Injuries are a part of baseball.
However, the Tigers have had more than their share this season.
Two players that were in the opening night starting lineup — catcher Dustin Weaver and shortstop Matt Horwath — are both done for the year because of injury. For Weaver, it is the second straight year an injury will cost him the majority of the season. He missed most of last year with a knee injury.
Brandon Nall, expected to be the team’s closer, has not pitched since a March 2 appearance against Long Beach State. He had just two saves and a 2.45 ERA before being shut down for the season with a shoulder injury.
Now comes the injury that could hurt LSU even worse. Starting pitcher and Friday ace Brian Wilson will be out until after the Ole Miss series this weekend with an injury to his pitching elbow. His elbow will then be re-evaluated the following week, and it will be determined if he will be shelved for the remainder of the season.
Freshman Justin Meier assumed Wilson’s place in the rotation and tossed a one-run complete game against South Carolina on Friday. Meier is 4-0 with a 1.38 ERA on the season.
“It hurts,” shortstop Aaron Hill said of the injury to Wilson. “Wilson is an ace and a top rounder this year. As you can see, Meier — we didn’t miss a beat with him on Friday. If he can come out every week and do that, we’ll be just fine.”
Senior pitcher Bo Pettit has dealt with injuries of his own. He was shut down late his freshman season (2000) because of tendinitis in his shoulder.
“If somebody goes down, you have to step up,” Pettit said. “Losing Wilson, that’s a very big loss, but I think Meier is very capable of winning. If we can get some guys like that to come up in clutch situations, it can carry a team far.”
Also down for the year is designated hitter/first baseman Eric Wiethorn.
The injury questions started in the fall when it was unknown if last year’s ace pitcher, Lane Mestepey, would be back in time for this season after shoulder surgery. Mestepey went 11-5 last year with a 2.59 ERA.
“We have a few key players that have gone down,” Pettit said. “That’s something that a team has to get through. It’s just one of those things where a team has to look within themselves and fight through it. Injuries are a part of the game; you can’t let that bring you down.”
LSU coach Smoke Laval said he has rarely seen this many injuries throughout his career.
“I never had it, but I’m sure other teams have gone through that,” Laval said. “It’s just something you have to overcome. You have to play the hand dealt to you. If it’s a new hand, you have to play it the right way.”
However, Laval said LSU can go two-deep.
“You have to have a little bit of depth — and a little more with the injuries we have,” he said. “That’s why they’re here, to go out and do that, and [Meier] did.”