US PresswireRafael FurcalThe setup: Furcal entered his sixth season in Los Angeles with no one quite sure what he'd produce. In 2008, he had a .439 on-base percentage and .573 slugging percentage but only managed to play in 36 games. In 2009, you could flip that: he appeared in 150 contests, but his numbers declined to .335 and .375. The 2010 season split the difference: 97 games, .366/.460, including a hot streak that propelled him into the All-Star Game. With free agency likely beckoning and Dee Gordon waiting in the wings, the only thing that seemed relatively certain was that 2011 would be Furcal's last in Los Angeles.The closeup: As inevitable as injuries might seem with Furcal, his first of 2011 just didn't seem fair. In his seventh game of the year, Furcal broke his thum