Injury fells Tigers' Tony Giarratano, creates 'significant

ANOTHER SETBACK: Injury fells Tigers' Tony Giarratano, creates 'significant concern'

January 25, 2008

BY JON PAUL MOROSI

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

Tigers prospect Tony Giarratano has had yet another setback in his attempt to return from a series of injuries.

Giarratano had been on track to start spring training with the big-league club, but he re-injured his right shoulder last week. Dan Lunetta, the team’s director of minor league operations, said Thursday that he does not expect Giarratano to be ready when full-squad workouts begin in roughly one month.

When asked about the severity of the setback, Lunetta said, “I would certainly say that it’s one that creates some significant concern.”

Giarratano missed all of last season after undergoing surgery on his labrum during spring training. Lunetta said on Thursday that surgery could be an option again.

“We’re still in the process of getting a complete medical diagnosis and then a prognosis on where this may lead,” Lunetta said. “We’re not at the end of the road with gathering information.

“It’s something that we’re evaluating on a day-to-day basis, as is Tony.”

Giarratano, 25, was once viewed as Detroit’s shortstop of the future, but he has not played in a regular season game since July 2006. He missed the second half of that season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

The Tigers had hoped that Giarratano would be the starting shortstop at Triple-A Toledo this year. Now, his immediate future is in doubt.

Brent Dlugach, another of the organization’s top shortstop prospects, has been progressing on schedule after shoulder surgery, Lunetta said. He will probably not participate in spring training until the end of camp, but he should be ready to play in games by April or May.

MORE MINORS: Reliever P.J. Finigan, who missed nearly all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June, should be ready for full activity in spring training, Lunetta said. Finigan, 25, was one of the farm system’s top relievers in 2006 … Right-hander Luke Putkonen, the team’s third-round pick in last year’s draft, has had arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder and is not expected to throw off a mound until May or June, Lunetta said … The Tigers will hold a minor-league minicamp again this year, beginning Feb. 21 in Lakeland, Fla. Shortstop Cale Iorg and right-hander Brandon Hamilton are among those expected to participate.
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Last edited by GoGetEmTigers on Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:25 am; edited 1 time in total

Tony sure can't catch a good break!! Two years in a row... Are we sure he isn't related to Joel Zumes??? confused

And now he's been released...

Hate to see this happen but on the bright side, now the Tigers can concentrate on a prospect whos name everyone can pronounce...

....like Dlugach or Iorg!! Perturbed

That's the uncontrolled variable...the human body!
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971