Overbay to the DL

Just when he was starting to feel better at the plate, Lyle Overbay gets struck on the right hand with a pitch from Chicago’s John Danks. An X-ray revealed a fracture and Overbay is expected to miss 4-6 weeks as a result. In the meantime, Matt Stairs will probably get the bulk of the playing time at first, and the Jays will call someone up from Triple-A to help out.

Overbay, who has played in at least 157 games in each of the past three years, has never been on the DL in his career. But, he’s an unfortunate member of the 2007 Toronto Blue Jays clubhouse.

Take a look at the injury woes that have plagued the Jays this season:

RHP Roy Halladay — DL stint in May after emergency appendectomy
3B Troy Glaus — DL stint in April with left heel issue. Troublesome left hammy.
LF Reed Johnson — On DL after back surgery. Possible return this month.
RHP Brandon League — On DL with shoulder issue. Possible return this month.
C Gregg Zaun — On DL with broken hand. Could return later this week.
1B Lyle Overbay — On DL with broken hand. Possibly out until mid-July.
RHP John Thomson — On DL with shoulder issue. No timetable announced.
RHP Victor Zambrano — On DL with forearm issue. No timetable announced.
LHP Gustavo Chacin — On DL with shoulder issue. No timetable announced.
LHP B.J. Ryan — On DL after elbow surgery. Out until 2008.
LHP Davis Romero — On DL after left shoulder surgery. Out until 2008.
CF Vernon Wells — Missed time earlier this year with flu symptoms.
C Jason Phillips — Missed time earlier this year with flu symptoms.
SS Royce Clayton — Missed time with left foot and back issues.
MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian — Missed one game with a back injury.

Did I miss anything? At least there’s no staph infections yet.

HE SAID IT: "It’s almost comical when you start thinking about all the guys who have gone down. I’ve never seen anything like this." — Overbay

11 comments

  1. enigma_d17@hotmail.com

    Reed and B.J. are the more devastating in my opionion. Even if Reed was struggling a little bit, it would move Alex Rios down in the line-up thus creating more RBI opportunities for the best Jay hitter so far this year.

    Zauny’s coming back soon, thankfully, because the fact of the matter is the jays need as much hitting as they can get untill Wells and Thomas start producing consistantly, this team wont put together a decent win streak/run.

  2. enigma_d17@hotmail.com

    I’d also like to add that this series with Tampa is a perfect opportunity to start a run. The Jays have their 2 best pitchers going and I expect Ohka to come away with a decent outing. I’m expecting a sweep and that in turn will put them above .500 which would be great.

  3. freedom_fighter1121@yahoo.com

    Yea I also agree that this series with Tampa is perfect to start a winning streak. Especially with Halladay going up against someone who is making their major league debut.

  4. gibby21aaa@hotmail.com

    A guys first outing is not usually a gift win. None of the Jays have seen him before and with the way they’ve been struggling to make adjustments lately, it could be a very lucky thing that the Jays have Halladay out there for it. They need a streak badly, and just when Overbay was getting his swing back he gets hurt. Hopefully Stairs can keep up the torrid pace and play some 1B in his absence!

  5. gsumner@rogers.com

    The Jays do have problems with soft throwing lefties and that’s what Sonnanstine is. However, when they get to Tampa’s bullpen, they will have success.

    I think Gibby did the right thing in delaying AJ’s start until the 3rd game of the series-giving both AJ and Marcum another days rest.

    I also hope he doesn’t keep running AJ’s pitch count up like he has in the last two outings-it’s a long season and we need him healthy.

    It’d be nice if Wells and Thomas started to pick it up the slack. We need them hitting to get on a serious run-hitting .150 in the last 7 games doesn’t do it.

  6. tower_1980@hotmail.com

    With Towers a supposed long middle reliever and only pitching 11 2/3 innings (with 9 earned runs) in May, what is the possibility the Jays are looking to trade him? I think he’s lost a lot of trust from the fans, but at the same time he has the potential to be a great starter.

  7. enigma_d17@hotmail.com

    qsumner,
    I completely agree with every point you made in that post.

    I get alittle concerned when A.J. is left in a game that he’s losing with a 110+ pitches. I understand the notion that he deserved to win a couple of those games but when the guy has had a history of arm trouble then in my opinion you don’t leave him out there unless the bullpen is taxed. I, like qs, also think Gibby did the right thing in holding him back the extra day.

    I still think Wells will snap out of it sooner or later. Thomas on the other hand i am growing concerned over. I realize that he got off to a slow start too last year, but this guy’s another year older.

    Like i’ve said before though I Hope Frank proves me wrong.

  8. Derek

    The Jays wouldn’t get much if anything for Towers. His contract is too much for teams to swallow for a guy who probably doesn’t belong in the majors and it expires at the end of the season. As for him having the potential of being a great starter, I just don’t see it. He doesn’t have great stuff and relies on pin point control to be effective and he hasn’t demonstrated that he has that pinpoint control. He gets crushed when his control is off so I just don’t see him being around too much longer.

  9. freedom_fighter1121@yahoo.com

    I guess you were right gibby21. I guess I forgot about Jesse Litche’s major league debut. But Halladay has no excuse giving up 7 runs in less than 4 innings.

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