Injured MLB Players
Major League Baseball Players Rehab With Minor League Teams
After injuries, many major league baseball players will continue their recovery by working out with minor league teams.
In late March, Detroit Tigers outfielder Curtis Granderson fractured a finger. He is now recovering and preparing for a return to major league baseball by rehabbing with the West Michigan Whitecaps of Grand Rapids. West Michigan has been thrilled to have Granderson on the field. Last year Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers also spent some time in West Michigan after suffering a blood clot in his left shoulder. The West Michigan Whitecaps is just one of several minor league teams affiliated with the Detroit Tigers.
It is pretty common practice for major leaguers to complete their rehabilitation program by playing with minor league teams (for one to two weeks, or a couple of games on average). As with the Detroit Tigers, most major league clubs have minor league teams as a part of their franchise. These relationships give major league clubs the opportunity to build, train and develop potential talent, while also affording their injured players an opportunity to recover while proving their ability to compete once again at the major league level.
Players may be sent to the minor leagues due to an injury, or in some cases after recovering from an illness. New York Mets leftfielder Moises Alou recently underwent hernia surgery. After a period of recovery, Alou was sent to Port St. Lucie, Florida to play with the St. Lucie Mets (an affiliate of the New York Mets franchise) as a part of his rehabilitation process. Alou is said to be recovering very well and may return to New York as early as next week.
Most managers, coaches and players agree that time with minor league clubs is great to help get a player in shape for return to the majors. Nonetheless, some players have refused rehabilitation assignments. Last year Seattle Mariners pitcher Jeff Weaver was placed on the disabled list as a result of a tired shoulder. The Mariners requested that Weaver spend a little time with the minor leagues to strengthen his throwing shoulder; however, Weaver declined stating that he believed he was getting enough strengthening and training in the bullpen.
Many individuals or families will never have the opportunity to attend a major league game. This may be due to distance, and/or the cost of attending a major league game. Therefore, in addition to helping players recover after injuries or illnesses, rehab assignments also give many fans the opportunity to see or even meet some of their favorite players. To find out more about current rehabilitation assignments you can visit the website of your favorite team, or the official site of minor league baseball.
