Broken Leg To Sideline Russ Davis 6-8 Weeks

KANSAS CITY - Mariner third baseman Russ Davis looked down at his foot after he jammed it against the grandstand while chasing a foul pop up last night, and "I knew I was in trouble."

Unfortunately for the Mariners, he was right. Davis fractured his left lower leg in the fourth inning at Kauffman Stadium.

"The foot was bent at an odd angle," Davis said. "I had felt a sharp pain and heard something pop or tear. . . .

"But the worst thing was the way it looked - it was sickening."

He will be lost to the team for six to eight weeks. To replace Davis, the eighth Seattle player on the disabled list, the Mariners are expected to promote infielder Andy Sheets from Class AAA Tacoma.

"I don't know if I'm a quick healer or not," Davis said. "When I broke my right wrist (in 1994), it was in a cast for eight weeks."

He's the second Davis on the M's roster to be sidelined with a broken leg in two weeks, joining pitcher Tim Davis.

"We've lost two players with the same (last) name with the same injury," Mariner Manager Lou Piniella said..

Last night, Davis the infielder tried to pull up as he neared the stands pursuing a foul pop by Kansas City's Tom Goodwin. He was unable to stop before jamming his left foot between the composition warning track and space at the bottom of the wall.

He fell in a heap and rolled over in pain, grasping his leg.

Seattle shortstop Alex Rodriguez approached him, took a look and waved frantically, then stood aside, unable to look at Davis.

"I can't stand to see anything bad, even scary movies," Rodriguez said. "This was terrible. I wanted to help, but I had to look away."

Trainer Rick Griffin said Davis suffered "a midshaft fracture of the fibula, very similar to Tim Davis' break. When I got to him, he was in a lot of pain. I ran my finger down his leg and I could feel the break."

Davis was carried from the field on a stretcher and taken to nearby St. Luke's Hospital for X-rays and treatment. He came back to the clubhouse with his lower leg in a split and wrap, and was on the bus to the team hotel after the game.