Written by Jeff Rich

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The Cactus League has claimed its second victim of exactly what you don't want in Spring Training.  After Michael Brantley was sidelined with a laceration from sliding awkwardly into third against the A's on Monday, another core player on Terry Francona's roster is going to miss some time, we learned this morning.

Chris Perez was scratched from today's roster for their exhibition game with the Chicago White Sox in Goodyear.  Officially, this is being defined a subscapularis strain in his right shoulder.  What it means to those of us without degrees in anatomy is that Perez will miss 3-4 weeks, and is said to have a cease fire order for the next 7-10 days.

Perez wasn't too happy about it at the Indians facility this morning, but did share one of the more mild levels of grief with his fans on the interwebs with the following Tweet:

"This to shall pass"... Small hurdle at an in-opportune time.I feel better now than I did last year with the oblique..Still plenty of time

— Chris Perez (@ChrisPerez54) March 1, 2013

Perez, who had made two appearances for the Tribe in Goodyear this spring, threw two innings, striking out two and allowing two hits.  He and teammate Vinnie Pestano were scheduled to leave for Team USA on Sunday night, but it looks as though Pestano will be going it alone in the World Baseball Classic, this time around.  In both his appearance against the Reds on Sunday and against the Royals on Tuesday, Perez threw six pitches, all for strikes, but it looks as though his Spring Training, at least in the traditional sense is over.  He will perhaps pitch in extended Spring Training after the club travels to Toronto to begin the season on April 2lnd.

This is the second consecutive March that the Indians will be without their prized closer, who didn't appear in a Cactus League game for Manny Acta until March 29lth, due to an oblique injury.  He made three appearances in Arizona, three hitless innings to tune himself up before coming on to close out Justin Masterson's masterpiece against the Blue Jays.  What happened after that is not important.

He's questionable for the opener, but the word doubtful comes to mind.  Stay tuned...