Daniel Murphy has been diagnosed with an intercostal muscle injury and is headed back to New York per Rubin and Martino

Valdespin needs to step up now.

also Flores

sigh....

Opening day is 42 days away, Murphys injury time table is 7-10 days, I think we will be ok.

that's the good news, bad news is this can happen anytime. And per MLB Trade rumors Turner may get traded because of no room on 40 man.

Sadly, intercostal muscle injuries could linger for many months.

AdamRubinESPN Murph described injury as "subtle tug" on right side. Played through similar late last year.

"Opening day is 42 days away, Murphys injury time table is 7-10 days, I think we will be ok."

Yeah, I'll believe it when I actually see him on the field. Smells like that Ike Davis <crap in 2011.

"Yeah, I'll believe it when I actually see him on the field. Smells like that Ike Davis <crap in 2011.
"

It just happened, how can you say it seems like anything?

wright and hairston each had the same thing last ST. both got a shot, missed a couple weeks and were fine.

Probably.

Heard that Wright and Hairston also went through the same thing last year, and they both had pretty damm good 2012's.

I hope it's the same for Murph, I'm expecting big things from him this year. He isn't fighting for a position or roster spot, so he can concentrate on improving his game. I think Murph is destined for a big year.

Big year? I personally think Murphy has peaked. Not that he'll be declining anytime soon but I just don't think he's going to get much better. Still a really good player but I don't seem him getting much much better

He almost hit .300 and 40 doubles while learning a tough position. He'll hit over .300 this season.

I don't think that. He's got the position out of the way, the roster spot set, so he can concentrate better on the things he *didn't* do as well as he could last year.

Do I think he'll turn into Chase Utley? No. But I do think he'll be better in every phase of his game, and that should make for a bigger year all-around.

At least that's what I'm hoping for.

I'd have second thoughts about trading Turner right now. And doesn't it seem like Murph gets injured every year either in ST or the beginning of the season?

Murphy will be fine. Last year Wright & hairston had the same problem. Wright played the whole year as did Hairston. The cortisone shot will help it and they guide it to the right spot on the MRI.

Murphy is very tuff and very clutch...

he is going to have a big offensive year without the burden of learning how to field at second this year