clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Michael Saunders out with torn meniscus in his knee, won't make Blue Jays debut until post-All-Star Break

By Minor Leaguer
You see, Michael Saunders' nickname is The Condor and he was in camp for three days before getting hurt. (Hat tip to Nova Scotian in the comments)
You see, Michael Saunders' nickname is The Condor and he was in camp for three days before getting hurt. (Hat tip to Nova Scotian in the comments)
Via Amazon.com

Spring time optimism hadn't event gotten time to grow stale before realism took it, put it in a toaster, turned the dial to 11 and left it to burn up into a black lump.

Michael Saunders is hurt again, Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos told the media in his briefing on Thursday morning. The Canadian outfielder, who was acquired from the Mariners this offseason in a trade for J.A. Happ, has torn a meniscus in a knee and is not even going to be back by Canada Day.

I guess the positive here is that the Blue Jays medical staff found and diagnosed the problem right away.

At the end of the day it is not all that surprising to find that Saunders is hurt, as he has never played through a full season unscathed. In the past he has missed time with a shoulder sprain, shoulder inflammation, and an oblique strain. I just would've thought that he'd get injured on the turf in Montreal or at Rogers Centre, rather than in spring training. But I guess the Blue Jays play on crappy facilities there too, as Saunders got hurt stepping on a friggin' sprinkler shagging friggin' fly balls.

Freak accident? I think we can call it that. But it is a freak accident that is 100% preventable with proper facilities management. Because of that, the Blue Jays have lost their starting left fielder a bat in their lineup for 80-plus games in a year. But hey, now the front office will go and check on the conditions of the field their multi-million players play on. Now!

All is not lost, the season is not over before it begins, but damn it was a horrible thing to read right after breakfast.

In terms of outfield depth, it looks like Kevin Pillar's chances to make the team has just increased as someone who can handle all three outfield positions. Chris Dickerson, Ezequiel Carrera, and Caleb Gindl are all options as either the left fielder or the fourth outfielder and they will battle Pillar for those two spots unless another outfielder is acquired.Perhaps the Jays won't getting a reliever out of Dioner Navarro after all.

UPDATE

LOL this franchise.

Looks like a fresh grave, alright.

UPDATE 2

According to Gregor Chisholm, Andy Dirks will be back to doing "baseball activities" in a week or so. As a lefty, he could slot in well to replace Saunders temporarily if he is healthy and can hit at all.

UPDATE 3

Dirks unlike to be ready by opening day, but Danny Valencia can play some left! I guess left field is really where they stick people who can run a little and throw a little.

More From Bluebird Banter