Rest and rehab don't sit well with Sexson
Paola Boivin
Republic columnist
May. 8, 2004 12:00 AM
Disabled list? Richie Sexson belongs on a physically-unable-to-perform-like-an-injured-player list.
The man is everywhere. The Diamondbacks embark on an eight-day road trip and the first baseman with a bum shoulder sheepishly tags along.
Nine days ago the Diamondbacks predict he will be out four to six weeks, and Sexson says Friday he should be back in one.
He's either a man with an iron will on a mission to return quickly or a delusional athlete who has never had to wait for an injury to heal.
He's probably a bit of both.
"For him to have to sit and watch, I know it's just eating him up inside," manager Bob Brenly said. "He has turned himself into a pretty good cheerleader. He's the assistant batting coach, assistant manager and assistant first base coach."
The sooner Sexson returns, the better. The Diamondbacks managed just six hits in a 4-1 loss to Philadelphia. Starting pitcher Vicente Padilla hadn't won in nearly eight months.
Luis Gonzalez, who benefits from the protection Sexson offers batting cleanup, struck out in his final two at-bats.
Getting Sexson back next Friday, the first day he's eligible to come off the disabled list, would be a coup for a Diamondbacks team that has a chance to pick up ground during this 10-game homestand.
No one is more aware of Sexson's absence than Gonzalez. With Sexson in the lineup, No. 3 hitter Gonzalez batted .296. With Sexson out, Gonzalez is hitting .231.
Sans Sexson, pitchers treat Gonzalez differently. During a recent face-off with Chicago Cubs pitcher Glendon Rusch, Gonzalez saw nothing but breaking balls.
"If Richie's there, at least one of those pitches is a fastball," he said. "It's always nice to have the Big Bopper behind you."
Gonzalez looks forward to his teammate's return. But six days?
"I like it," Gonzalez said. "I'll drive a cart up to the plate for him."
Sexson would like nothing better than to be back in the lineup. This is foreign territory for a man who last year with Milwaukee became the first player to play every inning in a 162-game season since Cal Ripken Jr. in 1986.
"A lot of things go through your mind," he said. "You're disappointed for yourself, for your teammates. I know the organization went through a lot and gave away a lot of good players to get me here."
Sexson started working with weights Friday, he said, and he played catch before the game. There's always the danger that a restless injured player could do more damage by rushing through his rehabilitation, but he's not worried.
"I'd rather just get back as soon as I can," he said.
Until then, he's "just happy to be with the guys."
"I'm annoying everybody," he said. "I think they were getting a different flight for me out of Philly because I was wearing everybody out.
"I'm not really familiar with how to do this. You can get out of a baseball mode when you're away from your teammates and get away from the game. I want to be around everybody and be a cheerleader and watch the hitters so when I get back, my mind's not completely away from it."
Call Sexson enthusiastic. The Diamondbacks? Cautiously optimistic.
"When will Richie start swinging a bat? That's the $24,000 question," trainer Paul Lessard said. "I'm still worried about getting him stronger right now.
"When he's stronger, let's leave it at that. Rather than thinking five or six days ahead, I've been thinking one day at a time."
While General Manager Joe Garagiola Jr. is hopeful - "I hope he's (Sexson) right. God, I hope he's right" - he also knows how wishful thinking sometimes gets the best of determined athletes.
He remembers Curt Schilling writhing in pain on a training table in St. Louis, suffering from appendicitis.
"I happen to have a lot of excess collagen," he said between winces. "I heal fast."
Sexson thinks he does, too. Diamondbacks fans hope he's right.
