Slow down? D-backs discussing whether A.J. Pollock should take it easy
May 16, 2017, 12:00 PM | Updated: 7:22 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks' A.J. Pollock connects for an two-run single against the Detroit Tigers during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 10, 2017, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
(AP Photo/Matt York)
As Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock recovers from his third groin injury in less than a year, manager Torey Lovullo is and the team medical staff is weighing how their star can avoid further issues once he returns.
One option goes against Arizona’s reputation as an aggressive, hustling team.
The D-backs are considering asking Pollock to slow down a tick, Lovullo told Burns and Gambo on 98.7 FM, Arizona’s Sports Station.
“We were talking about perhaps asking him to pull things back a little bit — I know as crazy as that sounds. The reputation that this organization and this team has earned is league-wide, that we run hard and make players make fast decisions. And when you make fast decisions defensively because of how hard we’re running on the bases, (opponents are) prone to make mistakes.”
Lovullo has experience asking a player who went full-bore to reel it back before.
As an assistant with the Boston Red Sox, the team asked injury-prone infielder Dustin Pedroia to limit his efforts both in games and in his workout routine.
“Same type of intensity on the field that led to breakdowns from time to time,” Lovullo said of Pollock and Pedroia. “The discussion with Dustin was, ‘We want you to jog to first base. We want to take it easy when you can.’ And he looked at us like, ‘Are you crazy? There’s no way I’m going to do that.’
“But he learned how to do it. The idea is to get these players through their season healthy (to) help contribute to the end of the year when games are very, very important and we’re driving toward something special.”
Lovullo said it’s hard to say whether Pollock, who leads the team with 46 hits on the year, could be out longer than his 10-day disabled list stint.
The grade 1 strain of his right groin wasn’t as serious as the left groin injuries he dealt with last September and again this spring, but such injuries are difficult to judge until Pollock begins working out.
At that point, the D-backs might have decided on preventative measures to keep their valuable outfielder fresh and injury free.
“A.J.’s DNA says go-go-go as hard as you can,” Lovullo said. “We’ll see how far we can get with him.”
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