Rash of Injuries

There have been a lot of injuries lately in professional sports, from Zack Grienke to Jose Reyes to Kobe Bryant.  On Wednesday night, Grienke, a right handed pitcher for the Dodgers, fractured his left clavicle after fighting with Carlos Quentin.  It's difficult to tell if the injury occurred during the initial collision or when Grienke hit the ground.  The clavicle serves as the link between the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton.  Anytime you move your shoulder, the clavicle rotates as well.  Although Grienke broke his left clavicle, and he is right handed, the left arm is still important for a right handed pitcher.  Grienke had surgery to place a rod in the clavicle and help stabilize it.  The Dodgers estimate he will be out for around 8 weeks.  Once the injury heals, he will have to build his arm strength back up and undergo a rehabilitation assignment in the minor leagues before he can pitch in a major league game.  This will likely take about 2-3 months.