OK, I've just read that he was shut down again due to a hip injury.

Let's get this out there now: Does anyone else think the Yanks are - either indirectly or directly - telling him he's not going to play and he's gonna be buried on the depth chart, and in his haste (coughcoughLOLcough) to return he is overdoing it to the point of almost-but-not-quite-buy-maybe getting hurt so he still gets paid but can't be released?

Furthermore, imagine if this were happening to Greg Bird. For that matter, why is no one from the front office questioning Ellsbury's commitment to baseball at this point? Oh, I know, it's because he's a veteran making millions, not a young player making the league minimum.

The whole "Ellsbury is injured" story just seemed convenient in spring training. Now that he's kinda needed, he's hurt again (although Hicks is on his way back, so this may not matter). Maybe he just doesn't want to outright lose his job by playing poorly, and if he's just injured perhaps just maybe Cashman can convince another team he still has some value?

Who knows...the non-stop injuries with him at this point just seem somewhat convenient in a way.