Akinori Iwamura Carted Off Field With Leg Injury

by Tommy Rancel on May 24, 2009 5:36 PM EDT

Update: The Rays are sending Akinori Iwamura back to St. Petersburg where he will get an MRI on Monday. It seems like he will likely head to the DL.

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Rays second basemen Akinori Iwamura was carted off the field in today's game after being taken out on a slide by Marlins left fielder Chris Coghlan. Coghlan, trying to break up the double play, slid hard into second base and whiped out Iwamura's left leg. He succeeded in breaking up the 1-4-3 double play, however Jason Barlett on a heads up play, reached into Iwamura's glove, grabbed the ball and nailed John Baker trying to sneak in a run at home to complete the double play. The slide itself wasn't "dirty," but there was no intent by Coghlan to do anything but take out Iwamura. For Baker to keep running is a bit of a classless move in my opinion.

I'm not going to speculate on the severity of Iwamura's injury, but it didn't look good and the Rays had to cart Iwamura off the field to protect his left knee. In the interim, I would expect Ben Zobrist to get the most time at second base. If Iwamura does go on the DL, this would probably buy some more roster time for Reid Brignac, who would become the primary back up at middle infielder. I'm guessing an outfielder like Justin Ruggiano or Matt Joyce would be called up and take Iwamura's roster spot at least until Pat Burrell is ready. We will pass along updates as we get them, but in the mean time, good luck, Aki.

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Comments

Looked slightly like the McGahee injury from the 2002 Title game.

by Erik Hahmann on May 24, 2009 4:38 PM EDT reply actions

That was gross

I was talking with somebody about that the other day

Do what you love to do and give it your very best. Whether it's business or baseball, or the theater, or any field. If you don't love what you're doing and you can't give it your best, get out of it. Life is too short. You'll be an old man before you know it.

-Al Lopez

by Sandy Kazmir on May 24, 2009 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9-KkUH8yt8

by Erik Hahmann on May 24, 2009 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

It didn't look anywhere near as bad

We don’t have an angle that shows his leg had turned into a swivel joint.

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on May 24, 2009 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions

I said slightly.

by Erik Hahmann on May 24, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Man, the reply had me cringing...

I really hope it’s not as bas as it looked. Aki is the man.

by Couch Guy on May 24, 2009 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

replay, my bad

by Couch Guy on May 24, 2009 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Ugh.

by R.J. Anderson on May 24, 2009 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

On the bright side

It answers the question of who goes down to bring Price up.

AC/DC + Tampa Bay Rays = Big Balls on a Budget

by Orlando Rays on May 24, 2009 5:06 PM EDT reply actions

I thought the slide was questionable...

Coghlan really came down on him. The contact was unavoidable. Seemed a little dirty just how he rolled into him than more of a slide.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on May 24, 2009 5:34 PM EDT reply actions

Whitney Johnson will get the scoop

by FreeZorilla on May 24, 2009 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions

He isn't in Miami

And he should be. I am sure Whitney will be at the MRI office trying to knock the walls down. And if not Whitney, I am sure Rich Herrera will.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on May 24, 2009 5:38 PM EDT reply actions

i missed the game today

And now I see Evan Longoria is listed on the 60 day DL on the right side panel. Tell me thats not true

by Big Worm on May 24, 2009 5:57 PM EDT reply actions

No, and we aren't in control of that sidebar, so ignore it.

by R.J. Anderson on May 24, 2009 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions

.

tboraysCoghlan comes to rays clubhouse, tells Aki he feels awful

by R.J. Anderson on May 24, 2009 6:04 PM EDT reply actions

I think more of Coghlan for that.

I don’t think the slide had any malicious intent, but it was sloppy, late, and dangerous.

by BigBadBossman on May 24, 2009 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Coghlan's a rookie.

If he does it again, he’s a douchebag. For now, go ahead and take this.

AC/DC + Tampa Bay Rays = Big Balls on a Budget

by Orlando Rays on May 25, 2009 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions

mind if i post that at RaysBB?

by yeseggs on May 24, 2009 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Isn't sloppy, late and dangerous...

Bad enough?? Come on, my friend. It was bad form, but kudos to Coghlan. He is a Tarpon Springs kid, graduated from ELHS.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on May 24, 2009 6:16 PM EDT reply actions

get well soon :(

by mittens on May 24, 2009 6:36 PM EDT reply actions

Slide

I had to listed on XM – Marlins feed, they called the slide clean and said Foley seemed to acknowledge that by talking with Coghlan and then patting him on the back…haven’t seen it, but thought I would pass that along. This is bad, but I was effectivley mortified when Bartlett might have been hurt.

by Dad2sca on May 24, 2009 6:48 PM EDT reply actions

This isn't the NFL....

No chop blocks. Its not like the 2B ump can throw a flag for an illegal block…errr slide. Tom Brady now has company on how it feels to get rolled up on. I appreciate Coghlan’s class about it, but the sloppiness of the play is what bothered me. No restitution, not like the ump could have called the hitter out on that. Imagine if the runner coming around 3rd would have scored, there would have been a justly deserved uproar why didn’t the umpire call time out and stopped play? Heads up by Bartlett.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on May 24, 2009 8:36 PM EDT reply actions

John Baker/Marlins 3rd Base Coach

Is a d-bag for trying to sneak in the run.

by PlayOnWords on May 24, 2009 9:20 PM EDT reply actions

That's another angle of the situation

No one will talk about that one. Good point, because the continuation is sneaky. If the run scored, I would think Maddon would have run out and asked why TIME OUT was called by the umpire. The umpire has the discretion within the rules to stop play for injury. Apparently from reading some more comments, there were some Rays players upset about the slide. Heck, I get what Coghlan tried to do but his EXECUTION is what I am mad at. It reminded me of A-Rod and Bronson Arroyo, except here, a serious injury occurred. Fortunately, they got an out on the play, but the umpire should have stopped, or better yet, has the discretion to stop the action in that sequence.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on May 24, 2009 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm pretty sure that anyone who's ever played any kind of organized or sandlot sport

Will agree that an obvious, on-field injury constitutes a stoppage of play. Trying to swipe the lead there lacked class.

by PlayOnWords on May 24, 2009 9:36 PM EDT up reply actions

After thinking about it more, I'm not sure if Baker could have known how serious it was.

If he’s busting tail to get to 3rd he probably figures it was a busted play and maybe the ball went to the OF. I would have to put any anger on the 3rd base coach whom had the play in front of him.

-Al Lopez

by Sandy Kazmir on May 25, 2009 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions