Given Morneau’s history of concussions, though, the team has decided to play it safe. Morneau was put on the seven-day concussion disabled list Saturday with a cervical strain and “concussion symptoms.”
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Morneau missed the last two months of the 2010 season and had issues much of 2011 after suffering a severe concussion when he was kneed in the head on a slide. He told ESPN.com this spring that the possibility of suffering a similar injury again remains in the back of his mind.
“It’s something that will always be with me," Morneau said. “I look at it like a pitcher who has had Tommy John surgery — every time he throws or his elbow gets sore or something happens, you’re going to go back to that. I just needed time to build confidence on it. The further away you get from it, the better you feel. But it’s one of those things that will never ever be out of my mind or be completely gone. That’s the reality of the situation."
Morneau, who turned 34 Friday, is off to a solid start at the plate for the woeful Rockies, hitting .290/.317/.450. He won the National League batting title last season with a .319 average.
