Fans will get an idea of just how long Grady Sizemore will be on the disabled list Sunday when the Indians give their first official statement on his much-examined injured left knee.
View full sizeGrady Sizemore has been on the disabled list since May 19 because of knee troubles.
NEW YORK -- The Indians will go public Sunday with what they know about Grady Sizemore's left knee and how they're going to treat it.
Surgery is a possibility.
Sizemore has been touring the country getting opinions on the knee that put him on the disabled list May 19. He came to New York with the Indians on Thursday night and was examined by a doctor Friday. Sizemore was not at Yankee Stadium for the game.
View full sizeTrevor Crowe, above, has been filling in for Grady Sizemore.He visited Dr. Richard Steadman in Vail, Colo., earlier in the week. Steadman is a respected knee surgeon.
Lonnie Soloff, Indians head athletic trainer, said the Indians received the opinion of several doctors. Sizemore bruised sliding into a base in April and reinjured it diving back into first base on May 16 against Baltimore.
Last season Sizemore played injured much of the year. He required surgery on his left elbow and left groin in September.
Trevor Crowe has replaced Sizemore in center field. He went into Friday's game hitting .260 (13-for-50) with one home and seven RBI.
Eyes to the future: Indians manager Manny Acta said the Indians are anticipating bringing some players to the big leagues after the All-Star break.
"It's not a secret that we have a few guys in Triple-A that we want to take a look at in the second half," he said. "We continue to monitor the progress of those guys with what's going on up here with our injuries.
"Some guys are going to get a chance right now."
View full sizeOutfielder Michael Brantley.Second baseman Luis Valbuena, first baseman/outfielder Matt LaPorta and catcher Lou Marson are getting their chance now. Valbuena, hitting .144, started at second base Friday.
LaPorta (.210, 1 HR, 5 RBI) and Marson (.200, 0, 3) did not start.
"We knew these three guys would struggle at some point, but we didn't anticipate them struggling at the same time," said Acta.
As to who will get a look in the second half, catcher Carlos Santana, for certain, is one of the players. Outfielder Michael Brantley is another.
Squeeze play: LaPorta, unlike Valbuena and Marson, is losing playing time to Austin Kearns in left field and Russell Branyan at first.
When asked whether he would benefit more from playing every day at Class AAA Columbus compared to semi-regularly in Cleveland, Acta said, "The experience up here is priceless. This guy did enough damage in Triple-A last year, in the amount of at-bats he had, that we felt he was ready to come over here. It's not like he's only playing once a week. He's got over 100 at-bats (105).
"If it gets to a point where the kid is getting buried and isn't getting enough at-bats, then we'll probably have to take another step. But right now, we feel he's getting enough reps up here."
Reason why: A lot of people wanted to know why Crowe put down a sacrifice bunt in the ninth inning Wednesday with runners on first and second, no outs and Chicago leading the Indians, 5-4.
After the bunt, White Sox closer Bobby Jenks intentionally walked Shin-Soo Choo, the Indians' best hitter, to load the bases. Then he struck out Kearns and retired Branyan on a fly ball to left to end it.
The Indians entered the ninth trailing, 5-1, but they scored three runs as the first five batters reached base to make it a one-run game.
At that point, Acta had a choice -- let Crowe, with a limited track record, bat against a proven closer in Jenks. Or let Kearns, one of the Indians' most reliable hitters, bat. He was convinced the White Sox would walked Choo if Crowe didn't reach base.
In the Bronx: Acta on the Yankees, "It's a very good ballclub. They represent a challenge to everybody, not just us. They're the defending champs. They're built to win."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158