that said, he apparently did play with pain all year:
he hasn't played since Sept. 6 and underwent surgery last week. the fact that he underwent surgery last week makes me skeptical to allow him to play, but, if he's played with the pain all year long, I'd have to think if the Dodgers were in the playoffs that he'd be active.In the column, Ethier said he's played with an injured right knee all season long. "It's only going to get worse from this point," he said. I've dealt with it all season long, but as the season goes on my body wears down. That's just the way it is — I keep getting put in the lineup, so what am I supposed to do?" Said manager Don Mattingly: "I got kind of blindsided by this. That's taking a shot at my integrity, at the organization and training staff and Ned -- and personally that I would put a guy out there that was hurt and risk his career. I'd never do that. That's not in my DNA. I'd rather lose my job than put a guy out there with the chance to hurt himself or his career in a long-term way." Ethier was out of the lineup on Sunday and seemed surprised that he wasn't playing. "It's always been my choice to keep playing," Ethier said. He also backed off the comments he made in the LA Times and said he wanted to remain with the organization.
