Bad break: Indians lose DH Hafner for rest of season

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CHICAGO -- Cleveland Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner will miss the rest of the season with a broken right hand.

Elias Says
Hafner Over the last three seasons, Hafner had a .308 batting average with 103 home runs and 334 runs batted in. Only one other player in the major leagues has reached those levels in all three categories: Albert Pujols (.327, 131, 356). • For more Elias Says, Click here.

Hafner suffered the injury on Sept. 1 when Rangers right-hander C.J. Wilson hit him on the hand with a pitch in the eighth inning.

X-rays were initially negative and Hafner was listed as day to day. He continued to feel more pain and a second X-ray before Friday night's game against the Chicago White Sox revealed the fracture.

Hafner tied a major league record with six grand slams this season. He hit .308 with 42 home runs and 117 RBI.

"It would've been nice to get a couple chances with the bases loaded to see what could've happen out of that because I think that's something that never going to happen in your career," Hafner said.

Hafner will travel to Baltimore on Monday to be re-examined by hand specialist Dr. Tom Graham. Cleveland trainer Lonnie Soloff doesn't think Hafner will need surgery, calling it a "remote possibility."

"He's had a great year. It's unfortunate that he's not going to have the opportunity to finish it off," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "He's a tremendous presence in our lineup for not just what he does, but what [he] does for the people around him."

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

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