Matt LaPorta is responding well after Monday's head injury in Texas, can he pick up where he left off offensively when he rejoins the Indians lineup?
Manny Acta said Matt LaPorta is improving, and hopes to rejoin the Indians lineup on Friday.ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians' 2010 regular season. The Indians play Tampa Bay tonight in the first game of a four-game series at Tropicana Field.
Tropicana Field's dimensions: Left field line 315 feet, left center field power alley 370, center field 404, right center field power alley 370 and right field foul line 322.
Pre-game notes:
Game 85: Manager Manny Acta believes Matt LaPorta could be back in the Indians' lineup Friday or Saturday. He missed his third straight games Thursday night against the Rays after taking a blow to the head Monday while playing first base against the Rangers.
He's been undergoing tests the last three days to make sure he has no signs of a concussion.
"I'm going to take batting practice (Friday)," said LaPorta, "and I'll go from there. I hope to play before the All-Star break."
Teams break for the All-Star game on Sunday.
"He stepped up his cardio program a little bit today," said Acta, before Thursday's game. "Tomorrow he'll intensify it and take batting practice. He's not ready to play today, but I think he can pass all his tests Friday and get in there Friday or Saturday."
People suffering from concussions often have a bad reaction when their heart rate and blood pressure increase through exercise. That's why LaPorta is going through the cardio tests.
LaPorta is hitting .333 (10-for-30) with five runs, four homers and nine RBI since rejoining the Indians from Class AAA Columbus on June 27.
"It's just part of the game," said LaPorta, about his hot streak being interrupted by injury. "You just hope you can get up there and pick it back up without missing a beat."
Lineups:
Indians (33-51): CF Michael Brantley (L), 2B Jayson Nix (R), C Carlos Santana (S), DH Travis Hafner (L), RF Austin Kearns (R), 3B Jhonny Peralta (R), LF Trevor Crowe (S), 1B Andy Marte (R), SS Jason Donald (R) and RHP Jake Westbrook (8-7, 3.86).
Rays (51-33): RF Ben Zobrist (S), LF Carl Crawford (L), 3B Evan Longoria (R), 1B Carlos Pena (L), 2B Sean Rodriguez (R), DH Matt Joyce (L), CF B.J. Upton (R), C John Jason (L), SS Jason Bartlett (R) and RHP Wade Davis I(5-9, 4.86).
Quote of the day: "Baseball was made for kids, and grown-ups only screw it up," Bob Lemon, Hall of Fame pitcher for the Indians.
Next: RHP Fausto Carmona (7-7, 3.69) vs. RHP James Shields (7-8, 4.83) at 7:10 p.m. Friday.