Read the full story with quotes from Mike Rizzo and rehab details on CSNwashington.com.
MIAMI — Stephen Strasburg will have Tommy John surgery Friday in Los Angeles after a second enhanced MRI taken yesterday confirmed the Nationals' original diagnosis of a significant tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
General manager Mike Rizzo said orthopedist Lewis Yocum will perform the ligament replacement surgery, with Nats team doctor Wiemi Douoguih assisting. The two doctors also performed Jordan Zimmermann's Tommy John surgery last August.
Strasburg will return to his home in San Diego and immediately begin physical therapy. He won't be allowed to resume throwing a ball, however, for four months.
15 comments:
Haven't we been through this before? Once everyone gets ready for the surgery, Rizzo will announce that in fact Miguel Batista is having surgery on Friday and that Strasburg's is happening next Tuesday. We'll all blame Boswell for misleading us about the date and the Lerners for trying to make a little extra money off of the confusion...
... the sooner the better.
Go Strasssssss!
Go Nats!
Sending Solis to the AFL could be interesting? ... is he thinking that perhaps Solis could be on a fast track to the majors ... arriving about the same time as Stras returns?
Anybody else wonder why they go to Yocum for the TJ surgery rather than the Bard of Birmingham?
SS appears to be committed to rehabing this thing will all all the commitment that he can generate.
Hope SS meets Craig Morgan, MD, somewhere along the way. Morgan is a friend of Yocum's and can assist SS in providing extended understanding of the motion and delivery format that can avoid ulnar colateral ligment problems.
Bet SS returns better than before. Pete Rose used to say that Tommy John was a better pitcher after the surgery than at any time before the surgery.
Jim - Great question because I asked the same question when a player I represented chose Yocum and not the great Dr. James Andrews.
The answer was the technique in the surgery according to the player. Yocum, he felt, had a better track record for overall success and minimizing the risk of nerve damage.
That is the only info I have to explain it and it makes sense as nerve damage has ruined many pitchers careers.
good luck and godspeed. prayers go out to our golden arm.
I am glad Jim asked that question and great to get a quick response from the gallery.
Just wondering if Mark Zuckerman concurs with that plausible answer.
Mark: Yes, I concur. As respected as Andrews is, he's known more for shoulder and knee surgeries. Yocum is widely regarded as the best for Tommy John surgery.
Actually Andrews does about 50% more Tommy Johns than does Yocum according to USA Today.
Anon @8:20, you are talking quantity. Mark Zuckerman says "regarded as the best" which I would consider quality.
Quality over quantity.
When you are talking about your pitching arm which is your livelihood, you are going to choose the best.
Why did they choose Yocum over Andrews to do Strasburg's surgery? Simple. Yocum did Zimmermann's surgery, and their "buy one, get one free" coupon was about to expire.
Anon, if Yocum is smart he will work an advertising deal like TLC LASIK eye did with Tiger Woods!
http://www.tlcvision.com/why_famouspeople_tiger.fxml
Wow, Dr. Yocum will perform the surgery, with Nats team doctor Wiemi Douoguih.
Probably takes the replacement ligament from the back of Stephen's leg.
Good luck to Stephen on the surgery. I am sure the Strasburg's were also watching Jordan Zimmermann pitch that gem last night!
The best doctor for this kind of operation is Dr. Yocum. Please, could you read, learn, prior medical opinion on this subject?
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