Thursday, July 16, 2009

WHAT IS ‘REAL’ TOUGHNESS?

Found a good article about toughness on Mets infielder Alex Cora, who has been battling an injured thumb all year. His offensive stats would suggest that he is not very important to his team's success. However it is just the opposite. His toughness is rubbing off on his teammates:

Cora tore the ligament in his right thumb and still played shortstop. Wearing a splint every game, Cora packs his thumb in ice afterward, occasionally takes some anti-inflammatory medication, and he is good to go.

“I love that,” third baseman David Wright said. “That’s the true measure of a guy I have the ultimate respect for: a guy who plays hurt, doesn’t go about announcing it and just goes out there and does his job and does it well. I haven’t known him long, but Alex is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorites.”

He has fielded every ground ball, made every throw and turned every double play with no regard for his thumb. In the top of the seventh inning last week, he singled, stole second and scored on a single by Wright. In the bottom half, he made a fully extended diving stab of Josh Bard’s grounder, landing on his right hand.

4:13

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