Bad News on the Spoone Front: Surgery for Slap Tear - out until mid-2009 likely

[ScottieBaseball]

It certainly seemed like there was a lot of wasted time this season. He missed a good bit of time while on a "strengthening program" only to come back and go right back on the DL with discomfort again. Then, more time is wasted before he actually has the surgery. Basically they'll lose almost two seasons of his development due to this injury.

It's hard to know exactly what happened since the Orioles keep their minor league player injury news held so secretly that it's almost impossible to get a clear answer until a player undergoes surgery, and sometimes not till months afterwards.

This is a real shame because he had some amazing stuff when he was on.

You also have to consider the player in this case. I don't necessarily mean this as a criticism of Spooney, but sometimes a player's emotions can impact the type of feedback (read "level of honesty") he'll provide trainers and doctors.

Spoone strikes me as the kind of kid that wants to compete so badly that he might nod, smile, and claim that "everything is fine" to team doctors and even his family when truthfully it's not.

He turns 23 years old tomorrow. I don't know about you guys, but I did some real dumb stuff when I was 22. As a matter of fact, I was just a little younger (and competing on an infinitely lower level) when I, too, lied to coaches, teammates, and family about my throwing shoulder. Along with abusing cortisone it resulted in a torn rotator cuff, torn labrum, and the need to have all the fixed along with a thermocapsular reduction procedure.

In my early 20's I don't know that I'd have thought out the consequences any more than Spoone apparently has. I can imagine the guy thinking along the lines of getting the pain to a manageable level so the cause can be treated in the off-season without considering the time table for such treatment.

I'm not saying I excuse it, but I do understand. Either way, I'll be praying for Chorye and that he'll make a full recovery.

[TGO]

Scottie, TakebackOPACY, Mackus, Lucky Jim, your posts are unacceptable. You must blame the Orioles. Please conform your posts accordingly.

[Sports Guy]

Scottie, TakebackOPACY, Mackus, Lucky Jim, your posts are unacceptable. You must blame the Orioles. Please conform your posts accordingly.

How many times does stuff like this have to happen before you start looking at the medical staff?

This goes back to what Drungo brought up last week about Bancells...It is happening far too much and far too often.

[Mackus]

How many times does stuff like this have to happen before you start looking at the medical staff?

This goes back to what Drungo brought up last week about Bancells...It is happening far too much and far too often.

But do you have anything to back up your premise that this type of thing occurs more often to our young pitchers and prospects any more often than other organizations?

[hoosiers]

You also have to consider the player in this case. I don't necessarily mean this as a criticism of Spooney, but sometimes a player's emotions can impact the type of feedback (read "level of honesty") he'll provide trainers and doctors.

Spoone strikes me as the kind of kid that wants to compete so badly that he might nod, smile, and claim that "everything is fine" to team doctors and even his family when truthfully it's not.

He turns 23 years old tomorrow. I don't know about you guys, but I did some real dumb stuff when I was 22. As a matter of fact, I was just a little younger (and competing on an infinitely lower level) when I, too, lied to coaches, teammates, and family about my throwing shoulder. Along with abusing cortisone it resulted in a torn rotator cuff, torn labrum, and the need to have all the fixed along with a thermocapsular reduction procedure.

In my early 20's I don't know that I'd have thought out the consequences any more than Spoone apparently has. I can imagine the guy thinking along the lines of getting the pain to a manageable level so the cause can be treated in the off-season without considering the time table for such treatment.

I'm not saying I excuse it, but I do understand. Either way, I'll be praying for Chorye and that he'll make a full recovery.

These are great points, but they hint that the organization, and likely many, many others in baseball, need to do a significantly better job at educating these young prospects on how important it is to work closely and honestly with the medical staff.

The other thing I thought about regarding this post was how the organization was in such fits for so long regarding Bedard's reluctance to pitch through minor aches and pains.

[Sports Guy]

But do you have anything to back up your premise that this type of thing occurs more often to our young pitchers and prospects any more often than other organizations?

Nope...but I don't care either.

I care about the Orioles.

And yes, I know injuries occur but if you are consistently mishandling, misdiagnosing them, etc...something is wrong.

I am not willing to bury my head in the sand about it and just assume "the experts" are right.

[Mackus]

Nope...but I don't care either.

I care about the Orioles.

And yes, I know injuries occur but if you are consistently mishandling, misdiagnosing them, etc...something is wrong.

I am not willing to bury my head in the sand about it and just assume "the experts" are right.

It does matter. If every organization is having 4-5 pitchers go through severe injuries each year, then why would it be a failing of the Orioles medical staff if they are having 4-5 pitchers suffer severe injuries each year?

Maybe we are a lot worse. Maybe we're about league average. Hell, maybe we're one of the best teams in the league at keeping our prospects healthy. Without having anything to compare it to, its all just random ranting.

My guess is we are a bit worse than average. But again, thats just a guess, as is your guess that we are quite bad. Don't tell me I'm "burying my head in the sand" just because I'm being pragmatic and would like to know the truth before forming an opinion.

[ScottieBaseball]

How many times does stuff like this have to happen before you start looking at the medical staff?

This goes back to what Drungo brought up last week about Bancells...It is happening far too much and far too often.

How many times does this stuff have to happen before we acknowledge that we're dealing with (in most cases) hard-headed, early-20-somethings with Type-A personalities who are accustomed to expectations that require them to perform at a high level with intensity and toughness required of a professional baseball player?

I'm not exonerating the O's medical staff, but certainly a fair amount of the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the players themselves.

[Sports Guy]

It does matter. If every organization is having 4-5 pitchers go through severe injuries each year, then why would it be a failing of the Orioles medical staff if they are having 4-5 pitchers suffer severe injuries each year?

Maybe we are a lot worse. Maybe we're about league average. Hell, maybe we're one of the best teams in the league at keeping our prospects healthy. Without having anything to compare it to, its all just random ranting.

My guess is we are a bit worse than average. But again, thats just a guess, as is your guess that we are quite bad. Don't tell me I'm "burying my head in the sand" just because I'm being pragmatic and would like to know the truth before forming an opinion.

Its not as much as them suffering the injuries...its how the players are handled...its how they diagnose...etc...

That is the problem.

[Three Run Homer]

I guess we can take some comfort from the fact that Patton had a similar injury and apparently is making good progress in his recovery.

Five years ago, a torn labrum was a death sentence to a pitcher's career...now it seems that labrum surgery has progressed to the point where a pitcher can come back from it, although it's still not as routine as Tommy John surgery.

[Wish]

Nope...but I don't care either.

I guess we can take some comfort from the fact that Patton had a similar injury and apparently is making good progress in his recovery.

Five years ago, a torn labrum was a death sentence to a pitcher's career...now it seems that labrum surgery has progressed to the point where a pitcher can come back from it, although it's still not as routine as Tommy John surgery.

I don't know I'll wait until I see Patton pitch before I would say that.

But as far as I am concerned, both Patton's and Spoone's professional careers are over baring miracles.

[Ruzious]

I think what the nice folks here who spent the evening at a Holiday Inn Express last night have to realize is that surgery is generally the last option. If there's a decent chance they can get the injury to heal without surgery, they are going to wait.

[Lucky Jim]

I don't know I'll wait until I see Patton pitch before I would say that.

But as far as I am concerned, both Patton's and Spoone's professional careers are over baring miracles.

Well, that seals it. Where'd you go to med school?

[Frobby]

From the Prospect Tracker:

7/21 - Has spent two stints on the disabled list with shoulder discomfort but the good news is it doesn’t appear to be anything too significant this time. “Spoone is structurally sound after examinations and will get the arm calmed down and begin a throwing program,” David Stockstill explained.

Were they just wrong? Lying? It's infuriating!

[hoosiers]

From the Prospect Tracker:

Were they just wrong? Lying? It's infuriating!

What incentive is there to lie about this?

It may be right to shine a light on the activities/decisions of the medical staff, but a lot of this is conjecture.

Also, let's face it, if Spoone was injured, he was injured - this is unlikely to be the medical staff's fault.