SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Team USA manager Joe Torre admitted last night he was shocked at the extent of Mark Teixeira’s wrist injury. He also was surprised when he saw the lineup the Yankees are running out there these days.
The former Yankees manager also spoke to the current manager Joe Girardi about Teixeira’s wrist injury that will keep the slugger sidelined eight to 10 weeks. Teixeira suffered the injury hitting off a batting tee on Tuesday at Team USA’s practice for the World Baseball Classic.
“That blew me over,’’ Torre said Wednesday night of the Teixeira diagnosis that came down earlier in the day. “It surprised the heck out of me. He felt tightness. I went in the trainer’s room and it was wrapped up in ice. I said did you feel something pop and he said no, it was tight. That’s what he told [hitting coach] Gerald Perry and he sent him inside. The x-ray was negative.’’
Torre spoke with Teixeira Tuesday night. “He texted me, [said] sorry this happened. So I called him and we talked.’’
As for his conversation with Girardi, Torre said, “Joe called me [Tuesday] night. He’s fine. It’s stuff you can’t control. I watch that lineup they throw out there with people you’ve never heard of. And the thing that catches attention is at home, because what we always did and continue to do, you play your lineup at home because you sell out. So you know when that’s the case, it’s not like guys didn’t want to travel. They’ve been beat up pretty good.
“It’s very tough. But what are your options after it happens to you,’’ Torre added. “Sit around and say what if?’’
Torre then offered this suggestion: “When you get injuries, try to find a way to plug the hole. If you start to feel sorry for yourself, there’ll be a lot of people walking over the top of you.’’
Torre said he feels terrible Teixeira got injured at the WBC, but also realizes it was an injury that could have happened in Tampa.
“That’s the one pledge I gave the managers and the general managers,’’ Torre said, “that I’d take good care of their players and return them. But I also said at the GM meetings, anything can happen, someone can step off a curb. But for what he was doing, that was just the surprising part.’’
Teixeira took extra hitting with Team USA the day before suffering the injury and did not have any problems.
David Wright pointed out Teixeira’s injury could not be blamed on the WBC.
“He did it swinging off a tee. They got tees in Tampa,’’ Wright said.
“You can get hurt here. You can get hurt in St. Lucie, Tampa, it doesn’t matter. Every spring training guys get hurt. It’s kind of the nature of the beast. It’s unfortunate, but Tex would be the first one to tell you that this is part of the game. There is nothing he could have done to prepare himself more to not get hurt. Everybody is doing the same thing in camps that we are doing.’’
Torre asked Wright about Ike Davis as a replacement for Teixeira, but Torre settled on Kansas City first baseman Eric Hosmer because Hosmer could join the team immediately.
“I gave him glowing reviews, but they decided to go in a different direction,’’ Wright said.
As for Mets fans worried about Wright getting injured, Wright assured them he is doing everything the proper way.
“This isn’t a vacation,’’ he said. “It’s not like we’re rolling out of bed and playing games. We’re preparing the same way that we would prepare if we were in St. Lucie or in Mark’s case, Tampa. We have the best of the best facilities here. Freak accidents happen.
“The intensity is high. This is the real deal. Joe told us in the first meeting he wants to send us back in better shape than when he got us. There’s been a great line of communication here. This place is beautiful, the top of the line. I want to take some pictures and bring them back to St. Lucie.’’