by Although mathmatically not the actual mid-way point of the 2012 Major League Baseball season in theory it is supposed to be this week and not what you would call a break (3 days off) is not really anything to hit the summer vacation spots either, but none the less here we are at the midway point of the baseball season and NDNSPORTS.COM thought we would give you an update on the Native American baseball players in MLB up to this point.
Kyle Lohse – (Nomlaki Tribe), now in his 12th year in the league is 9-2 on the season to this point with a 2.79 ERA in 18 starts. Kyle started out the season hot and has continued to be the go to pitcher for the Cards to this point. With his contract expiring at the end of the season, the cards will have to put up big numbers to keep in the roster or risk losing him. Some experts have projected Lohse being worth a 4 year $40 million dollar contract on the horizon.
On April 14th, Jacoby Ellsbury (Navajo) was sliding into second base when Tampa Bay Rays short stop was looking to make a play at first fell on top of Jacoby after his slide and injuring his shoulder, it was later determined to be a minor subluxation (partial dislocation). Leaving the field in pain, the Bosox nation could only conjure up memories of Ellsbury during the 2010 season when he only played in 18 games and was lost for the season to an injury. Since that time, Ellsbury has successfully rehabbed his shoulder and even in the past week Ellsbury had pulled a 5 game rehab assignment and could return to the Bosox on July 19th but experts have guess he could return sooner. Ellsbury contract expires at the end of 2013, and interesting enough Jacoby utilizes the same agent as Kyle Lohse and it is widely known that Scott Boras(agent) negotiates on the high end so it will be interesting to see if Ellsbury remains in Boston.
Joba Chamberlain (Winnebago tribe) – The Yankees could be just weeks away from getting reliever back. After throwing in a simulated game Friday at the team’s complex in Tampa, Fla., Chamberlain could begin a minor-league rehab assignment as early as Tuesday, manager Joe Girardi said. Pitching in rehab games would be a major step for Chamberlain, whose season was put in jeopardy when he dislocated his ankle jumping on a trampoline on March 22nd. The injury came as he was working his way back from Tommy John surgery. If Chamberlain begins his rehab Tuesday, the Yankees have yet to decide which affiliate he will join. Once his rehab begins, the Yankees would have 30 days to call up Chamberlain.
As the post season nears, you can bet all three of these Native American baseball players will play a significant role for their respective ball clubs in trying to reach the post season.
