WTNYMay 12, 2004
Injuries
By Bryan Smith

I didn't write on it in my last post, but as you may have heard, Jeff Allison is on a leave of absence from the Florida Marlins. Mike Berardino reports that Allison has a dependency problem on a painkiller, and may be out for a year. Allison is the definition of a stud high schooler, and would have been a top five pick last year had it not been for big bonus demands. Allison was the Marlins top prospect, but now Josh Hamilton-like concerns surround him. Let's hope that Allison can get over his problem, and maybe one day live up to the expectations that he once garnered.

Allison isn't the only big-name prospect that will be missing 2004, try J.J. Hardy. The Brewers top shortstop prospect has injured his shoulder, and season-ending surgery will cut his 2004 short. I've compared Hardy to Royce Clayton on this site before, so I don't see this as a monster-sized loss. Bill Hall is serviceable, and maybe the team will try Junior Spivey or Keith Ginter at short. Doug Melvin is just thanking his lucky stars that this wasn't Weeks or Fielder.

Last, but surely not least, my favorite pitcher and fantasy ace Kerry Wood left yesterday's game with tightness. Watch TCR and WCW for more, but this worries me greatly. See ya Monday...

Comments

Add McGowan to the list.

Posted by: Fabian at May 13, 2004 7:36 PM

No kidding, that's huge. McGowan was compared to Halladay a lot though, so maybe he can make a similar comeback from injury. Rosario and McGowan were the top 2 prospects at various times, but both are looking to come back from significant arm surgery. Not good for Mr. Riccardi, who is probably going to have to go with an arm in the first round this year.

Posted by: Bryan Smith at May 13, 2004 11:29 PM

McGowan's injury hurts (no pun intended), but hardly forces the Jays to go pitcher. Any pitcher not named Weaver is several years off by which time McGowan should be back, if not back on track. I don't follow the draft closely myself, so the Jays may well go after a pitcher, but I don't think the injury factors in much, if at all. Amazingly, this is just the SECOND arm injury the Jays are dealing with in two years.

And it's UTK where I write about injuries, but thanks for any plug, Bry.

Posted by: Will at May 15, 2004 10:55 PM