Minnesota Twins' Manager Ron Gardenhire looking to play safe on Ryan Doumit's Injury- MLB
Minnesota Twins' manager, Ron Gardenhire, is in no mood of risking his backup catcher, Ryan Doumit, by using him unnecessarily behind the plate after he twisted his ankle in the game against the Cleveland Indians at the Progressive
Field. He is currently nursing a soar ankle and is kept away from fielding duties.
The 32-year-old is having a decent season with the bat with a .327 batting average and a .304 on-base percentage. He has batted in 35 runs and has gone deep on eight occasions in 66 games this far. He also had a decent time behind
the plate as well as in the right and left field where he has occasionally been stationed.
Ron believes that Ryan is fine but he will not risk him at this point in time by putting him in the game as a catcher unless there was an emergency situation and the catcher volunteers.
"He's OK," Gardenhire said. "I wouldn't want to put him behind the plate, not to start a game. If there's an emergency situation, and he says he can go do it, I've got no problem with that."
Manager Ron Gardenhire feels that it is best that Ryan is given some time away from the catching duties as he was unable to run at his best in the game against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday where he pinch hit in the ninth innings.
Doumit was in fact limping which shows that he needs more time.
"But it's not a perfect scenario right now squatting and bending on that ankle. I think, as you saw him pinch-hit last night and take off running, he wasn't running great. He was limping. He's a tough guy. He's going to tell you
he can go, and I respect that," Gardenhire said.
The team management decided to rest Ryan for the Minnesota Twins series against the Miami Marlins which was only based on two games. So there was no real need to pushing him in.
"It's only two games here," Gardenhire said. "A night and a day game. We can get through that."
This is the second season for Doumit with the Twins. His only previous team in the Majors were the Pittsburgh Pirates whom he represented for seven seasons.
Ryan Doumit himself is committed and raring to go. He is, as his manager describes, a tough guy and is willing to go all the way for the team. However, the management of the Twins' knows the value of this player and are unwilling to risk him at this point in
time.
Sometimes it is best to curb the enthusiasm and give time to an injury to heal. The Twins are making the right call by not risking an aggravation of the injury and allowing enough time to the catcher to get back in his best shape.
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