Tolbert to have thumb surgery
by The Associated Press
 
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Twins second baseman Matt Tolbert has learned a hard lesson about not sliding into first base.

Tolbert will have surgery Thursday to repair an injured ligament on his left thumb, and it will take at least four and a half weeks before he even starts rehabilitation.

He was injured last week in Colorado when he slid head-first into first base while trying to beat a throw. A ligament in Tolbert's thumb detached. Now the rookie says he can hardly bend it, and he's having difficulty doing every-day things from pulling up his pants to buttoning his shirts.

It was the worst possible timing for Tolbert, who was on the verge of becoming an every-day player thanks to his steady glove and timely hitting. Now he'll be on the shelf likely until July at the earliest.