Ivan Rodriguez Placed on DL
By Editorial Staff
The Washington Nationals have placed catcher Ivan Rodriguez on the 15 day disabled list with a strained oblique.
Pudge had been nursing the injury for a few days and was scratched before Thursday’s contest against the Cubs. Rodriguez and the Nationals hoped a night off would allow the catcher to get back to good, but he was still feeling discomfort in his side yesterday.
"“As a player you don’t want this kind of thing,” Rodriguez said. “At the same time it’s an injury that’s never happened before, and the good was it’s not that bad.”"
The Nationals didn’t want to take a chance on the injury becoming more severe and decided to use the upcoming break to give Rodriguez some time off.
"“I don’t think he pulled it bad,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “I just think he pulled it and strained it. It is something you don’t mess with. It’s something where once you have a little strain in your oblique, if you continue playing, you could really make it bad.”"
Washington signed Rodriguez to a two year $6 million deal in December of 2009. This year Rodriguez has posted a line of .214/.276/.325 in 39 games for the Nationals.
Jesus Flores has been recalled from Triple-A to take Pudge’s roster spot, while Wilson Ramos will remain Washington’s primary catcher. The former top prospect had a great start of his 2011 season, but tailed off in May and June. Ramos has turned it on this month, posting an OPS of 1.178 with 5 extra base hits and 7 RBIs over 7 July games.
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