Royals put Quinn on DL

Hurting: Myriad nagging injuries put KC outfielder on shelf; reliever Cogan recalled

The Associated Press

Mike Sweeney, left, will have to do without Mark Quinn in the Royals' lineup for another stretch. Quinn, who is batting .289 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs in 47 games, went on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with assorted injuries.

By Ken Corbitt

The Capital-Journal

KANSAS CITY, Mo. --- A compilation of injuries put Kansas City left fielder Mark Quinn on the 15-day disabled list Saturday, and the Royals recalled left-handed relief pitcher Tony Cogan from Double-A Wichita.

Quinn left Friday's game against Arizona in the seventh inning with tightness in his left hamstring. He had just returned after missing a week with lower back spasms, and he was out earlier with a bad back and an eye infection.

"He's had a rash of injuries and I think over the duration of time he probably got himself a little bit out of shape from sitting," manager Tony Muser said. "That's what day-to-day will do to you with a couple of injuries. It's not just one nagging injury, he's got a few."

Quinn jarred his back making a diving catch of Reggie Sanders' fly ball in second inning Friday and hurt the hamstring on a long run to catch Craig Counsell's sacrifice fly in the sixth.

"It's good to get everything taken care of --- my back, the hamstring, and I even have a hamstring tendon behind my knee that's been bothering me for a while and I played through that," said Quinn, who is batting .289 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs in 47 games.

"This will give me a couple weeks to get healthy, get strong again, get back in playing shape to go play somewhere and get back here and help the ballclub win some games."

The Royals suddenly are short of outfielders. Dee Brown is sidelined a few days with a strained hamstring and Raul Ibanez was designated for assignment on Friday when second baseman Carlos Febles was activated off the disabled list.

There are now only three healthy outfielders on the roster: Jermaine Dye, Carlos Beltran and rookie Endy Chavez.

"We can use Dave McCarty out there, we can use Wilson Delgado and even Luis Alicea can play out there a little bit," Muser said. "They're not prototype outfielders, but they can play out there. We'll make do with what we've got.

"The next couple of days will tell how quick Brown is going to be ready. If he's not getting any better, we may have to make another move."

Still, the club opted to bring up Cogan rather than an outfielder.

"The bullpen has been beat up the last couple of days," Muser said. "The extra pitcher will help us until we get to the next stage (of interleague play). When we get in the National League parks, the extra (position player) means a lot more."

Cogan began the year with the Royals, going 0-2 with an 8.18 ERA in 18 games before being optioned to Wichita on May 13. The rookie lefty was 1-1 with one save and a 2.08 ERA in eight games for the Wranglers.

"He's been throwing well against left-handers and right-handers," Muser said. "He gives us a left-hander in the bullpen and we'll use him situational-wise."

The Royals wrap up their three-game series against Arizona tonight at 7:05.

Ken Corbitt can be reached at

(785) 295-1123 or kcorbitt@cjonline.com.

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