Mike Napoli hasn’t been productive for Boston since the All-Star break. Yes, he’s alway been prone to the big whiff but as of yesterday that’s not what is hampering him. Mike Napoli has Plantar Fasciitis.
Aug 14, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli (12) celebrates his game-tying 2-run home run in the ninth inning with third baseman
Will Middlebrooks(16) against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
In case you are unfamiliar with his condition, this is the same malady that has reduced Albert Pujols from a holy terror to a cheap plastic dashboard Jesus. Pujols has been limited to 99 games in 2013 and is batting .258 in juxtaposition to his career average of .321.
Although Sox management has recently indicated that Napoli has been dealing with the injury much of the season, the Plantar Fasciitis is where the comparison ends. Pujols is a shoo-in Hall of Famer. Napoli may one day challenge single season strike out king, Mark Reynolds (223 Ks).
All snarkiness aside, if it really is Plantar Fasciitis, this could seriously hamper any effectiveness that Napoli has left in the tank for the season as well as move Daniel Nava and Mike Carp into a platoon situation sooner rather than later.
Other reports as they relate to Napoli’s injury have not surfaced in the last 24 hours, making the Plantar Fasciitis theory more believable. I’ve been down this road. I’ve had friends who had Plantar Fasciitis. My wife had Plantar Fasciitis. And while they were not professional athletes I also know that it’s a very painful and slow to heal injury that ultimately is only licked by rest – lots of it.