The report is very disconcerting for Atlanta Braves fans.
Chipper Jones strained oblique muscle is only getting worse after reaggravating the injury trying to come back and play for his country.
He has finally decided to head back to Braves camp in hopes that he can be ready to play in a few days.
Some early reports stated that Chipper might not be available until opening day, but the latest reports—and even Chipper himself—said that he should be back within the week.
Chipper also expressed concerns about the current format of the WBC. He told reporters at Disney today, “There’s some serious problems with the WBC setup. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. But I wouldn’t do it again under the current format. There’s way too many days off. This tournament could be over by now.”
Very discouraging words about a tournament that no one in America really cares about and that Major League Baseball is trying to drum up support for.
Chipper went on to say, “Well, they kept me out five days in Canada, and I was probably ready to go on the third day. They were going to do the same thing so I said, screw it, I’m coming home."
Chipper is clearly frustrated.
Then in last night's game, Brian McCann was forced to play in left field. Yes Braves fans, I said left field. The reason given was that so many players were injured they had to do it.
What happens if there's a bloop fly ball and McCann goes charging in after it? What happens is he pulls a hammy or collides with the short stop on a fly ball?
What happens is the top catcher in the National League—and maybe all of baseball—is lost for most of the beginning of the season.
What happens is a lot of fans are really ticked off and ready to mutiny.
It's bad enough having Chipper already gimpy just weeks into the spring.
The list of American players injured is quite impressive.
How do Red Sox fans feel about the reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia straining his left abdominal at the WBC? At first his injury was thought to be more serious and that he could have missed weeks instead of days.
How about Brewers fans? Ryan Braun was lost to tightness in his right side today at the WBC.
Could these injuries happen in spring training? Absolutely.
But the problem I have is that these players would all be taking things slowly at camp. Players never give 100 percent in the spring.
Spring training is just that—training. Training your body to get ready for the next six-to-seven months of grueling day-in day-out baseball.
So when you have a real competition—especially one in which you are supposedly defending your countries honor and playing for pride—you are forced to give 100 percent, before your body is ready to.
That is the reason we're seeing strains and pulls instead of tears and breaks.
And before you give me the "these players are physical specimens, and they should be working out in the Winter" argument, I say this: You go from swinging a 36-plus ounce bat 15-20 times a game for six months, to not swinging for a couple months. See how quickly you get back into the groove.
What the players do in the offseason is weight conditioning and strength maintaining.
Spring training is game conditioning. Spring training is where you get back into the "swing" of things.
The WBC needs to be moved to the middle of the season and played during the All-Star break every fourth season—just like the Olympics.
At least our franchise heroes would be in good condition and ready to play 100 percent for their respective countries instead of potentially destroying our postseason chances before opening day.
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