Andy Lopez says he’s preparing to go the rest of the season without injured closer Daniel Schlereth. Schlereth has other ideas.
“”I’m going about it like he’s probably not going to pitch this year,”” said Lopez, Arizona baseball’s head coach. “”I’m going to get our guys ready to go without him, and if he’s able to join the group somewhere down the line, then that’s OK.””
The sophomore lefty, sidelined since the end of March with what was originally believed to be an oblique strain, actually tore some cartilage from the ribs on his right, non-throwing, side, he said yesterday.
“”I just ended up tearing them right off the bone, so rehabbing it didn’t do anything except set me back more,”” Schlereth said.
Unlike Lopez, Schlereth put a timetable on his return, saying he’d be back within two weeks.
“”If not this weekend (at Washington State), I’ll be back for sure next weekend (at UCLA),”” he said.
Lopez wasn’t so optimistic. He said even if Schlereth was cleared medically, he’d still need to get back into pitching shape.
“”You don’t just show up and start pitching in the (Pacific 10 Conference) after not pitching for three or four weeks,”” Lopez said. “”Me personally, I’m kind of going about it like we’ve got to move on. We’ve got to get these guys ready, this staff ready.””
Schlereth, who has a team-high eight saves, said he felt his arm is still in game shape.
“”I think it’ll just take a couple bullpens to get me ready for a game situation. That’s all it’ll take,”” he said. “”If I was a starter, I’d probably have to get in some games, but I think as a reliever, I’ll just have to do a couple bullpens.
“”My arm’s in shape, I’ve been taking care of it. I’ve just got to wait it out and wait until this stupid thing heals.””
Schlereth hurt himself while hurrying to warm up for a save appearance against then-No. 16 ASU March 28. He then tried to warm up against Oregon State two days later, but was unable to enter the game.
Schlereth had an MRI April 5 that revealed no cartilage damage and was then misdiagnosed with the oblique strain that was supposed to keep him out seven to 10 days.
“”I mean, when they tell me it’s an oblique muscle, it’s something I can rehab back and come back within a week or two,”” Schlereth said. “”If I would’ve known it was rib cartilage before, I could’ve been back two weeks ago.
“”(The torn cartilage is) something you can’t rehab, so you can’t do anything for it. I’ve gotta just rest and sit down and do nothing,”” he added. “”It’s been really frustrating, just watching, doing nothing. There’s nothing I can do about it.””
Guilmet garners two awards
Chalk another one up in the Preston Guilmet cabinet – actually, better make that two.
The right-handed Guilmet, Arizona’s ace, was named the Pacific 10 Conference’s Pitcher of the Week yesterday for the third time this season after recording a career-high 15 strikeouts in an 8-1 win over Stanford Friday.
The award came just a day after he was named Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s National Player of the Week for the second time this season.
“”I’m not really looking for the recognition,”” said Guilmet, who leads the Pac-10 in both ERA (1.58) and strikeouts (83). “”If they want to award me with something, that’s great, but I’m going out and we’re trying to keep this team in (the Pac-10 race) – I shouldn’t say trying to keep us in it, we’re in it.
“”We want to be (on top of the standings), and every performance I go out and do is for our team, just like our hitters go out. They’re hitting to score some runs and get the ‘W.’ “”
Rhinehart still out
Designated hitter Bill Rhinehart, who missed last weekend’s series at Stanford with a concussion, will undergo further tests today, Lopez said.
Rhinehart suffered the injury three weeks ago when a grounder in practice skipped off his glove and struck him in the head, but he continued to play in the next two series, hitting .300 with five walks.
