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Iron deficiency Ripken to miss part of spring training with rib injury
Updated: Wednesday February 14, 2001 10:01 PM
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The injuries are beginning to mount for Cal Ripken, who will miss up to a month of spring training because of a hairline fracture in his rib cage. The injury occurred while Ripken was working out at home in preparation for his 20th full major league season with the Baltimore Orioles. The third baseman said he won't be able to swing a bat for two or three weeks but expects to play on opening day, April 2 against the Boston Red Sox. "They assured me I can do a lot of things with my legs," Ripken said. "I've hit and thrown all winter long, so I don't feel like this will hurt me that much. Actually, it will make spring training seem shorter." The injury is a hairline fracture of the sixth right anterior rib. Ripken said the injury probably occurred Monday while he was diving for balls, or perhaps while playing basketball. "I couldn't tell you that one hit caused it," he said. "Maybe it was a combination of both. I was being aggressive, diving around for balls as if I was playing the infield, and then I played basketball that night. I woke up Tuesday and it was hard to breathe. "I'm a little saddened, a little disappointed because I was working hard during the winter and was really feeling good."
Ripken, 40, played in a major league record 2,632 consecutive games before voluntarily ending the streak in September 1998. Since then, however, he has been bothered by a bad back that has severely limited his playing time. Ripken played in only 86 games in 1999 and last year was in a career-low 83 games. He was sidelined from June 28 to August 31 with inflammation of the lower back. After being activated from the disabled list on Sept. 1, he hit .307 with seven doubles and 13 RBIs. Encouraged by his production and good health, Ripken expressed a desire to continue his career and was rewarded with a one-year contract on Nov. 1. "The great news is that my back has been unbelievably good. I've been playing basketball four or five times a week," Ripken said. "It's unfortunate that I've run into an injury that will put a stop to the progress, but I see this as just a small bump in the road." Although he hit only .256 last year, Ripken became only the 24th player to reach 3,000 hits. He ranks 18th on the career list with 3,070 hits, all with the Orioles. Ripken broke into the majors in 1981 and played 160 games in 1982, beginning his consecutive games streak in May of that season. From 1983 to 1997 he regularly played in 162 games a season, but has participated in only 169 games over the last two years.
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