Sinking feeling . . . . Tommy John

Topic: Sinking feeling . . . . Tommy John - Corey Seager (Read 2533 times) previous topic - next topic

Sinking feeling . . . . Tommy John - Corey Seager

April 30, 2018, 03:44:31 PM

And 2018 is already looking like a rebuilding year.

Re: Sinking feeling . . . . Tommy John - Corey Seager

Reply #1 – April 30, 2018, 08:14:43 PM

That is a tough loss. He didn't have a very productive start to the season.

Makes you wonder if they would have done this last summer, when he was injured.

Re: Sinking feeling . . . . Tommy John - Corey Seager

Reply #2 – May 01, 2018, 12:45:45 PM

I questioned that as soon as I saw the reports too, "no D". But I find it hard to believe things with the elbow were this bad at the time last season and EVERY trainer, doctor, and even Seager himself advised/chose to not have the surgery.

After going through the seven stages of grief, I've come to the opinion that the elbow has either A) gotten worse, or B) just not healed the way they thought it would with the treatments they did do and at this point there is no other course of action. There have been players, position players especially, who have had partial UCL injuries and have been able to treat them in much less invasive ways and never had to undergo TJ. Positional players don't put near the stress on their arms that pitchers do, so some of the more recent treatments have worked well and kept players on the field and off the operating table. Seager unfortunately was not one of those...

In the end, it's a lost season either way for him. If he'd had the surgery last November he'd have been out all this season. At this point he'll have the surgery and there is a chance he's back before April next year. Position players seem to have healed and rehabbed quicker than pitchers after TJ. Again, either way, it's a lost season so there really wasn't much lost in trying the less invasive treatment path.

Re: Sinking feeling . . . . Tommy John - Corey Seager

Reply #3 – May 02, 2018, 11:03:39 PM

Quote from: Rum Runners – on April 30, 2018, 08:14:43 PM

That is a tough loss. He didn't have a very productive start to the season.

Makes you wonder if they would have done this last summer, when he was injured.

I found out recently this is apparently a decision totally up to the player. A player cannot be told by the team what to do, only "advised". Maybe you guys already knew that. That's a stunner. The fact that the team paying the man's salary can't demand a player have surgery... I suppose in the day and age of guaranteed salaries, this is a thing. Weird, though, especially when a player is under team control.

Re: Sinking feeling . . . . Tommy John - Corey Seager

Reply #4 – May 03, 2018, 09:04:23 AM

Quote from: monsooner – on May 02, 2018, 11:03:39 PM

I found out recently this is apparently a decision totally up to the player. A player cannot be told by the team what to do, only "advised". Maybe you guys already knew that. That's a stunner. The fact that the team paying the man's salary can't demand a player have surgery... I suppose in the day and age of guaranteed salaries, this is a thing. Weird, though, especially when a player is under team control.

Well, forcing someone to undergo invasive surgery, regardless the reasons, is kind of a no-no in most societies not involving totalitarian regimes.

Re: Sinking feeling . . . . Tommy John - Corey Seager

Reply #5 – May 03, 2018, 09:48:31 AM

Quote from: dsj421 – on May 03, 2018, 09:04:23 AM

Well, forcing someone to undergo invasive surgery, regardless the reasons, is kind of a no-no in most societies not involving totalitarian regimes.

I get that, Mr. Castro. I'm just saying that these guys are getting paychecks that will sustain them and their family members the rest of their lives. I'm surprised SOME tweaks aren't made to contracts regarding when/if a player gets minor surgery when it's clearly in the best interest of the player's career and the team. And it's not "forcing." It's more like, "If you choose not to have this surgery, your contract is voided." It's still a choice.

In the case of Seager, from what I hear, everybody and their brother knew TJ was necessary, and he should have gotten it done at the end of last season. Seems totally unwise for Seager himself to have neglected the advice.

Re: Sinking feeling . . . . Tommy John - Corey Seager

Reply #6 – May 03, 2018, 12:05:21 PM

I've seen just the opposite reports Kyle.

"Seager told the media that he felt his elbow give out over the weekend when making a relay throw on Sunday, explaining the feeling as a sudden bout of numbness in his elbow. The 23-year-old star dealt with bone chips and inflammation in the elbow last summer, according to McCullough, though extensive testing led medical experts to recommend against surgery at season’s end. It’s not clear how much, if any, ligament damage existed in Seager’s elbow following the 2017 season, of course, and undergoing a major surgery (especially Tommy John surgery) at that point still could very well have wiped him out for most, if not all of the 2018 season."

Re: Sinking feeling . . . . Tommy John - Corey Seager

Reply #7 – May 03, 2018, 05:24:07 PM

Quote from: Brendtmc – on May 03, 2018, 12:05:21 PM

I've seen just the opposite reports Kyle.

"Seager told the media that he felt his elbow give out over the weekend when making a relay throw on Sunday, explaining the feeling as a sudden bout of numbness in his elbow. The 23-year-old star dealt with bone chips and inflammation in the elbow last summer, according to McCullough, though extensive testing led medical experts to recommend against surgery at season’s end. It’s not clear how much, if any, ligament damage existed in Seager’s elbow following the 2017 season, of course, and undergoing a major surgery (especially Tommy John surgery) at that point still could very well have wiped him out for most, if not all of the 2018 season."

I'm nearly positive I remember hearing mixed reports from the Dodgers camp about TJ surgery for Seager DURING the playoffs last season. I'll concede that "everybody and their brother" might be a bit over the top.

This is from the LA Times:

Zaidi defended the organization's decision not to recommend surgery for Seager over the offseason. Seager had complained of elbow discomfort throughout the second half of 2017. By August, his elbow hurt every time he threw the baseball. The MRI exams on the ligament did not show enough damage to merit a procedure, Zaidi said.

The Dodgers kept Seager on ice for most of spring training. He completed a protective throwing program before being cleared to play shortstop in games. Seager did not play the field until March 12. The precautions could not delay the inevitable.

"Where we were in the calendar at the time, it made sense to take a conservative approach, and see if that would alleviate the symptoms," Zaidi said. "It obviously worked for a while. Things deteriorated now to the point where it's clearly surgical."

Seager insisted he did not regret forgoing surgery.

"Where I was last year, it was the right decision to [not have surgery]," he said. "It just didn't work out the way I was hoping."

My point is this: How many times have we heard experts suggest TJ for a player, and it DIDN'T happen? I can't think of one.

Re: Sinking feeling . . . . Tommy John - Corey Seager

Reply #8 – May 03, 2018, 05:29:53 PM

Oh, and Darrell, this just might mean I'm gonna get more out of that one year of Ian Desmod (who was a healthy part of my '16 championship) and Ross Stripling than you'll get out of Seager. But I will say this: I NEVER would have done that trade under the current rules, with being able to keep a developed player up to 6 years, now. Seager will just miss the one season (this one), and should be fine by April, 2019.