Pirates' Freddy Sanchez likely is headed to the DL

The NL batting champion has a sprained right knee ligament.
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) -- NL batting champion Freddy Sanchez, frustrated with a slow-to-heal knee injury as opening day approaches, sought a second opinion Monday that confirmed the Pittsburgh Pirates' evaluation of a sprained right knee ligament.
The Pirates' second baseman was hurt turning a double play March 6. Still unable to run the bases or make sharp cuts in the field, he flew to Birmingham, Ala., to be evaluated and undergo a second MRI by orthopedic surgeon James Andrews.
Andrews, best associated with performing ligament-replacement surgery on pitchers' injured elbows, found no tears or other previously unseen problems in Sanchez's knee.
"It's great news on Freddy," manager Jim Tracy said. "When Freddy Sanchez is ready to go, we will get him back out there."
Sanchez will resume his conditioning program Tuesday and, unless there is significant improvement in the next several days, is expected to start the season on the 15-day disabled list.
It's up to him
Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield said the injury evaluation process is simple: Sanchez tells the club how he feels and, until he is comfortable running the bases and moving laterally, he won't play.
"The evaluation was the same as we had," Littlefield said. "Basically, it's a right knee sprain and he'll continue to work back to playing. It's a go-as-he-feels scenario. The better he feels, the quicker he'll get out there."
The sprain was initially described by the Pirates as being mild and Sanchez was listed as day to day. But he has been unable to play, causing the NL All-Star infielder to grow impatient.
"It's frustrating, it's disappointing," Sanchez said.
Sanchez decided to meet with Andrews to make sure there was no undiscovered condition slowing his recovery.
Losing Sanchez, if only for the first week of the season, would be a setback to a Pirates team coming off consecutive 95-loss seasons. Sanchez developed into one of the NL's top hitters last season and led the league with a .344 average and 53 doubles. His average was the highest by a Pirates player since Roberto Clemente hit .345 in 1969.
If Sanchez isn't ready to play Monday at Houston, Jose Castillo will replace him at second base. Castillo played there the last three seasons, but has shifted to third base so Sanchez and shortstop Jack Wilson could be reunited as a double-play combination. The two once were youth league teammates in Southern California.
The Pirates won't move Sanchez back to third, even if temporarily, to lessen the chance of him re-injuring himself, Littlefield said. The Pirates have until 3 p.m. Sunday to decide whether to put Sanchez on the disabled list for opening day.
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