Gary Carter diagnosed with small tumors on his brain

[metirish]

Damn
New York Mets Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter diagnosed with small tumors on his brain

Mets Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter has been diagnosed with four small tumors on his brain and will be going to Duke University Hospital for surgery in the next day or so, the Daily News has learned. According to sources close to Carter, the 57-year-old Met icon has been complaining of headaches and forgetfulness in recent days and underwent an MRI in a hosptial near his Palm Beach Gardens home Saturday, where the tumors were discovered. It will not be known until the surgery at Duke whether the tumors are benign or malignant. Carter, who hit .262 with 324 homeruns and 1,225 RBI in a 19-year career with the Mets, Montreal Expos, Giants and Dodgers, has been managing at Palm Beach Atlantic College this year near his home. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2011/05/21/2011-05-21_new_york_mets_hall_of_fame_catcher_gary_carter_diagnosed_with_small_tumors_on_hi.html#ixzz1N0fPbIXJ

[TransMonk]

Yeah...that sucks.

Carter may be a pretty flaky dude off the field, but I hope nothing but the best for him on this one.

[G-Fafif]

Geez. Here's hoping everything goes all right.

[Fman99]

We're pulling for you, Kid.

[Guest themetfairy]

Damn!

At least he's at Duke - they have a great brain tumor program.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Gut-wrenching news.

My second fave all-time Met.

Good luck, Kid.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I too am hoping all goes well.

I wonder if this is anything like what Mary Tyler Moore just had?

[Guest cooby]

oh no!

[Valadius]

If there were ever any plans to retire his number, the Mets should do so soon.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Valadius wrote: If there were ever any plans to retire his number, the Mets should do so soon.

Forget that. His illness won't stop the indignation he receives from most Mets fans.

[Theoldmole]

Not from me. I always loved the Kid.

[Edgy MD]

I don't know who most Met fans are. I think most folks like him. Those who hate him are more likely folks predisposed to hating a lot of things. More generally, I think folks are have a broad enough perspective to know what he is and what he isn't, and put those things in the proper boxes.

They have more trouble with relievers.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I may roll my eyes at him sometimes, and I don't want him to manage the Mets, but I'll always have good feelings about Gary Carter. 1985 and 1986 were awesome, and Gary Carter was a big part of that awesomeness.

[metirish]

I'm sure I've called Carter a self serving arsehole here on this forum in the past but that hardly means I'm not rooting for the guy.

[Edgy MD]

Any word on how this surgery came out?

[batmagadanleadoff]

The Second Spitter wrote: [Carter's] illness won't stop the indignation he receives from most Mets fans.

Since the terrible news about Carter broke, I haven't read or heard anyone say something about Carter that was in bad taste.

[TransMonk]

Gary Carter wrote: "Earlier today, I learned that four very small tumors have been found on my brain, following an MRI on Friday at a West Palm Beach facility. I am scheduled to be examined further Thursday at Duke Medical Center, and we will learn more at that time about my diagnosis. My wife, Sandy, and our children and family thank you for your thoughts and prayers. We ask that you please respect our privacy as we learn more about my medical condition."

Directly from the press release issued by the Mets on Saturday.

No surgery yet.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: The Second Spitter wrote: [Carter's] illness won't stop the indignation he receives from most Mets fans. Since the terrible news about Carter broke, I haven't read or heard anyone say something about Carter that was in bad taste.

Less "bad," more "questionable".

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Edgy DC wrote: I don't know who most Met fans are.

For starters, "fans" who concoct bullshit stories about him and post them on Internet message boards.

For seconds, "fans" who read Jeff Pearlman's twisted bullshit and take it at face value.

(You may also want to check out what's written on Bonilla's Umdb page)

Carter is a way too easy target. Mets fans talk about him with a level of vitriol usually reserved for someone like Slappy and I'm not even sure Slappy deserves it.

[Edgy MD]

I agree he catches a lot of shit. I've given him some myself. I don't think that adds up to most Met fans treating him indignantly. Those that do, I imagine, are just indignant folks.

And yeah, the Mets have no shortage of generally indignant fans, but I think the Sons of Indignance beat the Carter pinata less than many others.

I mean, try and buy Bobby Bonilla a break at a Met convention. Mention that he had a better OPS as a Met than as a Pirate and see how it goes over.

Anyhow, heal well and completely, Gary Carter.

[Theoldmole]

Remember when they traded for Carter? I was sorry to see Hubie go, but I said "The Mets just won the World Series."

[dgwphotography]

TheOldMole wrote: Remember when they traded for Carter? I was sorry to see Hubie go, but I said "The Mets just won the World Series."

I always remember Kid playing basically wrapped up like a mummy and being incredibly clutch during the '85 stretch run. Maybe he can be entirely too self-serving, but give me 25 guys with his drive and ability to play with pain, and I'll take my chances. Every. single. day.

[metirish]

Not good news


Doctors tell New York Mets great Gary Carter that brain tumors are likely malignant

BY BILL MADDEN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Originally Published:Friday, May 27th 2011, 5:50 PM
Updated: Friday, May 27th 2011, 6:14 PM

Stricken Mets great Gary Carter has received ominous news from doctors at Duke University, who say that they are "90% certain" that tumors on his brain are malignant, according to a Carter family website. Carter, 57, was first diagnosed with four small brain tumors May 21 after experiencing headaches and forgetfulness in recent weeks. "It was very hard for all of us to hear, as we have been hoping and praying that the tumors would be benign," one of Carter's daughters wrote on the website. "Lots of tears have been shed in the hospital room today, and we are all a bit scared of the unknown." Carter won't know the official diagnosis until early or the middle of next week. A family source confirmed the grim news Friday evening. At the time of the initial diagnosis, Carter said, "My wife, Sandy, and our children and family thank you for our thoughts and prayers. We ask us to please respect our privacy as we learn more about my medical condition." According to the website, the plan is for Carter to begin chemotherapy and radiation as soon as the final test results are known. "I'm shocked. Devastated," said former Mets teammate and SNY analyst Ron Darling when told of the news on Friday evening. "It makes you feel your own mortality." Added Keith Hernandez, Darling's SNY booth mate and Carter's teammate during 1980s with the Mets: "Wow. My prayers are with (Gary) and Sandy and his family." Carter, an 11-time All-Star catcher, was inducted to Cooperstown in 2003. He had a lifetime batting average of .262 with 324 home runs and 1,225 RBI in a 19-year career with the Expos, Mets, Giants and Dodgers. He was considered one of the final pieces to the Mets' '86 World Series championship team, making four All-Star teams in five seasons after he was acquired from Montreal for four players before the 1985 season. He finished third in NL MVP voting in '86, with 24 homers and 105 RBI, before adding two homers and nine RBI in the Mets' seven-game thriller over Boston in the Fall Classic. Carter has been managing at Palm Beach Atlantic College this year near his Florida home after his goal to become a big-league manager went unfulfilled. "I talked to Kid last summer up at the Hall of Fame, and I'm so sad to hear this," said ex-battery mate Dwight Gooden upon hearing the news of Carter's initial diagnosis last week. "He always has been a good friend and very supportive of me, and he was such a huge part of what we did (with the Mets) in the '80s. I wish him and his family nothing but the best, and just hope and pray that it all works out for him." Carter and his wife of 36 years, Sandy, have three children, Christy, Kimmy and D.J. According to the family's website, doctors have said that even if malignant, the tumors could be treatable. "(The doctor) wants us all to team up and help Dad through the battle ahead," Carter's daughter wrote. "He said that this IS treatable and they will attack it with the same kind of vigor that Dad displayed on the baseball diamond!" Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2011/05/27/2011-05-27_doctors_tell_new_york_mets_great_gary_carter_that_brain_tumors_are_likely_malign.html#ixzz1Nawx0H6i

[Edgy MD]

Bad news. But that exclamation point at the end made the smile. His daughter is clearly cut from the Carter cloth.

[Met Hunter]

Three things I remember about Carter.

His first Met homer. The excitement we felt knowing we were going to win it all soon.

The two home runs in Boston, Game 3, after Carter and his wife pretty much slept off the previous two losses and the drama of Houston.

The first hit of the Game 6 miracle. You could see it in his face that he felt there was no way he was going to be the guy that made the last out.

Best to you kid. Let's start another miracle.

[ashie62]

Big 1986 HR against the Sawx, get well kid!

[soupcan]

Opening Day 1985.

'Nuff said.

[Methead]

I remember how psyched I was as one of those homers nestled into the netting atop the green monster...

And I can still see him in my head, clapping and pumping his fists after that Game 6 single.

We're pulling for you, Kid.

[Edgy MD]

Actual conversation with my father after the Mets fell behind two games to none in 1986.

Dad: So, Edgy, are the Mets going to be able to come back?

Edgy: If we can get two homers out of Carter today, they will.

[G-Fafif]

Dad: Son, this calling you by your future screen name feels a bit creepy.

Edgy: I also think we need to get out of a surefire rundown early.