INJURY Fryman still not ready

He fielded some ground balls Tuesday, but he can't throw or hit yet.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CLEVELAND -- Although Travis Fryman is back working out at Jacobs Field, don't look for the Indians' regular third baseman to be in the lineup anytime soon.
Tuesday, the 32-year-old Fryman took a few groundballs during batting practice, but he's not allowed to throw what he catches.
Fryman sprained a ligament in his right elbow during spring training in Florida. He's spent the last month rehabbing and resting, and he could be happier.
"I've been in a little bit of a funk about it," said Fryman of his third career stint on the disabled list. "I'm trying to remain patient, but I'm very restless -- not discouraged but restless. I've as much energy as my 3-year-old, and that's not good."
Fryman is working out under the guidance of Jim Mehalik, the Indians' director of rehabilitation.
Can't do much: Since the injury, Fryman has done little with a baseball and bat. Instead, his days have been filled with running and light weightlifting to try and build up the damaged ligament.
"Today, I took some groundballs and I'm going to take as many as I can every day," Fryman said.
"I'm told this is a high-maintenance injury, something I'll have to stay on top of for the rest of my career. I don't think it's ever going to go away."
After a second MRI two weeks ago, Fryman stopped throwing because the doctors discovered fluid in the elbow, a sign of inflammation.
"The second MRI showed that there has been healing and scarring, which is good," Fryman said. "It showed some new growth, but there's also fluid, which could be a sign we were rushing.
"It feels good and I feel strong," Fryman said, "but I haven't hit or thrown in two weeks."
Compounding Fryman's frustration is that he's coming off his finest offensive season of his 11-year major league career.
Fryman played 155 games and batted .321 with 22 homers and 106 RBIs. He also was awarded with the first Rawlings Gold Glove Award of his career and was selected as the Tribe's Man of the Year by Cleveland baseball writers.
What's encouraging for Fryman is his fine 2000 season followed an injury-filled 1999 that kept him out of all but 85 games.
In June 1999, Fryman was bothered by lower back spasms that put him on the disabled list.
Then he suffered a torn posterior collateral ligament in his right knee on July 3, 1999, when he attempted to leg out an infield hit and collided with then-Kansas City first baseman Jeremy Giambi.
No surgery: Fryman didn't have surgery, instead rehabbing the knee so that he could return in September. In his final 12 games of the 1999 season, Fryman batted .341 with two doubles and two homers.
In the five-game playoff series against the Red Sox, Fryman batted .267 with a homer and four RBIs.
Fryman has several options should his rehabilitation efforts fail.
"We could try injections" of anti-inflammatory drugs, an approach Fryman says might be necessary for him to play this year.
If that fails, surgery is an option, but one he'd rather not think about.
"With surgery, we could be looking at the recovery stretching into next year," Fryman said. "If that happens, I'll deal with it then."
Playing third in Fryman's absence is 25-year-old Russell Branyan, who played 67 games for the Indians last season after being recalled from Triple A Buffalo when right fielder Manny Ramirez pulled a hamstring on Memorial Day.
In 79 games before this season, Branyan batted .230 with 17 homers.
This season, Branyan has played in all 18 of the Indians game, compiling a batting average of .215 with five homers and 16 RBIs.