Beckett is Back from DL to Pitch Tonight - Dealing with Torn Labrum

Josh Beckett is either a warrior of the godly class, or a reckless fool who is risking a future Baseball career.

As you may know, Josh Beckett was placed on the Disabled List in early July for what had been described as a left hip impingement.  As Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com mentioned at the time:

Beckett, 34, has been dealing with intermittent pain in the hip for a couple of weeks, and he felt a twinge while running the bases Sunday in Colorado, leaving the game after pitching five scoreless innings.

Well, Beckett has just been called back up to start tonight's game against Pittsburgh.  At the same time, we are learning more about his current condition, via Evan Petzold at Sports Injury Alert:

Beckett has been dealing with a torn labrum and two cysts in one of his hips. He has recovered from his injury and will start on Tuesday against the Pirates. Beckett believes he will be fine, the injections are helping but we do not know how long that can last until it becomes overwhelming.

Holy Batman, Robin!  So, he's going to tough it out and pitch tonight?  That's a little crazy if you ask me.  I get that his hip is feeling much better, but how long should we expect that to last?  And, at what point does the health and well being of a player trump the teams desire to win.  I get that it's likely Beckett who is going all out to continue to contribute, but at some point a more rational head needs to step in.  A torn anything can't possibly portend to anything but bad news for the immediate future; both on the field and to his quality of life after the game.

The corollary move to Beckett's recall is to send left-handed reliever Paco Rodriguez back down to Albuquerque.  Paco pitched well during his most recent stint with the team.  He had back-to-back scoreless appearances on Friday and Saturday.

Pic at the very top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014

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Blog Kiosk: 7/22/2014 - Dodger Links - Cardinals are Reckelss and Careless, Is AGon Heating Up?

Hyun-Jin Ryu fans were in force in Pittsburgh last night.  They came out with signs and cheers.  Check out the pic above featuring some of them, via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.  Ryu pitched 7 strong innings in the Dodger 5 to 2 win over the PIrates.  He struck out 5 and walked only 1 batter.

Of special note, Adrian Gonzalez looks to be heating up.  Since the teams return from the All-Star break he has gotten a hit in every game, and last night he recorded 3 hits (including a couple of doubles).  He has career low numbers so far this season, but I do not believe that will last.  He's just too good a hitter.  I wouldn't be surprised to see him go on a tear and watch his stats move closer to the mean.

• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, Adrian Gonzalez believes the Cardinal pitchers are reckless and careless:

“One thing is pitching inside and another thing is pitching inside carelessly. They’re obviously showing that they don’t care if they hit him. They’re not on purpose, but they don’t care if they hit him. They hit Hanley last year, they hit [Yasiel] Puig yesterday, they hit Hanley twice today. It’s almost like, ‘Hey, we’re going to throw it inside. If we hit you, we hit you. If we don’t, we don’t.’

• JP Hoornstra at Inside the Dodgers cogently explains why the team is received additional x-rays of Puig and Hanley.  Thanks, JP.  That was very helpful.  BTW, Bill Plunkett at the OC Register lets us know that both of those follow-up x-rays in Pittsburgh also ended up being negative.
• Here's an early peak at the Dodger lunch box they are giving away to kids on Sunday, August 17th on the right.
• Via Sax at the Sons of Steve Garvey, "Three Dodgers in Keith Law's Top 50 MLB Prospects."
• Think Purple Drank puts together a fun list of five ballplayers he would purposefully hit on the buttocks.  I'd like to include Reggie Jackson, even though he's an old man.  He can take it though.  Have you seen him lately?  He still look really fit, so it wouldn't hurt him.  It's just that I still hate him for his interference play and three-home runs in the playoffs... Damn you! (as I shake my fist in the air).
• If I were to put on my unbiased observer hat on, I would say that this is a savvy move by the Giants.  Via Ken Rosenthal on twitter, the Giants have picked up Dan Uggla off of waivers.  Uggla has had several recent terrible seasons, but has shown in the past the ability to get on base and record high slugging percentages - translating into a high OPS.  Also, it's just a minor league deal, so it's cheap and they get to see if he has anything left.  IN other words, he's a low risk, high potential reward pick up.
• Apparently, the Dodgers have signed another youngster.  Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dodgers reportedly sign Keivert Ruiz for $140,000."  The kid ia 16-years old and a catcher.  According to Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest they also signed first baseman Eric Meza from Mexico.
• The Real BSmile makes note that the very first night Baseball game in Los Angeles happened on this date in 1930.  It was at old Wrigley Field, and some 25,000 Angelenos attended the game.  Go here to see a vintage photo of the spectacle.

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