One of the first lessons taught in the gym is proper form, particularly when doing squats. Stick your butt out too far and risk injuring your lower back. But seems even the strictest form can still reveal other issues that lead to injury.
Such appears to be the case for Randal Grichuk, as the St. Louis Cardinals outfielder was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain.
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“There’s things you just gotta wipe out sometimes, and that’s already been part of the conversations they’ve had with him,” said Manager Mike Matheny. “They already did alter it from the first time he hurt his back–started to alter some of the things he was doing. Usually with the leg stuff and whatever he was doing back-wise. So it’s been adjusted and they’re going to have to adjust again.”
Grichuk was previously delayed entering Grapefruit League games after experiencing soreness in his lower back which prevented him from leaning over to field ground balls.
“This one snuck up on him a couple times now,” acknowledged Matheny. “He’s going to have to do things probably radically different but that’s something he takes a lot of pride in. We like watching the ball jump off his bat–that didn’t happen from him sitting around playing video games. He’s been working hard in the weight room. That’s part of why the ball jumps for him.”
Grichuk injured himself doing a variation of squats.
“He’s doing the same things the other guys are doing and everybody’s going to each have to figure out what works,” continued Matheny. “Our guys have done a great job, our medical team, of trying to put together a plan to help each guy do what he wants to do but also what makes sense baseball wise. Be able to analyze it–it’s taken it to a whole different level to where they’re constantly looking at these guys and where there’s area of vulnerability.”
The Cardinals recalled Dean Anna before Sunday’s game to fill Grichuk’s spot on the roster.
