Posted at 1:20 p.m., Saturday, June 23, 2007
MLB: Phillies pitcher out with ruptured tendon in foot
Associated Press
ST. LOUIS — Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Jon Lieber, who left his last start after stumbling off the mound to cover home plate, is out indefinitely with a ruptured tendon in his foot.
Lieber said an MRI exam today revealed the damage. Team medical personnel will examine Lieber on Monday in Philadelphia and decide whether surgery is required.
The 37-year-old Lieber is 3-6 with a 4.73 ERA in 14 games, 12 of them starts. He was the Phillies' opening-day starter in 2005 and '06.
"I put high expectations on myself to help this ballclub," Lieber said. "I definitely wasn't doing a very good job this past month. I don't know what else to say."
Lieber was injured while hustling to back up home plate in the sixth inning of Wednesday's start at Cleveland, and ended up limping into the dugout. He doesn't believe the injury is career-threatening.
"It just gave, it popped," Lieber said. "I know the tape doesn't show I rolled it, but it felt like I rolled it."
Assistant general manager Ruben Amaro said the team would explore a trade to bolster the rotation.
"You can't predict when someone is going to blow out a foot, a tendon," Amaro said. "It is possible someone else will become available in the near future.
"Then again, I know how hard it is to make trades in this day and age."
