Crennel irritated by injury reports

The status of Charlie Frye's injury has been questioned.
BEREA (AP) -- An agitated Browns coach Romeo Crennel refuted reports that quarterback Charlie Frye has a broken right wrist and denied he has been hiding injuries this season.
Frye hasn't played since hurting his wrist in a Dec. 3 game against Kansas City. X-rays taken that day at the stadium and MRIs performed later at the Cleveland Clinic revealed only a bone bruise, the team said. Frye has not been able to grip a football or throw effectively since.
Conflicting reports
This week, Frye got a second opinion on his injury. On Friday, The Plain Dealer and Akron Beacon Journal, both citing an anonymous source close to Frye, reported the second-year QB was told by a hand specialist that he has a broken bone.
Crennel insists that's not true.
"He has a bone bruise," Crennel said Friday. "I said it yesterday. I said it the day before. I said it a couple weeks ago, and I will say it tomorrow. He has a bone bruise. It is getting better slowly."
Crennel went on to challenge the source in the two stories.
"I know there are unnamed sources and all of that good stuff," he said. "If that unnamed source is a doctor, tell the source to call me and let me know. If the source is not a doctor, tell him he should keep his mouth shut. That is the way I feel about it."
Crennel said he has it not aware of results that indicate anything other than a bruise for Frye.
"Our doctors talked to the doctors who gave him a second opinion and to my knowledge, both evaluations are the same," he said.
"I don't know what else I can tell you."
Anderson set to start
Earlier this week, Crennel said Derek Anderson would start Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It will be the third career start for Anderson, who rallied the Browns to an overtime win against the Chiefs when Frye got hurt.
Frye acknowledged getting a second opinion on his wrist.
"I think that's pretty common," he said. "I was just making sure I was doing everything I can to get back on the field. I talked to [trainer] Marty [Lauzon] and Dr. [Anthony] Miniaci [the team physician] and they say it's a bone bruise. The bottom line is I'm not able to throw the ball, I can't play right now and it's frustrating. That is all I'm going to say about my wrist."
Asked what the specialist told him, Frye said, "the same thing."
Crennel was irritated by suggestions that Frye ducked reporters Thursday. The team said he was receiving treatment during the time the Browns' locker room was open to the media.
"The kid is a good kid," he said. "He's never dodged you before and he didn't dodge you yesterday. Try to respect him a little bit. The kid wants to play. He is doing everything he can to get well, but he is not ready yet."
Crennel was unusually animated on the sensitive subject of injuries, which have plagued the Browns this season and in past years. Following games, the second-year coach is typically vague about injuries, choosing to divulge only the most basic information.
However, Crennel insists he is not being deceptive.
Face value
"The perception is that we are trying to hide something," he said. "We aren't trying to hide anything. Then, you [media] guys don't believe what we tell you. Maybe you don't trust us -- maybe you don't trust me. I tell you it's a bone bruise and you say, 'Hey, it's a fracture.' One way or another, you look bad or I look bad.
"None of us really need to look bad because the truth is what it is. The truth is the truth."
Just this week, the Browns placed two more players on injured reserve, giving them 12 on IR this season. Cleveland has also had an unusual number of cases of staph infection with four players sickened by the bacteria in the past year.