Closer Kerry Wood lost to Cleveland Indians for six to eight weeks
By Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer
March 20, 2010, 2:43PM
UPDATED: 4:35 p.m.
Kerry Wood will open season on disabled list.GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians have lost closer Kerry Wood for six to eight weeks with a strained right latissimus dorsi muscle. Chris Perez will open the season as the closer.
The latissimus dorsi is located under the shoulder. Indians head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff said Wood is experiencing pain in his right armpit.
Wood underwent an MRI Thursday and the strain was discovered.
"It's a setback," said GM Mark Shapiro. "In the second half of last season Kerry showed dominant numbers and was a dominant guy. We haven't really had any challenging news this spring. You expect something to come up.
"This is not a long-term situation. It's a short-term situation."
Soloff called the injury a "moderate strain."
Wood's last Cactus League appearance was March 10. He was scratched from his next scheduled appearance March 13, but the Indians said the injury was not serious.
"This is an area that Kerry usually experiences soreness in during spring training," said Soloff. "After the soreness hadn't resolved in four or five days, we worked it up diagnostically with an MRI. The MRI revealed the strain."
Soloff said he didn't think the injury occurred on one pitch. Soloff said Wood has experienced soreness in the lat muscle for the last four or five years in spring training.
"If there is one positive, it's not his elbow or shoulder," said Soloff, "where he's experienced surgical issues in the past."
Wood has been on the disabled list 12 times in his career. He's headed for No.13 right now.
Soloff said Wood can start playing catch in 10 to 14 days. He said Wood would probably break camp with the Indians and continue his rehab in Cleveland. The Indians leave Arizona on April 3.
Wood is the third highest paid player on the team. He'll make $10.5 million this year. Last season went save 20 games in 26 chances.
Perez came to Cleveland along with Jess Todd from St. Louis last season in the Mark DeRosa trade. He was a closer throughout his minor league career, recording 60 saves. In 2008, he saved seven games for the Cardinals. He had one save for St. Louis last year before the trade and saved another game with the Indians.
"It's not a good situation for our team," said Perez. "We were expecting Kerry to have a big year for us.
"But it's only six to eight weeks. Hopefully, it's shorter than that. I hope Kerry comes back a couple weeks into the season."
Perez's goal is to close in the big leagues..
"I'm excited, but at the same time it stinks that it had to come with Kerry getting hurt," said Perez. "I think, hopefully, they're being cautious right now and that he comes back a lot quicker than the doctors said."
Perez, 24, looks at the opportunity as an "audtition."
"It's a good audtion," he said. "It's a good way for the new coaching staff to get a look at me. I hope I take the ball and run with it and get off to a good start and help this team get off to a good start. I think that's one of the easiest ways to ruin a season right off the bat is to have the bullpen blow games.
"It's going to be tough replacing Kerry. It definitely hurts our pen because everyone is going to have to slide up into different roles than what they expecting going into the season. At the same time, it's more opportunity for us. Somebody is going to have to pick it up. I hope it's me to start off with."
Perez, 6-4, 230 pounds, was drafted by the Cardinals in 2006. He was a sandwich pick, the 42nd player taken in the draft.
He went to Class A Quad City as a closer and saved 12 games. He progressed through the Cardinal system as a door slammer.
"I've been around some good closers the last couple of years in Kerry Wood, Ryan Franklin and Jason Isringhausen," said Perez. "I picked up stuff from all of them. The biggest thing they say is that it's mentality. You've got the stuff, you've got the tools. It's just believing in yourself and doing it."