All Things Bubba

May 18, 2006: Texas 6, N.Y. Yankees 2



Day game today, which means I was following it online in spare moments at work. I was really hoping Bubba would get some hits, because if he doesn't, he's not staying in the lineup. This is the Yankees, after all.

First AB: another sacrifice that's not cashed in. Better than striking out, but not great. Then in the 5th inning, he gets on base. Yay! Then I see Reese is coming in as a pinch runner. I'm baffled at first. Bubba is one of the speediest guys on the team, and they're bringing in a pinch runner? And losing his defense for the rest of the game? What is Torre thinking?? Is this some lame way to get Reese playing time?

Then the shoe drops, and I realize Bubba must be injured. Arrgghhhh. Sure enough, Yankees LF Bubba Crosby left today's game in the 5th inning after injuring himself running to first during his single scrolls onto the screen.

What a major bummer. Bubba wanted so badly to get off the bench. He finally gets a chance, and this happens. And the last thing we need is yet another outfielder going down.

From MLB.com:

Bubba Crosby, starting in left field, strained his right hamstring while attempting a diving catch in the fifth inning, becoming the third New York outfielder to suffer an injury in less than three weeks.

"It feels like an epidemic," Crosby said. "I finally get an opportunity to help the team out and end up hurting myself. It's just unfortunate. ... The team needed someone like myself to step up and do the best to pick them up. The last thing we needed was another injury."

...Heading into Shea Stadium, where National League rules will apply, the Yankees will probably make a roster move on Friday, with Kevin Thompson (.285, 3 HRs, 10 RBIs, 6 SB at Triple-A Columbus) serving as Crosby's likely replacement.

"It's definitely frustrating," Damon said. "We lose two of the best outfielders in the league when Matsui and Sheffield go down, and now Bubba, who has filled in nicely, gives you good defense and can do all the little things that help you win, he's down, too. Hopefully we can get through this and there won't be another one to go down."

Note that despite the early reports, it was apparently the diving (attempted) catch at the top of the inning that caused the injury. Maybe he made it worse trying to run on it.

I'm so disappointed. (Though not as disapppointed as he is, I'm sure.) I came home and watched the game on tape. (Why yes, I am a masochist.) It was a beautiful hit. Down the line into the right field corner. If he weren't hurt, it would have been an easy double for him. Just what I was hoping for: an extra-base hit. Since the knock on Bubba is that he doesn't have any power.

I gather they are waiting until tomorrow morning to decide if they are going to DL him. Sigh. I'm hoping against hope he'll be all right to play again soon, but given his kamikaze tendencies, it would be risky for him to come back too quickly.

Well, if he's DLed, at least I won't have to worry about how I'm going to watch him play when I go on vacation for the next couple of weeks. :-P