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July 11, 2008
Bergstrom Back/Bear Out
Rafael Bergstrom returned to Harbor Yard for the first time this week today. And his teammates had their share of fun at his expense
Bergstrom’s locker was cordoned off with yellow ``caution’’ tape. He also wore a bright red T-shirt during batting practice, which resembled the no-contact pinnies worn by quarterbacks during practice.
The lesions that have been on Bergstrom’s legs and hands have all but disappeared and he was cleared to play. While the results of the culture that was administered Tuesday were inconclusive, Bergstrom has been diagnosed with a staph infection.
``It was a little bit scary at first,’’ Bergstrom said. ``The doctor was kind of looking at me and didn’t even know exactly what to say. They gave me some antibiotic (Keflex) and said, `We’ll see what happens.’ It turns out it was a little bit of a staph infection type thing. It’s got to be because there’s too many guys in the locker room. (But) I’m not sure.’’
It was initially thought that the lesions were caused by something Bergstrom encountered while swimming at Fire Island in New York last Sunday. General manager Todd Marlin said today that other members the team would be examined and that the clubhouse was going to be cleaned and sterilized.
Bergstrom, who was scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday, will start Sunday against the Newark Bears in the final game before the four-day All-Star break.
``I feel fine,’’ Bergstrom said. ``The whole time I felt OK. It was just that I had stuff on my legs. I’m on antibiotics for a week. They said once you start on it it kills all the contagious part of it so I can come back. That’s the thing, they just wanted me out of the locker room in case it was contagious. There was no physical damage. I didn’t feel sick. No fevers. No aches. It was just a couple little itching spots, swollen in a couple places.’’
Outfielder Ryan Bear is expected to be held out of the three-game series this weekend after injuring his left shoulder diving for a fly ball with two outs in the 10th inning of Thursday’s 6-4 loss to the Lancaster Barnstormers.
The ailment should not prohibit Bear, who is hitting .324 with six home runs and 34 RBIs, from playing in the Atlantic League All-Star Game Wednesday at Commerce Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, N.J.
``He’ll play in the All-Star Game and there’s no sense getting him out there and letting him play,’’ manager Tommy John said. ``Maybe if he wants to take a pinch hit or maybe a DH on Sunday if he feels like it … But I just see to get one game out of him risk hurting him that he won’t be well for six weeks.’’
Rich
Posted by Elliott on July 11, 2008 7:49 PM
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