Expectations of Eleven: Carlos Beltran

[G-Fafif]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: "Sore in a good way," as per David Lennon.

That's what she said.

#opennet

[Edgy MD]

A second straight day of good soreness has Carlos on the bench today.

[TransMonk]

Bad news...I don't think we'll be able to count on Carlos for anything this season.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Maybe I missed something. Why was Beltran able to play regularly during the last half of the 2010 season, but now, even further removed from his surgery, he's so much more frail?

[bmfc1]

Are they being coy with us? If he's still hurt, then tell us. We heard how great he felt after Sunday and that he wanted to play two days in a row, then yesterday he was "a little sore" so he didn't play, and now he's out of both lineups today. If this was the previous regime, he'd be in surgery tomorrow.

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Maybe I missed something. Why was Beltran able to play regularly during the last half of the 2010 season, but now, even further removed from his surgery, he's so much more frail?

No, you didn't miss anything. I'm confused as well. And i'm also confused because they said his bone bruises were better at the end of last season (not healed better, but less than it was in June).

Supposedly he did a lot of working out trying to strengthen the muscles around the knee and try to ease the pressure. But not a ton of running, so maybe it's just that he's sore from getting back to running and because it's March 8th they'll give him extra days of rest (simulated game today sounds like).

It's probably wise not to put undue pressure on the knee in practice if they can avoid it. It's still early, and he's swinging and working out, not like he's laid up. I think once we start crossing over the 3 weeks to go mark (Fridayish) is when we really need to see him either in the game every day, or at least playing the outfield.


As far as the saeson goes? I'm hope this is just extra precaution, but I imagine he's gonna have to take days off here and there fairly frequently. And I think we'll see a little more of a 'slugger' look to him in his approach.

[MFS62]

Re "good soreness".
Sometimes, after surgery, the person can feel the adhesions breaking.
That is good. It frees up the area to act normally. I'm not sure if this should have occurred before now, but if that is what he feels, its ok.
It it is anything else, it means that he still feels the rubbing of bone-on-bone, and that pain will be with him forever. That's not ok.

Later

[TransMonk]

I hope you are right (Ceetar).

If the Mets are going to win more games than they lose this year, Beltran is one of many pieces that needs to fit into the puzzle squarely. Hearing that he has to take two days off after playing one game in early March is very discouraging.

[Ceetar]

MFS62 wrote: Re "good soreness". Sometimes, after surgery, the person can feel the adhesions breaking. That is good. It frees up the area to act normally. I'm not sure if this should have occurred before now, but if that is what he feels, its ok. It it is anything else, it means that he still feels the rubbing of bone-on-bone, and that pain will be with him forever. That's not ok. Later

Well, we're not really in 'after surgery' stage here. At this point I'd hope he knows the difference between the pain of the bone-on-bone that's plagued him, and just normal soreness from running. Makes me nervous, but i'm hoping everyone's just being overly cautious.

[ashie62]

Safe to say Carlos is a bit behind as of 3/8/2011.

[Ceetar]

TransMonk wrote: I hope you are right (Ceetar). If the Mets are going to win more games than they lose this year, Beltran is one of many pieces that needs to fit into the puzzle squarely. Hearing that he has to take two days off after playing one game in early March is very discouraging.

Indeed. Although I do think Hairston's going to be servicable and that there is a chance someone like Duda or Martinez or one of our other OF prospects that we seem to have a handful of could contribute positively.

really i'm just saddened. Beltran is (was?) a great player and the looming issue seems to be that he might not play baseball again.

[Centerfield]

Beltran's situation, though unfortunate, is not surprising. He was a candidate for micro-fracture surgery. He elected not to get it. That move seems pretty foolish now. Had he elected to do it two years ago, it's possible he would have a clean bill of health at this point. Sure, it's risky, but at least there's a chance he'd be better.

As of now, he still has the bone-on-bone contact that created the bone bruise. The only way to heal that, other than the surgery, is with rest. Unfortunately, once you stop resting, and start running again, the bone bruise returns. It's been over a year since his last surgery. He is not getting better.

He needs two days off after DH-ing half a game. This does not bode well for the season.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I agree. The Mets need to get a fallback plan in place, one that doesn't involve making a regular starter out of Harris or Hairston.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Adam Rubin wrote: Collins remained optimistic Beltran would open the season with the team. Otherwise, the Mets could use Scott Hairston and Willie Harris in right field and place on-the-bubble Nick Evans on the 25-man roster, or use the farm system and have Fernando Martinez or Lucas Duda start in right field.

[ashie62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I agree. The Mets need to get a fallback plan in place, one that doesn't involve making a regular starter out of Harris or Hairston.

Sack up FMart.

[TransMonk]

[Benjamin Grimm]

I still haven't experienced the joys of Twitter, so pardon my ignorance. What does #notgood mean? Is that some kind of a tag for people who search for things that are not good?

[Ceetar]

TransMonk wrote:

As Patrick Flood points out, this is common when you're overcompensating and it's the same thing he felt last year. He sat out Saturday 9/11 for it and then played 9/12 and every day going forward. (and then again felt swelling or whatever 3 weeks later, which was also reported to be minor) This probably doesn't change anything about what we expect from Beltran this season. Regular rest.

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I still haven't experienced the joys of Twitter, so pardon my ignorance. What does #notgood mean? Is that some kind of a tag for people who search for things that are not good?

It doesn't mean anything in this case. Generally things with hashtags are easily searchable and trending topics. So many posts I make have #mets (and this hashtag shows up in the MLB At Bat App Twitter stuff... or will anyway) It's like a keyword of the tweet.

[Edgy MD]

This is kharmic payback. Left knee tendonitis was what the Mets (supposedly) made up to disable Oliver Perez and farm him out for a rehab assignment. This is fate saying, "You think left knee tendonitis is a joke? You think it's something to be played with?"

[metirish]

Ceetar wrote: TransMonk wrote: As Patrick Flood points out, this is common when you're overcompensating and it's the same thing he felt last year. He sat out Saturday 9/11 for it and then played 9/12 and every day going forward. (and then again felt swelling or whatever 3 weeks later, which was also reported to be minor) This probably doesn't change anything about what we expect from Beltran this season. Regular rest.

You mean Dr. Patrick Flood?

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: This is kharmic payback. Left knee tendonitis was what the Mets (supposedly) made up to disable Oliver Perez and farm him out for a rehab assignment. This is fate saying, "You think left knee tendonitis is a joke? You think it's something to be played with?"

That was patella tendinitis wasn't it? and they didn't make it up since MLB actually investigated the reports and confirmed them. And it's also supposedly what Chase Utley has.

[Ceetar]

metirish wrote: Ceetar wrote: TransMonk wrote: As Patrick Flood points out, this is common when you're overcompensating and it's the same thing he felt last year. He sat out Saturday 9/11 for it and then played 9/12 and every day going forward. (and then again felt swelling or whatever 3 weeks later, which was also reported to be minor) This probably doesn't change anything about what we expect from Beltran this season. Regular rest. You mean Dr. Patrick Flood?

As opposed to Dr. Burkhardt? http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2010/09/knee_tendinitis_keeps_outfield.html

[Edgy MD]

Ceetar wrote: Edgy DC wrote: This is kharmic payback. Left knee tendonitis was what the Mets (supposedly) made up to disable Oliver Perez and farm him out for a rehab assignment. This is fate saying, "You think left knee tendonitis is a joke? You think it's something to be played with?" That was patella tendinitis wasn't it? and they didn't make it up since MLB actually investigated the reports and confirmed them. And it's also supposedly what Chase Utley has.

I did say "supposedly." It was a jokey post. The patella is part of the knee.

[soupcan]

Between this crap and Madoff/Reyes bullshit, this season is going to suck extremely large eggs.

'Can't fucking wait for Openeing Day!' He said, sarcastically.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Well, look at it this way: With low expectations, any surprise we get is more likely to be a pleasant one.

[soupcan]

I hear you but I'm having difficulty finding a scenario where Jose Reyes is a Met next season.

That is what is really tightening my colon.

[Edgy MD]

He wasn't a Met for much of the last two seasons. A lot of things will come to pass before 2012. It's hard to see all the angles.

[Benjamin Grimm]

soupcan wrote: I hear you but I'm having difficulty finding a scenario where Jose Reyes is a Met next season. That is what is really tightening my colon.

I'm with you on that. I'd hate to see him leave, and that is looking like the more likely outcome.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Edgy DC wrote: This is kharmic payback. Left knee tendonitis was what the Mets (supposedly) made up to disable Oliver Perez and farm him out for a rehab assignment. This is fate saying, "You think left knee tendonitis is a joke? You think it's something to be played with?" That was patella tendinitis wasn't it? and they didn't make it up since MLB actually investigated the reports and confirmed them. And it's also supposedly what Chase Utley has. I did say "supposedly." It was a jokey post. The patella is part of the knee.

Sorry, a bit in a non-jokey mood this morn.

if we're talking Karma though, I'd have to think we have a lot coming in the + column..