Brewers' Francisco Rodriguez will miss game after stepping on a cactus

Francisco Rodriguez, celebrating previous successful attempts at not stepping on sharp things. (Morry Gash/AP)

Sometimes the headline just writes itself. "Baseball player in Cactus League to miss game because of cactus injury" is one of those happy moments. Well, except for the guy who stepped on the cactus.

As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt:

Reliever Francisco Rodriguez might have his scheduled spring debut delayed after he stepped bare-footed on a cactus Tuesday on the team's off day.

"They took out a lot of the thorns but there's still some in there," said manager Ron Roenicke. "I don't think it's that big of a setback but I imagine he's pretty sore today. You know how little some of the thorns are and they break off in there. So, I don't know. But that's what's going on."

Given that the Brewers have their spring camp in Arizona, it's kind of a surprise this kind of thing doesn't happen more often. Then again, as Haudricourt notes, Arizona offers plenty of other dangers for MLB players and employees.

https://twitter.com/Haudricourt/status/443795685809213440

Roenicke said that Rodriguez could pitch Thursday, assuming he doesn't get eaten by a gila monster or get bitten by a coyote, or whatever else Arizona offers in terms of excruciating and unique injuries.

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