azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Jack Magruder, Tribune
Luis Gonzalez has special plans for the Diamondbacks’ off day in Washington on Friday — he and his family will tour the White House.
Gonzalez’s wife, Christine, and their 6-year-old triplets also will attend the Nationals’ home opener on Thursday, the first game regular-season game in Washington, D.C., in 34 years.
"It’s a special opportunity for us to do something like that,’’ Gonzalez said. "It will be crazy, but at the same time it will be exciting because it is the start of baseball again in Washington.’’
Gonzalez visited the Oval Office when he was sworn in as a member of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation on Jan. 30, 2003, and was among the speakers when President Bush made a campaign stop in Phoenix last summer.
"We were able to pull a few strings,’’ Gonzalez said with a smile.
Manager Bob Melvin also is to tour the White House on Friday. He missed the DBacks’ trip to the White House after the World Series because it conflicted with daughter Lexie’s birthday.
INJURY UPDATES
MRIs on Jose Cruz Jr. (back) and Greg Aquino (elbow) indicated nerve trouble but no structural damage, the D-Backs medical staff reported, and Cruz could be back in the lineup in a day or two.
Cruz was replaced by Quinton McCracken for a third consecutive day Tuesday because of a nerve irritation in his lower back. Cruz said he has been feeling tingling and occasional numbness in his right leg since Sunday, but the D-Backs consider him day to day.
Aquino, who went on the DL Monday, probably will not pick up a ball for at least 10 days, trainer Paul Lessard, and could start strengthening exercises with Derek Steveson on Monday while the D-Backs are on the road.
The concern is that Aquino’s nerve irritation could lead to ulnar nerve transposition surgery, an operation that both Oscar Villarreal and Brandon Lyon have had in the last year. "We’ll try to rehab it for awhile,’’ Melvin said. "It’s a tough one to forecast.’’
HOOP DREAMS
Rockies players Shawn Chacon, Brian Fuentes, Javier Lopez and Matt Holliday have been invited to a Denver Nuggets game, courtesy of the Nuggets, after being ejected from a Suns-Denver game by Suns owner Robert Sarver.
The quartet was chiding Sarver, unaware of his identity, for his histrionics on the sideline during the March 28 game at America West Arena. Sarver called security and had Chacon, Fuentes and Lopez thrown out.
"Unfortunately, you can have a passion for something and someone else doesn’t have that passion, and that person has the keys to the building,’’ Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said.
BONUS SHOT
If Cruz cannot go today, Melvin said Luis Terrero could make his first start of the season in center field because the Rockies are throwing a left-hander, Jeff Francis. The D-Backs saw eight consecutive righties to open the season.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=39508
Luis Gonzalez has special plans for the Diamondbacks’ off day in Washington on Friday — he and his family will tour the White House.
Gonzalez’s wife, Christine, and their 6-year-old triplets also will attend the Nationals’ home opener on Thursday, the first game regular-season game in Washington, D.C., in 34 years.
"It’s a special opportunity for us to do something like that,’’ Gonzalez said. "It will be crazy, but at the same time it will be exciting because it is the start of baseball again in Washington.’’
Gonzalez visited the Oval Office when he was sworn in as a member of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation on Jan. 30, 2003, and was among the speakers when President Bush made a campaign stop in Phoenix last summer.
"We were able to pull a few strings,’’ Gonzalez said with a smile.
Manager Bob Melvin also is to tour the White House on Friday. He missed the DBacks’ trip to the White House after the World Series because it conflicted with daughter Lexie’s birthday.
INJURY UPDATES
MRIs on Jose Cruz Jr. (back) and Greg Aquino (elbow) indicated nerve trouble but no structural damage, the D-Backs medical staff reported, and Cruz could be back in the lineup in a day or two.
Cruz was replaced by Quinton McCracken for a third consecutive day Tuesday because of a nerve irritation in his lower back. Cruz said he has been feeling tingling and occasional numbness in his right leg since Sunday, but the D-Backs consider him day to day.
Aquino, who went on the DL Monday, probably will not pick up a ball for at least 10 days, trainer Paul Lessard, and could start strengthening exercises with Derek Steveson on Monday while the D-Backs are on the road.
The concern is that Aquino’s nerve irritation could lead to ulnar nerve transposition surgery, an operation that both Oscar Villarreal and Brandon Lyon have had in the last year. "We’ll try to rehab it for awhile,’’ Melvin said. "It’s a tough one to forecast.’’
HOOP DREAMS
Rockies players Shawn Chacon, Brian Fuentes, Javier Lopez and Matt Holliday have been invited to a Denver Nuggets game, courtesy of the Nuggets, after being ejected from a Suns-Denver game by Suns owner Robert Sarver.
The quartet was chiding Sarver, unaware of his identity, for his histrionics on the sideline during the March 28 game at America West Arena. Sarver called security and had Chacon, Fuentes and Lopez thrown out.
"Unfortunately, you can have a passion for something and someone else doesn’t have that passion, and that person has the keys to the building,’’ Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said.
BONUS SHOT
If Cruz cannot go today, Melvin said Luis Terrero could make his first start of the season in center field because the Rockies are throwing a left-hander, Jeff Francis. The D-Backs saw eight consecutive righties to open the season.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=39508
