MLB teams
Richard Durrett 10y

Adrian Beltre not happy with DL stint

MLB, Texas Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre said Monday that he disagreed with the club's decision to put him on the disabled list and wanted to try to play Tuesday despite his strained left quadriceps muscle.

"You want my honest opinion?" Beltre said, as a gaggle of media nodded yes. "I did not agree with the decision. It was out of my hands. Obviously the medical staff and the front office thought it was best. It's out of my hands. I have no say over that. I was ready to play tomorrow. But obviously it's not going to happen."

Beltre, who suffered a Grade 1 quadriceps muscle strain last Tuesday at Fenway Park, admitted that the club's decision was "probably smart," but added that if it was up to him, he would not be on the DL. He's eligible to play again on April 25 in Seattle.

Beltre, 35, is batting .286 this season with four RBIs and was the cleanup hitter. Manager Ron Washington said the team wasn't going to take any chances with one of its more important players and that it wasn't easy telling Beltre he was headed to the DL.

"It's always difficult when you're talking to one of your best players about going on the DL," Washington said. "We want to be careful."

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels echoed Washington's sentiment.

"He probably wasn't a realistic option until late this week or weekend," Daniels said. "So the decision really came down to six or seven games.

"It's not a risk we wanted to take at this point of the season, putting him out there compromised, and with cool weather too. I hate being without him, but we did''t want to tempt fate and risk tacking on a much longer period of time. We're hoping the extra week of rehab pays dividends."

Beltre played 161 games last season, managing hamstring issues all season. Beltre thought he could manage this injury too, though he's never had a quad strain before in his career.

"We did what we thought was right for Adrian and what was right for the Texas Rangers," Washington said.

Kevin Kouzmanoff is taking Beltre's place at third base while he's out and Washington has changed his lineup, putting Alex Rios in the 3-hole and Prince Fielder at cleanup with Kouzmanoff fifth.

Beltre said he'll back off his workouts and then ramp back up as April 25 approached. He chuckled at the idea that he could return 100 percent.

"I haven't been 100 percent in 50 years," Beltre said.

But he'll get his work in and be ready to go later in the month.

Beltre has won four Gold Gloves in the AL at third base and was voted the Rangers' MVP the last two seasons.

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