PEORIA, Ariz. – Bucky Jacobsen’s spring training has been reduced to long bike rides in the Seattle Mariners’ weight room and wistful thoughts about his chance to make the team.
“I ride a bike for two hours and don’t move an inch,” he said.
Metaphorically, that’s where Jacobsen’s baseball career stands now.
He has been shut down from all on-field activity because of continued pain in his right knee, which he has been rehabbing since surgery last September. The Mariners won’t make any predictions, but the setback likely ends any hope that Jacobsen will return to full strength by the end of spring training and make the major league roster.
Jacobsen had hoped to be hitting home runs and making a strong push to make the team by this time in spring training. Instead, his camp has been one disappointment after another as the knee became a bigger pain than he had envisioned.
After surgery Sept. 16 to plug a divot in the cartilage in his right knee, Jacobsen was restricted to little more than taking batting practice when spring training began last month.
The knee was still bothering him less than two weeks into camp, and the Mariners restricted him to batting practice every other day, with strengthening work on the days he didn’t hit.
“I knew then that it wasn’t right,” Jacobsen said.
The Mariners had Dr. Larry Pedegana, their medical director, look at Jacobsen’s knee last week, and he determined that it needs more time to heal. The Mariners’ medical staff told Jacobsen that if he caused further injury to the knee, it could threaten his career.
“What he needs to do is build up strength at this point,” trainer Rick Griffin said. “He’s trying to make the team, but he needs to get his leg in shape.”
Jacobsen’s days are filled with weight lifting, bike riding, therapy and, above all, patience.
“I’m not very good at being patient, especially when everybody’s hitting and playing and making a statement on their behalf while I’m stuck inside,” he said. “There’s nothing I can do more. The most frustrating part of it is that when I had surgery, I’d convinced myself I would be ready by spring training.
“I was wrong.”
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