Armena finds wounded luck
Posted June 23, 2009
The Armena Royals learned what they had suspected; second baseman Ben Lyseng is done for the season.
Lyseng, who hadn’t played baseball since pee-wees, clawed his way back into baseball last season when Armena needed bodies last year. He couldn’t resist coming back again for 2009.
“I never had to think twice when I got the call asking if I wanted to play last year,” Lyseng said. “I really missed it.”
The rust was fading away pretty quickly early in the campaign. Lyseng sported a .333 average with 3 RBI and 4 runs until he damaged his ankle on a slide into home during a game with the Ryley Rebels on June 4.
Just a few days later, his ankle resembled a scene out of a horror movie. Still, he thought maybe after a couple weeks it would begin to heal.
Not so much.
“I’m still on crutches and the swelling is only beginning to go down,” Lyseng said last Thursday via text message. “I doubt I will be back this season unless we go deep in the playoffs.”
Although the Royals are one of the youngest teams, they are certainly the most banged up.
“Usually you think of the old guys pulling hammies and getting hurt, but instead we’ve got kids in their late teens and early 20s rolling ankles, tearing quads and getting MRIs on their shoulders,” said Royal Jason Buzzell. “Must be something they’re putting in the kid’s Cherios maybe?”
Steven Bergstrom is out with a quad injury and will need surgery on his inflamed appendix when the Alberta Health Care System deems it necessary. Cody Sroka has an ailing shoulder and a tender ankle. Add in the aforementioned Lyseng, as well as a few players who bailed on the team midseason, and Armena is playing a poker game with a short deck.
In response, the Royals have signed former Armena standout Josh Burnstad to a three-game contract, with the possibility of an extension. He appeared in Ryley on Thursday and played well, said manager Clark Banack.
“He had a hit and made a couple great plays at third,” Banack said. “He’s a good ball player.”
Posted on June 23, 2009 by Jason Buzzell
