Chase d'Arnaud hit a groundball against Williamsport on Sunday. It was a groundball that has kept the fourth-round pick from Pepperdine out of the lineup ever since.
The State College shortstop rolled his ankle after he stepped on the foot of a Crosscutter pitcher who was covering first base. With his brother, Travis, behind the plate for Williamsport, Chase laid on the ground, thinking to himself, 'I can't believe this is happening.'
That makes two Spikes infielders who were expected to be big contributors that are out of the lineup.
Jeremy Farrell is the other. A third baseman from University of Virginia and the son of Boston Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell has played only three games this season after being hit by a pitch in the head twice -- resulting in a concussion.
d'Arnaud said he expects to play as soon as Saturday when the Spikes are at Oneonta while the prognosis for Farrell is not as clear.
Farrell was in Pittsburgh yesterday for tests.
"All the tests [yesterday] came back negative," manager Brad Fischer said. "I think it was just an MRI. I think they are doing something else [this] morning. So far it's been wait until he feels better."
Farrell's replacement, Matt Payne has hit .314 with four RBIs.
On the other hand, d'Arnaud's main replacement -- Silvio Pena is hitting an anemic .148.
Outside the clubhouse, d'Arnaud ate spinach off a styrofoam plate in his clean dark blue uniform as a big screen TV played a John Grabow-Brandon Phillips at-bat, confident that when he returns to the lineup while finding a positive note to his injury.
"It's a new experience," d'Arnaud said. "I wouldn't be surprised if it happened in the future again because the injuries will happen, I understand that."
In the dugout and not on the field, d'Arnaud has taken advantage of being on bench to learn about the game.
He has been held out of drills that involve moving his back foot much. Rust, d'Arnaud said, wouldn't be a factor. He still plays catch every day.
Notes: Infielder Andy Vasquez was promoted to the Spikes yesterday from the Pirates spring training in Bradenton, Fla. The 20-year-old hit .211 in the Dominican Summer League last year.
