Next two weeks crucial to LaRoche's ailing shoulder, season

Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche continues rehabilitation from the torn labrum in his left shoulder and a small tear in his rotator cuff, injuries that landed him on the 15-day disabled list. He hopes to return to the lineup in two to three weeks. But that is a big if. And if you saw him swing in Baltimore last week, even when he connected on a base hit with what appeared to be an all-out swing, it turned into a soft single to right-center field. LaRoche is hopeful the next two weeks of rehabbing the shoulder and resting will get it back to where he can play through the remainder of the season. LaRoche was able to get by for most of the first two months with the injured shoulder before the pain became too much. "It never hurt to swing," LaRoche said. "My initial thinking was it is not affecting my swing. I don't feel any pain. I can play through the year just like this as long as it doesn't start hurting. It is just one small little thing, whatever it is, in my swing that it is doing. It took me awhile to figure that out." Surgery was never considered an option during spring training up until now. Eventually, LaRoche will have to have his labrum and rotator cuff repaired. He is hoping to delay that type of surgery until the end of season for obvious reasons. But just like elbows in pitchers, dealing with shoulder injuries (see Jesus Flores) in position players are very serious matters. Flores missed almost two seasons because of a tear in his right labrum. The injury LaRoche is dealing with will need surgery. It is now just a matter of when.