MASH Report (11/03/14)

• I have one must read and it was just published a couple of hours ago by Sam Fuld on dealing with a brain damage concussions.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are similar to other injuries in that they require time and rest in order to improve. That lost time is why most athletes drive ourselves crazy when deciding whether or not to keep our injuries quiet. What happens if we miss some action and our replacement from Triple-A plays great? What about the dreaded label of being “injury prone?!?!” Whether you’re an All-Star, a fringe major leaguer or a young minor leaguer, nobody wants an organization to think you’re an injury risk.

• Miguel Cabrera had surgery on a bone spur he knew of and fractured bone in his foot he didn’t know of.

Cabrera will be re-evaluated in three months — or a few weeks before Spring Training. He’s expected to avoid weight-bearing activities on the foot until then, which greatly limits his off-season workouts.

“He’ll probably be pretty much inactive,” Dombrowski said.

Dombrowski avoided any prognostications about Cabrera’s potential readiness for Spring Training, preferring to wait for the follow-up exam in January.

So what we know is:
1. We will know more in January on his return times.
2. He played on a fractured foot for who knows how long.

His 2015 health could make or break some teams. Is he going to produce like 2013 or 2014? Is he going to play 150+ games? Will his 3 year increase in strike out rate finally stop? I don’t want to stay away from a potential #1 fantasy player, but so much uncertainty surrounds him. He is one player I want too much coverage on once spring training starts to see how healthy he is.

• Adam Wainwright had cartilage trimmed from his elbow after stating several times he was healthy.

After pitching through on-and-off right elbow discomfort this season, Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright had a piece of cartilage trimmed from the elbow on Friday. The procedure is not expected to affect his readiness for Spring Training, as Wainwright should be able to resume throwing in eight weeks, after six weeks of physical therapy.
…
Wainwright missed one start due to elbow tendinitis in June and then fought through discomfort at various points afterward. There were times when Wainwright had to alter his mechanics as a result, though he repeatedly insisted that he was not concerned that continuing to pitch would cause additional damage to his ulnar collateral ligament, which was repaired when he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2011.

I would just wait to see where to value him until some velocity readings are available during spring training.

• Ryan Braun is making some progress with his thumb, but no one will know if it will be 100% until spring training

The Milwaukee Brewers won’t know for sure until Ryan Braun starts playing on at least a semiregular basis in spring training, but all parties are optimistic about the procedure he underwent after the 2014 season to treat a nagging thumb injury.

“He has taken some batting practice off a pitcher,” said general manager Doug Melvin. “It’s not like he’s playing every day. You’re not going to get a good feel and judgment on it until then, when you’re playing every day, seven days a week, taking BP and all that. That’s the true test.

“But, right now, it sounds like everything is great. He’s just going to let it go through the normal healing process.”

Additionally, here is how the hand as affected him the past two seasons.

“When you can’t use your top hand as a baseball player, it drastically alters everything that you do,” Braun said. “I’ve tried to adjust; I’ve tried to find a way to deal with it the best I could.

“At times I’ve been OK. But for the most part it’s been really difficult, really challenging and very frustrat-ing.”

Huge sleeper potential for 2014 with him. It will be interesting to see how he gets valued and what he ends up producing.

• Danny Duffy was limited during the playoffs because of a cracked rib.

Yost was told that Duffy had a “stress reaction” on one of his ribs which still allowed him to pitch, but on a limited basis, certainly not enough to permit a starting assignment.

“It’s not a full crack all the way through, but the outside of the rib, as far as I understand it, was cracked,” Yost said on Friday.

“He could manage the pain for a couple of innings, but then he’d start to get real stiff and real tight. So he could go maybe two, maybe three innings and that was about it.”

…
Yost expects Duffy to be fine in plenty of time for Spring Training.

The rib explains quite a bit of the late season issues with Duffy who should be ready by spring training.

• Brad Peacock will miss the start of the 2015 season.

Astros right-hander Brad Peacock could miss the start of the 2015 regular season while he recovers from arthroscopic surgery performed earlier this month on his right hip to repair a torn labrum and remove bone spurs.
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“It looks like he’s going to be rehabbing and will not be ready for the start of Spring Training, and at this point is questionable for the start of the season,” [Jeff Luhnow] said. “But we’re hoping it won’t be too far into the season he’ll be ready to go 100 percent.”

• Top prospect Byron Buxton needed surgery to repair a fractured finger.

Byron Buxton underwent surgery Thursday to repair a broken middle finger on his left hand, but he is expected to be ready for Spring Training, Twins director of Minor League operations Brad Steil said Friday.

I will be surprised if he makes any MLB impact in 2015 because his development has been delayed several times by injuries.

• The Royals are going to lose Kyle Zimmer for the start of the 2015 season because of shoulder surgery.

Kyle Zimmer, the Royals’ No. 2 overall prospect and top pitching prospect, underwent explora-tory surgery on his right shoulder on Tuesday. A minor debridement of his rotator cuff and labrum were performed during the procedure.

The diagnosis calls for a six-month recovery period, assistant general manager J.J. Picollo told MLB.com. This puts Zimmer at risk to miss the start of the 2015 season.

Zimmer has dealt with injuries issues in his short career, but the 5th overall pick from the 2012 draft was showing promise in the Arizona Fall League. He struck out 15 batters in just 9.2 IP.

• The Nationals Taylor Jordan had bone spurs removed from his arm.

• CC Sabathia says he is “pretty much back to 100 percent”. Check in on his velocity. I don’t think 89 mph will cut it after being over 92 just two seasons ago.

• Carlos Correa seems to be done with his rehab.

• Rusney Castillo will probably be shut down for the entire winter (AFL and winter ball) after experiencing a thumb contusion in the AFL.

• The Brewers where awarded the Martin-Monaghan Award for Best Medical Staff by Rotowire for “…several criteria, including days and dollars lost to injury this year and over the past three years. It is voted on by a panel of experts.”

 

(*) 15 Day Disabled List
(**) 60 Day Disabled List
(***) 7 Day Concussion List
(****) Free Agent
Red colored entries are updates since last report.

Players with Injuries Going into 2015