone else notice how many times he said "I" and "hurt". Sounds a little bit like he's crying and selfish. More worried about himself than the team."
Uh, if you ask someone about an injury, how are they supposed to answer?
good riddance, addition by subtraction
I too am appalled at the ugly comments from posters who are cheering this injury. Julio has worked so hard to come back from last year's injury, and he was doing very well in Spring Training. I was greatly looking forward to seeing him continue the good work and put together a comeback season. And now this...
Get well soon, Julio. There ARE folks out here rooting for you to succeed!
Exactly how many double plays has Lugo hit into? He flat out sucks, he's a sure out, who cared about the preseason, He hasn't produced since we got him, too bad about Jed, but I'd play him with a bad wrist over Lugo all day. P.S. We would have won the World Series with or without Julio Loseo!
@Bat Insider
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