[ad_1]
SURPRISE, Arizona (AP) – Salvador Perez spent his morning as if nothing had happened.
In his very accented English, the star catcher has failed six times to joke with his teammates. It has rebounded from one end to the other of the Kansas City Spring Training Club-Club, displaying the same kind of juvenile exuberance as beginners attempting to gain a spot on the Royals.
Indeed, it could never be said that his right elbow housed a damaged ulnar collateral ligament that made him painful, even to the touch, and that this might require surgery to keep him out of season.
"I have to prepare for that. It's the worst thing to do, "said Perez, unable to mask the underlying concern. "We are going to Los Angeles for a second opinion and we will see."
The injury occurred during a practice session on Wednesday, while Perez played for a long time. He waited until the next morning to see if the pain persisted, then spoke to Royals coach Nick Kenney, who ordered an MRI that revealed the extent of the injury. .
Kenney said that no recommendation had been made for Perez to undergo surgery from Tommy John, but that's a distinct possibility. On Tuesday, Perez will visit Doctor Dodgers' team doctor, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, considered one of the leading orthopedic surgeons in baseball.
"What we have here is a pretty serious injury that concerns us," said Kenney. "We often go into the worst scenario and work backwards, because if you go for the worst scenario, you can prepare for everything. So that's where we are. "
The 2015 World Series MVP just finished a season during which he had reached the lowest of his career, 235, but he still equaled a career high with 27 home runs and 80 RBIs. He also remained one of the best defensive defensemen of the game and his leadership in a young and evolving club club is considered crucial.
The Royals are in the midst of rebuilding, and reserve pickers Cam Gallagher and Meibrys Viloria are poised to play a much bigger role sooner than expected.
"You know, that's what we're going to fight with emotionally," said Royals GM Dayton Moore, "because Salvy, you can not measure what it means for a team. It's not just in the team. It's in the clubhouse, it's in the community. His enthusiasm is so contagious. "
"It represents in my opinion much of what this game should be," continued Moore. "He likes to play baseball. He is enthusiastic. Whether it's a bad run or a bad run during the season, fans love to watch him play because of his enthusiasm. He is very charismatic. He does a lot on the ground for you to say, "Wow!"
Moore stated that there was nothing to indicate that Perez had had problems with his elbow during his physical outing last fall or during his physical taking early in the spring training. And the fact that it came out of nowhere is one of the reasons the Royals are quick to decide what to do next.
Moore rejected any idea of rushing MJ Melendez, one of their best hopes, to the majors. And although Gallagher and Viloria are high placed, they have had a veteran behind them most of the past three years at Drew Butera. But he signed with the Phillies as a free agent last month, and the Royals struggled to lure another veteran into an independent attack because Perez was so rooted behind the plate.
Now, the options are relatively limited until clubs begin to downsize.
"You have to ask," What will they bring to the guys we currently have? " Moore said, "We are very confident for Gallagher and Viloria, and we will see how the camp goes.
[ad_2]
Source link