Hank Blalock out 2-3 months

by Adam J. Morris on May 18, 2007 5:06 PM CDT in News

Hank Blalock has Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (the same nerve compression that Kenny Rogers had in 2001) and will undergo surgery on Monday in Dallas. He will be lost for 10-12 weeks, which could put him back on the roster around the middle of August.

Travis Metcalf will be added to the roster when he gets to Houston. If not before the game tonight, then for tomorrow.

John Koronka will start tomorrow's game and the Rangers will make a roster move to accomodate him tomorrow.

So, the Rangers' 3rd best hitter this year joins the Rangers' 4th best hitter this year on the d.l. Just to further quash what little hope I had for this season.

And Travis Metcalf, a guy who is reportedly a very good defensive player and who has been hot in May, gets called up from Frisco.

I'm guessing Blalock heads straight to the 60 day d.l. Otherwise, they'll have to DFA someone to make room for Metcalf on the 40 man roster.

Metcalf would seem to be a short-term solution, but there aren't a lot of other viable third base options out there. The Astros would probably give Morgan Ensberg away to any team that would take his contract, but that's the only possibility I can think of off-hand in terms of the trade market.

Really, what I'd consider at this point would be bringing up Joaquin Arias when he's healthy, putting him at shortstop, and sliding Michael Young over to third base.

Tweet Comment 10 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

ARGH

The weird part about this year is that when we look back on it in ten years, we'll think of all of these injuries (Blalock, Gagne, Millwood, Wilkerson) as being why we lost, not the fact that we were just plain bad this year...

by JBImaknee on May 18, 2007 5:04 PM CDT reply actions

Nah

we'll remember sucking, too. I'll never forget the errors, the massive slumps of April, and whoever we end up getting for Teixeira.

On the bright side, at this time next year we'll be treated to more insightful Tim McMahon blogging on the Teixeira trade.

by t ball on May 18, 2007 7:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Didn't they just move.....

Arias to the 60 day DL? Or did I dream that?

by bdavison94 on May 18, 2007 5:07 PM CDT reply actions

Yes

by BHill on May 18, 2007 5:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Yes

He's eligible to come off the 60 day d.l. in about a week (although he obviously won't be ready by then).

by Adam J. Morris on May 18, 2007 5:08 PM CDT up reply actions

How's

the 2008 draft class looking?

buffering....

by SteveP on May 18, 2007 5:08 PM CDT reply actions

Is there

A stronger curse word than "f*ck?"

Because if there is, I'm going to spend the rest of the day uttering it.

"Then I met some friends for a beer, went to a BoDeans's concert, and son of a vondruke, if I didn't leave him at the concert hall."

by RCCook on May 18, 2007 5:10 PM CDT reply actions

Adieu, 2007

We hardly knew ya.

Bring on the younguns.

Well Mr. Burns had done it. The power plant had won it. With Roger Clemens clucking all the while.

by WyoRanger on May 18, 2007 5:14 PM CDT reply actions

I'm just absolutely heartsick

Not only am I watching boring losses...

Now I'm watching a losing team lacking my favorite player.

by cmkelly29 on May 19, 2007 3:10 AM CDT reply actions

I wonder if that

was responsible for his 2nd half fades. Kenny used to be famous for fading down the stretch.

"The challenge we face today is not how to win in Iraq; it is how to recover from a strategic mistake: invading Iraq in the first place,"--ret Lt. Gen. Odom

by DJCahill on May 19, 2007 7:38 AM CDT reply actions