Markakis has surgery

[Frobby]

I am going to go blow my brains out. Is there ever any good news with this team? I''m just sick about this.

[SilentJames]

Because he had the ab issue at the end of the season and was still recovering from it in the offseason last we heard.

Perhaps it had to heal first before surgery could be performed? I have heard of situations like that before, that the muscle had to heal up a bit before the surgery could have any significant impact.

Or maybe Nick tried resting it first but it wasn't healing as fast as they had hoped and if they didn't go for surgery now there would be no guarantees for the start of the season?

A lot of genuine reasons.

[Frobby]

http://www.masnsports.com/steve_melewski/2011/11/markakis-updates-an-injury-and-talks-about-the-gold-glove.html

Not saying that it isn't the same injury but it is entirely possible that it is a separate injury.

A bone bruise would seem to be a far cry from a torn rectus abdominus muscle. And a couple of weeks is a far cry from having surgery three months later.

I'd guess it's the same injury. I'm sure we will hear more.

[wellsk86]

"He said he had rested this offseason and felt like he was improving, but when he wasn't fully healed, he was sent to a specialist. An MRI revealed the damage to the abdomen."

So in other words instead of investigating the injury fully the O's just decided to take the first diagnosis as the truth. Typical

[TiredofLosing20]

I wonder if this is why they are stockpiling 5th and 6th outfielders.

Anyway, of course this is typical Orioles news. This team has a lot of abdominal related injuries whether it is hernias or obliques.

[Guest rochester]

Because he had the ab issue at the end of the season and was still recovering from it in the offseason last we heard.

If there is a doctor on here they can probably explain accurately but I would think that this type of surgery is a last, last result... interesting that he did have ab problems the end of last year - I wonder when it started? re: timing? this is a muscle - do you try to rehab or go under the knife? I do not know Nick but my gut feeling is that he will do everything possible to stay away from surgery, including play through it if he could... he may not be able to lift the most on the team but, from my perspective, he is one of a small handful I would want on my side if the benches cleared. he probably had a slight tear minimum when he hurt it last year - that is one tough SOB.

I have to say that I have been a big proponent of moving Nick this off-season and have been a bit surprised his name has not come up in rumors - now we know why. I would be shocked if he is back by OD and be fully recovered soon...

[wellsk86]

"He said he wont do anything for three weeks besides walk, Can then begin some light lifting and then some maybe by week 6 lt baseball act"

"Markakis said light baseball acts can begin week 5 to 6 -- #Nats Ryan Zimmerman had same type surgery, missed 6 wks and wasnt 100 % initialy"

https://twitter.com/#!/danconnollysun/status/155322193805451264

https://twitter.com/#!/danconnollysun/status/155323109610762240

[jiminnj]

Seems obvious why they waited. It was hoped rest would do the trick. The O's seem to want to avoid surgery at all costs and sometimes it bites then in the a$$ as they wait out a long rehab and then surgery is needed anyway. They do it with the pitchers all of the time. Of course, rest and rehab is preferable to surgery but it almost always seems as though surgery is inevitable. I've often wondered if the team doctors are personal friends of PA. Not that they aren't good but maybe they aren't sports specialists.

This has it right. They didn't do it earlier because they thought that rest and rehab would correct it.

SGs point about expecting poor production early in the season is right on. He won't be able to work out much before and won't be in the shape he should be when the season starts. This is similar to Reimold in 2010 and Lee last year. Off season surgery that carries over well into the next season.

[allstar1579]

Because he had the ab issue at the end of the season and was still recovering from it in the offseason last we heard.

Yeah it's the same injury he got at the end of last season diving for a ball. I guess they were hoping it worked itself out and healed on it's own, that's always the better option, but this is probably the deadline for when he could get surgery and recover in time for OD. My guess is recovery takes a bit longer, abdomen things are tricky, and he's not completely ready for OD, maybe 2-3 weeks behind after the light ST.

Blessing in disguise, I've been interested to see how good defensively Reimold is in RF, because that's what he is naturally. In theory, Kakes being out for a little bit might improve our OF defense (I know losing a GG OF doesn't make any sense saying that, but LF gets much more play, and a better fielder over there with Reimold being above average in RF could improve overall OF defense.)

[SilentJames]

"He said he had rested this offseason and felt like he was improving, but when he wasn't fully healed, he was sent to a specialist. An MRI revealed the damage to the abdomen."

So in other words instead of investigating the injury fully the O's just decided to take the first diagnosis as the truth. Typical

They have no reason to look deeper. If the initial diagnosis is, it can heal on its own - then let it heal on its own. Why would the Orioles or Nick have any reason to think otherwise?

[Slappy]

They have no reason to look deeper. If the initial diagnosis is, it can heal on its own - then let it heal on its own. Why would the Orioles or Nick have any reason to think otherwise?

With one of your more important and most expensive players, not fully diagnosing an injury is inexcusable. This could have been nipped months ago. Our handling and susceptibility to injuries should raise some questions in new management's meetings about the team's medical approach.

[allstar1579]

They have no reason to look deeper. If the initial diagnosis is, it can heal on its own - then let it heal on its own. Why would the Orioles or Nick have any reason to think otherwise?

Agreed. Even if they don't KNOW for sure if it can, it's much better to try that first before cutting into someone's intestines. It's not like he's having the surgery April 1st. He's got a good 8-10 weeks to recover.

[DrungoHazewood]

They have no reason to look deeper. If the initial diagnosis is, it can heal on its own - then let it heal on its own. Why would the Orioles or Nick have any reason to think otherwise?

Because the O's have a long track record of their initial diagnoses sucking?

[SammyBirdland]

They have no reason to look deeper. If the initial diagnosis is, it can heal on its own - then let it heal on its own. Why would the Orioles or Nick have any reason to think otherwise?

Right, I don't blame Nick or the team for what's going on here. You don't rush to go under the knife.

[wellsk86]

They have no reason to look deeper. If the initial diagnosis is, it can heal on its own - then let it heal on its own. Why would the Orioles or Nick have any reason to think otherwise?

This is true, but with an important and expensive player like Markakis I just wish they would have gotten multiple opinions. And even if those opinions were all rest, why did they wait 3 months before deciding to investigate further?