The Minnesota Twins' fading playoff hopes took one more hit Tuesday when it was announced that All-Star 1B Justin Morneau will miss the remainder of the season.
Morneau has been fighting back pain for weeks, but a CT scan along with an MRI on Monday acknowledged that he has a crack in his lower back.
The condition shouldn't figure to need surgery. Physicians have told Morneau to rest the back for the coming three month|fall season.
Morneau injured himself on a headfirst slide into 1st base on Friday and has not played since.
Before this past week's incident, the slugging first baseman had previously been playing with tenderness off and on for a fair amount of time. Accordingly, his numbers have suffered mightily; Morneau was batting just .077 in the month of September to drop his season average to .274. Prior to this slide, he was hitting above the .300 mark. Having had only 9 hits over a span of 22 games, it was apparent that something was amiss.
"You can play with the discomfort if you feel like you're helping the franchise or doing things to help your colleagues out and win games," Morneau said. "When you play and you do not feel like you're helping anybody, that is when you kind of take a step back and say, 'All right, perhaps I'm doing more harm than good.' "
Despite his struggles recently, Morneau finishes the 2009 season with 30 HRs and one hundred RBIs. The home run total is higher than his 2008 total of 23.
Michael Cuddyer should become the primary first baseman in Morneau's absence.
Even with the condition, Morneau remains optimistic about the Twins' chances the rest of the way.
"Hopefully I'll see the guys go on a run here and act as cheerleader and that is about it," Morneau claimed.
Morneau has been fighting back pain for weeks, but a CT scan along with an MRI on Monday acknowledged that he has a crack in his lower back.
The condition shouldn't figure to need surgery. Physicians have told Morneau to rest the back for the coming three month|fall season.
Morneau injured himself on a headfirst slide into 1st base on Friday and has not played since.
Before this past week's incident, the slugging first baseman had previously been playing with tenderness off and on for a fair amount of time. Accordingly, his numbers have suffered mightily; Morneau was batting just .077 in the month of September to drop his season average to .274. Prior to this slide, he was hitting above the .300 mark. Having had only 9 hits over a span of 22 games, it was apparent that something was amiss.
"You can play with the discomfort if you feel like you're helping the franchise or doing things to help your colleagues out and win games," Morneau said. "When you play and you do not feel like you're helping anybody, that is when you kind of take a step back and say, 'All right, perhaps I'm doing more harm than good.' "
Despite his struggles recently, Morneau finishes the 2009 season with 30 HRs and one hundred RBIs. The home run total is higher than his 2008 total of 23.
Michael Cuddyer should become the primary first baseman in Morneau's absence.
Even with the condition, Morneau remains optimistic about the Twins' chances the rest of the way.
"Hopefully I'll see the guys go on a run here and act as cheerleader and that is about it," Morneau claimed.
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