You're Entering A World of Pain (2009 Injuries)

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Wagner coming back: Billy doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who will happily accept a 7th or 8th inning set - up role.

[Chad ochoseis]

Didn't Wagner make some sort of putz-like comment about not being able to get motivated for four-out saves?

It can't hurt to give him a shot once he's healthy, but my expectations for Wagner are low.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

It woudl make more sense to use Wagner as a LOOGY - at least initially. Then they can see if he fits into another role.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Yeah, so I've been trying to mentally pooh-pooh this take on CB's leg "knee bruise" ever since reading it (in the generally unimpeachable BP injury specialist's column, but Carlos Uno's continued absence has made it a bit tougher to ignore.

A greater matter of concern is Beltran's situation. He played through a knee injury that has been diagnosed as a bruise to his tibial plateau. That's the 'top' of the bone, where most would say it's the knee, and where the load from the body is born. Yes, that means that the cushioning inside failed for some reason, and that the bruise was probably caused by the femur slamming into it enough to cause damage. That's very bad in the long term, especially if Beltran's meniscus has a deficit. (I couldn't find if he's had a previous meniscectomy, though I'm sure you'll chirp in comments.) If there's no cushioning, this will continue to be a problem, with grinding as well as the occasional traumatic injury such as a bruise or worse, a fracture. I think that we have to take a year or two off the back end of Beltran's career unless he finds something like Synvisc or microfracture to reduce some of the damage. For now, he'll miss a couple of games after a cortisone injection, but the team thinks he'll be able to avoid the DL.[/quote:28drb8s0]

[MFS62]

And sometimes "knee" injuries can hide a multitude of things.

I remember being at the ballpark (daytime game Ebbetts Field) when Roy Campanella was catching for Brooklyn. A foul ball hit off the plate and caught him square in the, er, balls. He went down like he had been shot.
The radio guy couldn't say that, so he said "Looks like Campy got hit in the ..... (thoughtful delay) knee. It hit him in the knee."

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

And sometimes "knee" injuries can hide a multitude of things.

I remember being at the ballpark (daytime game Ebbetts Field) when Roy Campanella was catching for Brooklyn. A foul ball hit off the plate and caught him square in the, er, balls. He went down like he had been shot.
The radio guy couldn't say that, so he said "Looks like Campy got hit in the ..... (thoughtful delay) knee. It hit him in the knee."

Later[/quote:3ajyju60]

Would that we could trade the tendinitis of Messrs. Perez, Putz and Reyes for cockpunches.

In all seriousness? If the meniscus-deficit theory is at all correct, this shortens Beltran's career by at least a year, and maybe shunts him to a corner spot within a couple of years.

[Benjamin Grimm]

If he keeps his bat speed, he can prolong his career by DHing or First Basing. (I prefer the latter, because I'd like to see him stay with the Mets beyond his current contract.)

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

If he keeps his bat speed, he can prolong his career by DHing or First Basing. (I prefer the latter, because I'd like to see him stay with the Mets beyond his current contract.)[/quote:1esxjvo1]

Yeah, even granting the premise of a close-to-worst-case-scenario, there's options and possibilities.

That said, I find myself almost too sad for words about the prospect of Carlos Uno doing anything BUT playing center, and playing it well.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Not for nothing but, I view "UTK" about as skeptically as anything I read. It's not just that the guy isn't a doctor, or that the column is fundamentally flawed by tending to drill a "big picture" perspective down to a very specific case he rarely has particular knowledge of, but he's also reported wildly inaccurate stuff previously and comes off very douche-y, IMO.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I infer from Lunchbucket's comment paranoia, and I'm not ruling out psychosis. And that could spell trouble for the forum long-term as his psyche breaks down as he's reduced to punk posting or possibly random seven-paragraph flames. I don't know if he's had delusional episosdes in the past (though I'm sure you'll chirp in comments) but this could accelerate Bucket's decline by a year or two, if it hasn't already.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm on the DL four to six weeks after fracturing my fist Friday night with an ill-advised punching of a pane of plexiglass in a fit of distress (not a scratch on the plexiglass. It hurt like hell when I tried to clap at Saturday's game). Thanks to the Mets, that wasn't much of an issue.

I know my foolishness has let my team down, as I might be needed if, say, 3 million other men ahead of me on the depth chart were to get hurt.

They would have to go with Seawolf.

[Fman99]

I'm on the DL four to six weeks after fracturing my fist Friday night with an ill-advised punching of a pane of plexiglass in a fit of distress (not a scratch on the plexiglass. It hurt like hell when I tried to clap at Saturday's game. Thanks to the Mets, that wasn't much of an issue.

I know my foolishness has let my team down, as I might be needed if, say, 3 million other men ahead of me on the depth chart were to get hurt.

They would have to go with Seawolf.[/quote:36aw27wt]

You punched a solid object? Jeez. Now, being a Jew, I would more likely just write a check and hire a white person to punch a wall for me. But that's how I roll.

Was this Mets-related angst or are you just a crazy person?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Temporary insanity.

[Guest themetfairy]

Did you really break your wrist?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Fist. Knuckle of the index finger to be more precise.

Got a royal blue cast on my left hand.

[Guest themetfairy]

Ouch!

Feel better!

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Ouch! Typing with one hand.

Get better, Edgy.

And next time you feel the urge to punch something, I have a list of people you can work your way down....

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Temporary insanity.[/quote:22rd1khs]

We really need more than this.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Angry in general and unable to find a more productive outlet, I punched the sunroof of the Tercel while stuck in traffic, 'kay?

[bmfc1]

Tweet from the NY Post:

John Maine will make his next start but says his shoulder is "acting up" and probably will need to be looked at medically.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Um, that sucks.

[Guest themetfairy]

It's only a flesh wound....

[smg58]

Does anybody know if something is wrong with Brian Stokes? Does anybody else think it's odd that we had three close games with Philly, two of which went extra innings, and we never saw him?

[Guest Hawkeye57]

Well, the Phillies are predominantly a lefty lineup, I'm not sure Manuel trusts Stokes, a rightie, against the lefties right now. I think the Top 5 of the Phillies order are lefties, plus included in there are Howard and Ibanez. Stokes is much better against righties than he is lefties.

[Frayed Knot]

He was seen warming up at least once.

[metirish]

Weeks can go by and I don't think about Stokes.

[Fman99]

Well, the Phillies are predominantly a lefty lineup, I'm not sure Manuel trusts Stokes, a rightie, against the lefties right now. I think the Top 5 of the Phillies order are lefties, plus included in there are Howard and Ibanez. Stokes is much better against righties than he is lefties.[/quote:2w5kn8h9]

Coming into last night's game, lefties were hitting .440 against Takahashi. Could Stokes really have been any worse?

I think Stokes is being tragically underused this year. Boo Jerry.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Tweet from the NY Post:

John Maine will make his next start but says his shoulder is "acting up" and probably will need to be looked at medically.[/quote:3mm1j870]

So... actual medical scienticians, or dudes wearing "Trust me" t-shirts? Near as I can tell, the diagnosis is "let's rest him a bit more."

He was seen warming up at least once.[/quote:3mm1j870]

That might have been an optical illusion you saw, there. Adam Rubin tweet affirms that Brian Stokes has been following the Britney tour in London this week. As I understand it, he's currently headed back to the States for a wedding in North Carolina this weekend. (Congrats, Jenny and Alvis!)

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

I wondered why Stokes hasn't made an in game appearance since 6/5 against the Nationals. I think the lefty laden line up of the Phillies kept Stokes out of action. Right handed batters are hitting a mere .189 while lefties are hitting a robust .344 against Stokes. Still, I think I trust Stokes more than I do Takahashi to get Utley, Howard, and Ibanaez. Of course, Jerry will most often play it by the book and go with Takahashi (since he had already used Feliciano).

[Guest Edgy DC]

Jerry totally didn't wanto to use Tak there. There were just no good options available.

One I hadn't consided... walking Ibañez, moving the go-ahead to third and letting Stokes go after Werth.