Robert MacLeod
Globe and Mail Update Published on Wednesday, Jul. 30, 2008 12:14PM EDT Last updated on Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009 8:25PM EDT
Toronto third baseman Scott Rolen's left shoulder is acting up again.
The strapping infielder, who was obtained by the Jays in an off-season trade in exchange for Troy Glaus, has been a major disappointment offensively through the 2008 season with the Jays.
Earlier Wednesday, Rolen said his shoulder has been bothering him for some time and that it has affected the mechanics of his swing.
Rolen is not in Wednesday afternoon's starting lineup against the Tampa Bay Rays but manager Cito Gaston — who insisted today that Rolen is doing fine physically — said he expects him to play in Texas on Friday.
"It's not like he's swinging and missing everything," said Gaston. "He's fouling the ball off but he's fouling it off late. He knows he's late and we're working on that."
Rolen has had three operations on the left shoulder, the most recent in September of last season while he was still a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.
"Strength is fine," Rolen said, adding that the injury has thrown his swinging mechanics off to the point where he said he has "no clue" these days in the batter's box.
Rolen, who is batting .254 this year, said that another surgery is not an option.
He said the club is planning to lessen his work load and hope that additional therapy will do the trick.
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