Gah! Looks like our potential starting 3rd baseman is down for the count. According to Tony Jackson:
[Andy LaRoche] has a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb and will need surgery, which Ned said will take place in the next couple of days, probably in Los Angeles.
8-10 weeks is the word at the moment. Nomar’s been playing well, so thank goodness for that. Just have to figure out who the backup is.
On a nicer note, catcher Lucas May is getting some positive attention thanks to his performance this spring. We used to watch him catch 66ers games, so it’s awesome to see him get recognition.
Check out “Minor League Report: Lucas May” on MLB.com:
This is Lucas May’s first Major League camp and second Spring Training as a catcher, but he’s already starting to draw comparisons to Russell Martin.
Like Martin, May is a former infielder. Drafted as a shortstop, he was sent to the outfield before being moved behind the plate last year. He’s quickly become one of the best catching prospects in the organization, in part because of the power he showed while slugging 25 homers for Class A Inland Empire.
Another former 66er doing well is Ivan DeJesus Jr.:
Ivan DeJesus Jr. was plucked out of early Minor League camp to play in two Major League exhibition games, and he even started a split-squad game at shortstop when Rafael Furcal was nursing a strained hamstring. DeJesus went 2-for-3 with a double. He was a second-round Draft pick and is the son of former Dodger Ivan DeJesus.
We have a rule: never ignore players with Russian first names and Latino surnames.