Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie tries to block a ground ball hit by Boston Red Sox batter Cody Ross during the third inning of their MLB Grapefruit League baseball game in Dunedin Florida, March 7, 2012.MIKE CASSESE/Reuters
Can there be any more sunshine in the Toronto Blue Jays' camp? Seriously? Brett Lawrie pulled himself out of Friday's 5-0 Grapefruit League win over the Tampa Bay Rays after three innings with what the team described as a groin strain. He is listed as day to day, and it is nice to know that his common sense has not been disabled.
"About halfway around third base, something kind of triggered that said: 'Hey, head up on this,' which I think is the right thing to do, we're not in the World Series," said Lawrie, who has had a blistering hot spring and who singled, stole second and scored in his only offensive inning, raising his average to, um, .609. Lawrie also made another strong running throw, albeit with roly-poly Jose Molina running to first.
Lawrie does everything 110 per cent, but he said he would have made the same decision last season. "My dad's always told me that if it doesn't feel good, you can't play through it," the native of Langley, B.C., said. "You don't help yourself and your teammates by playing hurt."
Manager John Farrell said Lawrie will be re-evaluated Saturday morning. "At this point in the year we're certainly not going to press him any further," Farrell said.