D-backs’ Gibson updates Drew’s status

It’s been 257 days since Diamondbacks’ shortstop Stephen
Drew broke his right ankle sliding into home plate in a 5-
2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

For as gruesome an injury as it was, hope had been that
Drew would be sufficiently healed to start the season with
the D-backs.

Although the former first-round draft pick has made
strides in spring training, he has yet to play in a Cactus
League game and won’t be ready to go when the D-backs
host the San Francisco Giants in the 2012 season opener
Friday at Chase Field.

“He is getting better, he’s more confident and he is being
more aggressive on certain movements,” Arizona manager
Kirk Gibson said Monday. “He did make considerable
progress. I think maybe unrealistically, we all wished
that he could be ready.”

So that means the Diamondbacks will march Willie
Bloomquist out to short on a regular basis, with a dose of
John McDonald’s stellar glove on occasion.

But where does that leave Drew? Gibson says Drew will
have to work his way back to full health in the minor
leagues.

“He’s gonna play,” he said. “That’s the only way we would
know is if he goes and tries to play. I’m not saying he
has to play every day to bring him back, but certainly
close to that.”

Arizona Sports’ Kyndra de St. Aubin contributed to this
report

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