Carl Crawford embarrassed to be out of Sox lineup
Carl Crawford will be absent from the Red Sox lineup Saturday afternoon in their second game in New York, and he’s not happy about it. According to a report from Comcast Sportsnet, Crawford has been placed on a four-day program to prevent injury to his already ailing elbow. However, Crawford played six games in a row immediately after he was activated, which apparently was a result of Bobby Valentine vetoing the training staff’s advisement to not allow Crawford to play more than four days in a row.
Crawford said he was “embarrassed” to be out of the lineup, and suggested that Tommy John surgery might come sooner rather than later.
“The later I wait to get it done,” Crawford told the media in New York, “the more time I’ll miss, so I guess you guys can do the calculation on that and see how that works. But I definitely know at some point in my career, I can’t keep playing with this ligament in my elbow.”
While Crawford acknowledged that he has been playing with pain, he maintains that he was ready to play today, and could do so.
In earlier Red Sox news, ESPN reported that designated hitter David Ortiz will be returning to the lineup as soon as he becomes eligible. He is no longer wearing a protective boot and should be ready Wednesday when the Sox take on the Detroit Tigers at Fenway. Boston is 3-7 since Ortiz suffered the Achilles strain and went on the DL July 17.
