The Arizona Fall League is chock-full of young prospects looking to make their mark. Desert Diaries is your twice-weekly look at which of these up-and-comers could make a fantasy baseball splash in 2010. It's an inevitable side effect of playing extra baseball in an instructional fall league -- injuries will crop up. As much as these prospects, and their parent major league team, want to prove that they can make it at the next level, it's also important to avoid injury. Unfortunately that's been proven impossible for a few Arizona Fall League participants.
Scott Sizemore, who is projected to take over at second base next season for the Detroit Tigers, fractured his left ankle as the result of a collision at second base trying to turn a double play. He just underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair the damage and Steve Kornacki of Michigan Live says that Sizemore should be ready for Spring Training and is still on track to play second base.
Dombrowski was asked if the surgery impacted his thinking on Sizemore's starter possibilities.The Atlanta Braves chose to play is safe this week when their best prospect complained of a lower-back strain. Jason Heyward had only played in four games in Arizona where he hit .286 with three doubles in 14 at-bats. But his back issues forced the Braves to pull him from the AFL as a precautionary measure. Dave O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution believes that Heyward will be ready to fight for a roster spot next spring.
"Nothing has changed with that thought process," Dombrowski said. "He should come back just fine. We're fortunate."
Team orthopedist Stephen Lemos performed the procedures on the fractured fibula. Screws were inserted to stabilize Sizemore's ankle joint, and he will be in a splint for two weeks. Sizemore will wear a cam boot once the splint is removed.
Heyward, 20, was examined Tuesday by Dr. Marvin Royster, who diagnosed back inflammation that was radiating to Heyward's gluteus. He will undergo treatment, rest for a few weeks and not return to the fall league, which runs through mid-November.Other Fantasy News From the Arizona Fall League
The Braves don't believe it will affect the former Henry County High School star in his preparations for spring training and the 2010 season.
• Also dealing with a sore back, Mike Stanton has been shut down for the rest of the Arizona Fall League by the Florida Marlins, according to Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post. Stanton was leading all AFL hitters with a .478 batting average and is expected after rest and recovery to be ready for spring workouts.
• Dayan Viciedo has come down with right elbow inflammation and Scot Gregor of the Arlington Heights Daily Herald says the Chicago White Sox have shut down their hitting prospect for the rest of the AFL. Viciedo had driven in six runs in only four games before the injury put an end to fall league play.
• Grant Desme has never played ball above the Advanced-A level but is absolutely tearing up Arizona Fall League pitching. He's blasted ten home runs in 12 games and is on pace to crush Brandon Wood's AFL home run record. The 23-year-old Desme hit 31 home runs this past season in 486 minor league at-bats.
