[EMSoccerCoach]

SEPT. 10, 2017

Injuries Toy With Pennant Races
Sandmen lose Thompson, Tides lose Speaker

You never like seeing injuries affect pennant races, but that's exactly what's happening in the Southern League.

Days after Los Angeles suffered losses of Luke Easter and Dave Freisleben, the division leaders suffered losses of their own.

The Arizona Sandmen suffered a difficult loss, as slugger Sam Thompson is done for the season after breaking his hand crashing into the wall against New Orleans.

"I just can't believe it's happened again," said Thompson, who missed the 2015 postseason when he suffered an oblique strain on the next to last day of the season. "I've won three rings," Thompson said of his time with the New Orleans Knights. "But I want one here. And now I can't contribute."

Arizona's up three games in the West over Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, in the East, the division-leading St. Louis Tides lost star centerfielder Tris Speaker to elbow tendinitis.

"He's trying to play through it," manager Harry Wright said. "But it's gotten so bad he can't even really swing the bat. We just need to hope we can hold on and that he can return for the playoffs."

Speaker fought the decision, but ultimately had no choice.

Rookie Luis Salazar will play in Speaker's absence, taking left field while Duke Snider moves to center.

Tris Speaker Sam Thompson