BOSTON -- The Detroit Tigers paid a steep price for their latest victory.
<!--------------------------START PLAYER CARD------------------><TABLE class=tableheadFixWidth cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD class=whitelink colSpan=2>Placido Polanco</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>
Second Base
Detroit Tigers
Profile</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=190 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead align=middle><TD align=middle colSpan=6>2006 SEASON STATISTICS</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">GM</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">HR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">RBI</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">R</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">OBP</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">AVG</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#ffffff><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">103</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">3</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">44</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">54</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">.325</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">.294</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!---------------------INLINE MINI-PLAYER CARD ENDS HERE--------------------->
Reliable second baseman Placido Polanco was placed on the disabled list on Wednesday, one day after he suffered a separated left shoulder in a 3-2 triumph over the Boston Red Sox.
The veteran infielder was injured after making an over-the-shoulder catch in shallow right-center field in the seventh inning. The play helped preserve a 2-1 lead for the Tigers with the potential tying run at second base. Polanco made the catch in full stride, but lost his balance and landed on his left shoulder.
"I felt it [pop out]," Polanco said after Tuesday night's game.
Batting mostly second in the lineup and sometimes in the leadoff spot, Polanco is hitting .294 with three homers and 44 RBI this season.
"You don't replace a guy like Polanco," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "We'll have no excuses. We'll go out and play our [tails] off and we'll see if we're good enough."
In his ninth major league season -- second with the Tigers -- Polanco owns a career average of .300 with 62 homers and 374 RBI. The 30-year-old Dominican also has played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies.
Omar Infante, who had been serving as a utility infielder, will receive the bulk of the playing time at second base in Polanco's absence. Infante was Detroit's starting second baseman last season before the Tigers acquired Polanco from Philadelphia for reliever Ugueth Urbina in June.
In Tuesday's game, Leyland used catcher Ivan Rodriguez at second base since Infante started at third base and had already been replaced by Brandon Inge. It was Rodriguez's first appearance at second base in his 1,983rd major league game. Rodriguez also used Polanco's glove, which has the Dominican flag sewn on it.
Infielder Ramon Santiago was recalled from Triple-A Toledo of the International League on Wednesday to replace Polanco on the roster.
The Tigers (78-41) own the best record in baseball and a 6½ game lead over the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central Division.
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<!--------------------------START PLAYER CARD------------------><TABLE class=tableheadFixWidth cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD class=whitelink colSpan=2>Placido Polanco</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>
Detroit Tigers
Profile</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=190 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead align=middle><TD align=middle colSpan=6>2006 SEASON STATISTICS</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">GM</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">HR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">RBI</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">R</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">OBP</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">AVG</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#ffffff><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">103</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">3</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">44</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">54</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">.325</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">.294</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!---------------------INLINE MINI-PLAYER CARD ENDS HERE--------------------->
Reliable second baseman Placido Polanco was placed on the disabled list on Wednesday, one day after he suffered a separated left shoulder in a 3-2 triumph over the Boston Red Sox.
The veteran infielder was injured after making an over-the-shoulder catch in shallow right-center field in the seventh inning. The play helped preserve a 2-1 lead for the Tigers with the potential tying run at second base. Polanco made the catch in full stride, but lost his balance and landed on his left shoulder.
"I felt it [pop out]," Polanco said after Tuesday night's game.
Batting mostly second in the lineup and sometimes in the leadoff spot, Polanco is hitting .294 with three homers and 44 RBI this season.
"You don't replace a guy like Polanco," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "We'll have no excuses. We'll go out and play our [tails] off and we'll see if we're good enough."
In his ninth major league season -- second with the Tigers -- Polanco owns a career average of .300 with 62 homers and 374 RBI. The 30-year-old Dominican also has played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies.
Omar Infante, who had been serving as a utility infielder, will receive the bulk of the playing time at second base in Polanco's absence. Infante was Detroit's starting second baseman last season before the Tigers acquired Polanco from Philadelphia for reliever Ugueth Urbina in June.
In Tuesday's game, Leyland used catcher Ivan Rodriguez at second base since Infante started at third base and had already been replaced by Brandon Inge. It was Rodriguez's first appearance at second base in his 1,983rd major league game. Rodriguez also used Polanco's glove, which has the Dominican flag sewn on it.
Infielder Ramon Santiago was recalled from Triple-A Toledo of the International League on Wednesday to replace Polanco on the roster.
The Tigers (78-41) own the best record in baseball and a 6½ game lead over the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central Division.
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