Rendon

[RVAbird]

I don't understand why so many of you just shrug off Rendon's injuries.

I see some of you say that his ankle injuries were freakish and he has recovered. He will probably recover from the shoulder injury, too. But doesn't the fact that he has been injured three years in a row bother you? One of you says that if he were in pro ball, he would have been on the DL to get over the shoulder injury. That's true, but how many times might he have to be on the DL getting over injuries?

The O's need someone as good as Rendon, whether at 2B or 3B. But this is the fourth pick in the draft, and I'm very leery of taking someone that high who has not been able to stay healthy over the last three years.

No, because the idea of the "injury-prone" player is largely a myth. Outside of pitchers and guys with chronic/nagging issues or structural damage, a handful of unrelated minor injuries is not a strong predictor of future attrition.

Rendon is too good to pass on because you're scared away by injuries in college that should have no bearing on his future performance.

If a medical reveals structural damage, that's another issue. But at this point that doesn't seem to be the case.

[panick]

I am not concerned about college injuries affecting future performance. I'm concerned about Rendon's future injuries affecting his future performance.

I noticed the statement that the 'injury-prone' player is LARGELY a myth. So apparently it's not a total myth.

There have position players in the past that couldn't stay healthy. Adam Jones was one in his first couple years. It remains to be seen if that continues. There has been a debate on this board about extending Hardy. One of the reasons some posters were hesitant was because of Hardy's injury history. It hasn't been the same recurring injury with him.

Some players are just 'soft'. They may play harder than other players, but there is just something about their bodies that can't take the punishment. The game in the majors is faster than it is in college, and there is more stress on the players' bodies. I still don't think having even minor injuries on an annual basis in college bodes well for the durability of a player in the majors.

But if the O's draft Rendon, here's hoping that he breaks Ripken's record for consecutive games played!