Hamstring has him hamstrung

Willie Bloomquist is caught between his competitive nature and reality, and reality is winning.
The all-purpose player the Seattle Mariners used all over their infield and outfield this season has a strained left hamstring that has all but ended his season – and he still has trouble giving up even a few games the final week of the season.
“Based on what the trainers and doctors have told me, it’s going to be another couple of weeks before I can do anything, and I’ve looked: That would leave me like four games left to the season,” Bloomquist said Saturday.
“Do I want to play? Yes. Will I? Probably not.”
For the first time in his career, the South Kitsap High School graduate is fighting his aggressiveness.
“My legs are my game. I’m not a DH, not a guy who’s going to hit the ball out of the park and trot around the bases,” Bloomquist said. “My game is speed – in the field and on the bases.”
Bloomquist has been told, in no uncertain terms, that rushing back from a hamstring injury almost certainly would risk reinjury and could well turn a minor problem into something major.
“Normally, I’m the worst patient in the world. I want to test myself, get back out there sooner,” Bloomquist said. “But this is different – for a couple of reasons.”
One is the Mariners’ record. If they were in a race, if a handful of games might make a difference, Bloomquist would try to play. That’s not the case.
“For a chance to help us get to the postseason, that’s worth the risk,” Bloomquist said.
Given the chance to play regularly – albeit at different positions – much of the second half, Bloomquist played 82 games this season and batted .257 with 22 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 15 attempts.
“I think I showed them I can play regularly, and I think I’ve got a lot more I can do offensively,” he said. “You don’t play regularly for a few years, it takes time to get back into it. I loved playing every day again.”
Vacation is over
Eddie Guardado was back in the closer’s role Saturday after taking Friday off – and hating it.
“My left knee has been a little swollen, and they wanted to give me a day or two,” Guardado said. “I’m not used to watching someone else work the ninth inning.”
Guardado looked like a man being tortured watching teammate J.J. Putz work the ninth Friday for his first save of the season. Once Putz got the third out, however, Guardado was on his feet and cheering.
“Watching was almost as hard as pitching in that situation,” Guardado said.

Source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/