Buehrle's injury not as serious as first feared

[WebHamster]

Tucson, AZ (Sports Network) - Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle could be ready for the start of the season after tests Monday on his left foot were inconclusive.

It was originally feared that Buehrle had sustained a hairline fracture while shagging fly balls at the team's spring training complex on Sunday, but an MRI exam and a CT scan did not reveal anything as serious.

White Sox trainer Herm Schneider termed it a "stress reaction" and will watch the lefthander carefully for the next couple of days.

"I would like to be able to tell you guys something clear-cut," said White Sox general manager Ken Williams on Monday night. "I would like to know on a more clear-cut level, but it simply is not. We have to proceed as the symptoms progress."

Buehrle said he had tremendous pain on Sunday night, but added that it had subsided by Monday morning. He expects to be ready for Opening Day.

"I feel like I'll be able to go," said Buehrle on Monday, just a couple of days after tossing six perfect innings in his last Cactus League start.

The 25-year-old Buehrle was 16-10 last season with a 3.89 earned run average in 35 starts. He closed the season by winning five of his last seven starts, and led the American League in innings pitched with 245 1/3.

Over the last four seasons he is second in the majors in innings pitched and his 65 wins over the same span are seventh most in the American League.

He posted a career-best 19 wins in 2002, which followed up a 16-8 campaign that also produced the lowest ERA of his career, 3.28.

[fishnuts]

Who jumped the gun and dropped him already?
I hope you haven't screwed yourself too badly...

I certainly would've thought that most intelligent owners would automatically go into 'wait & see' mode as opposed to 'get rid of the bum' mode. Everyone can make a rookie mistake, eh?

Too bad noone in any of my leagues did the dump, so I cannot take advantage of their quick trigger finger.

[Alexcny]

While sporting him and bonds on my team i feared the worst. At least this is looking up

[jebatzel]

me too

where should I rank him on my draft board

I had him around 83.