"Carl Crawford slammed the door on 2011 the best way he knew how — by ramping up his offseason workouts. But it turns out 2011's not quite done with him yet. Just days into intensified hitting sessions that started around New Year's, Crawford felt soreness in his left wrist typically associated with the end of a long season.

A doctor's visit last week and ensuing MRI revealed cartilage damage, and yesterday Crawford underwent surgery in Arizona. He'll likely be sidelined for the start of the season.

It was exactly the kind of news Crawford didn't need to hear, though the silver lining, if you can call it that, is the timing. At least Crawford has a shot to be ready for Opening Day, whereas if this injury had occurred during the season, he'd have been looking at six or eight weeks of missed games."