The Baseball Injury Report
Brandon Webb (RHP, ARI)
When you are able to throw five 200-plus inning seasons in a row and be dominating, the bar is set a tad higher than it should be when you are coming off shoulder surgery. That is the situation Webb finds himself in. The high hopes included him being ready for the opener and pitching effectively. Now there is talk he is a likely candidate to start the season on the DL. We have felt all along expecting Webb to bounce back that quickly and pitch effectively from the beginning was asking a bit much from him. Starting the year on the DL will allow him more time to build up his arm strength. His current problem is that he has leveled off regarding his arm strength. Barring a new injury, which we doubt has occurred here, his "setback" is not a major problem at the moment when you realistically look at his situation.
Russell Martin (C, LAD)
More details have emerged regarding Martin's groin injury. He had a contrast media MRI done, which revealed a strained adductor muscle. This is part of the muscles on the inside of the inner thigh. He does not have any problems hitting or squatting, just when he runs. It is that first step that really puts a lot of stress on the muscle and its tendon. While there was some speculation recently that he may have a hip injury, Dodgers trainer Stan Conte indicates it is an adductor injury and does not involve the labrum in the hip. This is Martin's first groin injury, so that is a positive. Also, he will be able to work out but will have to avoid running for the time being. Martin is still expected to miss at least a month, meaning he will start the season on the disabled list. Barring a setback, he could be back catching for the Dodgers in the middle of April.
Jesus Flores (C, WAS)
Flores is slated to see Dr. James Andrews next week to re-evaluate his throwing shoulder. Andrews performed the surgery last fall on his right shoulder to repair a torn labrum. This type of surgery is tough for pitchers to overcome and position players have their share of problems, too. The Nationals want to make sure his recent struggles are normal and there isn't any new damage in the shoulder. Odds are increasing that he is a good bet to start the year on the DL and miss at least a couple of weeks while he builds up his arm strength.
Emmanuel Burriss (IF, SF)
Burriss suffered a fractured left foot last season and underwent surgery in July. He redeveloped pain over the surgical area early in spring training, but tests were normal. A MRI done on the left foot revealed he has suffered a re-fracture of the same bone in the same location. Hoping to avoid another round of surgery, he is receiving injections in the troublesome area to help increase the healing process. He will wear a boot for roughly four weeks and he will miss the start of the season at the very least. If he needs another surgical procedure, he could miss the first half of the 2010 season.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia (C, TEX)
The Rangers are trying to take the cautious approach with Salty as he continues to battle with discomfort around the surgical location of his Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery last year. He says his arm strength is good and he thinks he will be ready for the start of the season. It would not come as a surprise if he begins the season on the disabled list to give him a bit more time to get game ready.
Lance Berkman (1B, HOU)
Berkman suffered a bruised left knee recently that was supposed to land him on the sidelines only for a couple of days. As it turns out, the minor bone bruise is a little more serious. He will need minor surgery to clean out some debris that has collected in the knee joint. The Astros are stating they believe he'll be back in about a month. That may be the case, but 34-year-old's knees don't heal as fast as younger ones and his recover could end up being longer. The likely best case scenario is he misses 7-10 days in April. It's more likely is a return around the little of the month or a tad later. Once he is back, his offensive production should not suffer due to this injury.
Joey Devine (RHP, OAK)
Devine underwent Tommy John surgery last April for a torn ulnar collateral ligament. The A's expect him to be ready for activation in mid-April. So will the current bout with tendonitis, which Devine says is normal for him, set his return back? It appears as though he has some soreness and inflammation, but there are no signs of a new injury. This bout of tendinitis may delay his return by a week or so unless it turns out to be more serious, then his return would be in May at the earliest.
Scott Sizemore (2B, DET)
The odds are increasing that Sizemore will start the season on the disabled list as he recovers from a fractured left ankle that he suffered during the Arizona Fall League. He continues to battle stiffness and some residual weakness. The rainy weather in Florida is not helping his situation, either. The Tigers are not going to risk a new injury and it is getting close to the time where they elected to send him to Triple-A or start his season on the DL to give him more time to recover.
Johan Santana (LHP, NYM)
Santana is recovering from surgery last fall to remove bone chips in his pitching elbow. Even though his numbers were not pretty in his Thursday outing, he threw all his pitches and did not show any signs of physical problems with the elbow. This is the second time in his career he has had this surgery and that experience will allow him to pace himself as he gets ready for opening day.
Ted Lilly (LHP, CHC)
Lilly continues his recovery from surgery last fall (to clean out the joint of debris) with the goal of being ready by opening day. He developed soreness in his right knee in February that delayed his throwing program early on. While Lilly has not caught up to his fellow starters, he is not that far behind and he has enough experience to pace his recovery to avoid suffering another injury. A veteran Cubs announcer indicates his knee looks sound and Lilly has not been seen favoring the knee.
Chad Qualls (RHP, ARI)
Qualls suffered a dislocated patellar last August. He also had a patellofemoral ligament in his left knee that needed surgical repair. At the time of the injury and surgery, Qualls was a better than 50-50 bet to start the season on the disabled list. After his latest outing of one inning, the Diamondbacks are now encouraged by his recovery and there is a very good chance he will be ready for the start of the 2010 season.
Kelvim Escobar (RHP, NYM)
Escobar, who is coming off almost two straight years of inactivity due to a torn labrum and the follow-up surgery, has been shut down by the Mets. He is feeling discomfort in his throwing shoulder, along with some weakness. There is no doubt he starts the season on the disabled list and his career has to be in jeopardy if he is unable to overcome the pain and restrictions of his right shoulder.
When you are able to throw five 200-plus inning seasons in a row and be dominating, the bar is set a tad higher than it should be when you are coming off shoulder surgery. That is the situation Webb finds himself in. The high hopes included him being ready for the opener and pitching effectively. Now there is talk he is a likely candidate to start the season on the DL. We have felt all along expecting Webb to bounce back that quickly and pitch effectively from the beginning was asking a bit much from him. Starting the year on the DL will allow him more time to build up his arm strength. His current problem is that he has leveled off regarding his arm strength. Barring a new injury, which we doubt has occurred here, his "setback" is not a major problem at the moment when you realistically look at his situation.
Russell Martin (C, LAD)
More details have emerged regarding Martin's groin injury. He had a contrast media MRI done, which revealed a strained adductor muscle. This is part of the muscles on the inside of the inner thigh. He does not have any problems hitting or squatting, just when he runs. It is that first step that really puts a lot of stress on the muscle and its tendon. While there was some speculation recently that he may have a hip injury, Dodgers trainer Stan Conte indicates it is an adductor injury and does not involve the labrum in the hip. This is Martin's first groin injury, so that is a positive. Also, he will be able to work out but will have to avoid running for the time being. Martin is still expected to miss at least a month, meaning he will start the season on the disabled list. Barring a setback, he could be back catching for the Dodgers in the middle of April.
Jesus Flores (C, WAS)
Flores is slated to see Dr. James Andrews next week to re-evaluate his throwing shoulder. Andrews performed the surgery last fall on his right shoulder to repair a torn labrum. This type of surgery is tough for pitchers to overcome and position players have their share of problems, too. The Nationals want to make sure his recent struggles are normal and there isn't any new damage in the shoulder. Odds are increasing that he is a good bet to start the year on the DL and miss at least a couple of weeks while he builds up his arm strength.
Emmanuel Burriss (IF, SF)
Burriss suffered a fractured left foot last season and underwent surgery in July. He redeveloped pain over the surgical area early in spring training, but tests were normal. A MRI done on the left foot revealed he has suffered a re-fracture of the same bone in the same location. Hoping to avoid another round of surgery, he is receiving injections in the troublesome area to help increase the healing process. He will wear a boot for roughly four weeks and he will miss the start of the season at the very least. If he needs another surgical procedure, he could miss the first half of the 2010 season.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia (C, TEX)
The Rangers are trying to take the cautious approach with Salty as he continues to battle with discomfort around the surgical location of his Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery last year. He says his arm strength is good and he thinks he will be ready for the start of the season. It would not come as a surprise if he begins the season on the disabled list to give him a bit more time to get game ready.
Lance Berkman will begin the season on the DL after knee surgery.
Berkman suffered a bruised left knee recently that was supposed to land him on the sidelines only for a couple of days. As it turns out, the minor bone bruise is a little more serious. He will need minor surgery to clean out some debris that has collected in the knee joint. The Astros are stating they believe he'll be back in about a month. That may be the case, but 34-year-old's knees don't heal as fast as younger ones and his recover could end up being longer. The likely best case scenario is he misses 7-10 days in April. It's more likely is a return around the little of the month or a tad later. Once he is back, his offensive production should not suffer due to this injury.
Joey Devine (RHP, OAK)
Devine underwent Tommy John surgery last April for a torn ulnar collateral ligament. The A's expect him to be ready for activation in mid-April. So will the current bout with tendonitis, which Devine says is normal for him, set his return back? It appears as though he has some soreness and inflammation, but there are no signs of a new injury. This bout of tendinitis may delay his return by a week or so unless it turns out to be more serious, then his return would be in May at the earliest.
Scott Sizemore (2B, DET)
The odds are increasing that Sizemore will start the season on the disabled list as he recovers from a fractured left ankle that he suffered during the Arizona Fall League. He continues to battle stiffness and some residual weakness. The rainy weather in Florida is not helping his situation, either. The Tigers are not going to risk a new injury and it is getting close to the time where they elected to send him to Triple-A or start his season on the DL to give him more time to recover.
Johan Santana (LHP, NYM)
Santana is recovering from surgery last fall to remove bone chips in his pitching elbow. Even though his numbers were not pretty in his Thursday outing, he threw all his pitches and did not show any signs of physical problems with the elbow. This is the second time in his career he has had this surgery and that experience will allow him to pace himself as he gets ready for opening day.
Ted Lilly (LHP, CHC)
Lilly continues his recovery from surgery last fall (to clean out the joint of debris) with the goal of being ready by opening day. He developed soreness in his right knee in February that delayed his throwing program early on. While Lilly has not caught up to his fellow starters, he is not that far behind and he has enough experience to pace his recovery to avoid suffering another injury. A veteran Cubs announcer indicates his knee looks sound and Lilly has not been seen favoring the knee.
Chad Qualls (RHP, ARI)
Qualls suffered a dislocated patellar last August. He also had a patellofemoral ligament in his left knee that needed surgical repair. At the time of the injury and surgery, Qualls was a better than 50-50 bet to start the season on the disabled list. After his latest outing of one inning, the Diamondbacks are now encouraged by his recovery and there is a very good chance he will be ready for the start of the 2010 season.
Kelvim Escobar (RHP, NYM)
Escobar, who is coming off almost two straight years of inactivity due to a torn labrum and the follow-up surgery, has been shut down by the Mets. He is feeling discomfort in his throwing shoulder, along with some weakness. There is no doubt he starts the season on the disabled list and his career has to be in jeopardy if he is unable to overcome the pain and restrictions of his right shoulder.
