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US Presswire photo Ryan Zimmerman's shoulder injury hampered him at the plate and in the field. |
The Nationals third baseman indeed had the procedure, undergoing arthroscopic surgery this morning to repair the AC joint sprain that hampered him throughout 2012.
The surgery, performed by Nationals orthopedist Wiemi Douoguih, will require a six-week recovery process. General manager Mike Rizzo said Zimmerman is expected to be fully healed well in advance of spring training.
The Nationals believe Zimmerman initially sustained the injury in April after making several diving attempts in the field and once while trying to score on a play at the plate. He received a cortisone shot shortly after and spent two weeks on the disabled list to rest the shoulder, but that initial treatment didn't help much.
On the morning of June 24, Zimmerman's batting average stood at .218, his home run total at three and his .590 OPS ranking among the worst in the league. He received another cortisone shot prior to that afternoon's game in Baltimore, and this time the treatment allowed him to turn his season around.
Over his final 90 regular-season games, Zimmerman hit .321 with 22 homers, 73 RBI and a .967 OPS that would have made him the NL's likely MVP had he managed to sustain those numbers over a full 162 games.
Though his offensive game returned, Zimmerman did struggle in the field throughout the season. He committed 19 errors, 12 of them on awkward-looking throws, though it was never clear how much that was a product of the shoulder injury or whether it was a product of the throwing mechanics overhaul Zimmerman underwent the previous year.
Zimmerman did receive one more cortisone shot in September when he began to experience a recurrence of pain and acknowledged at the time he might need surgery once the season ended.
Meanwhile, Chad Tracy also had surgery today on his left knee, another arthroscopic procedure performed by Douoguih. The veteran pinch-hitting specialist was plagued by a groin strain during the season, but his knee issue was never made public.
59 comments:
We got any docs on the blog? I know about the rotator and labrum. What is a sprained AC joint?
There were times at the end of the season where it didn't look like he was rushing and throwing the ball wild, it looked like his shoulder just wouldn't do what he was asking it to do. I am glad that he is getting it done now so that he can be ready for spring training. We often hear people criticize players for being fragile, but it's not like it's something they choose. I would love for Zim to have one, entire healthy season - I know the fans would love that - but for him to be able to play the way he wants to play. If he has that healthy season, he is going to blow everyone away. Wishing him a speedy recovery!
Glad to hear it. Not sure why the media wasn't informed that the surgery was to occur prior to the surgery.
Very straightforward. There's a reason Dr. WD40 did it instead of Dr. Andrews.
The question is whether Zim will be able to carry his newly married wife over the threshold.
Take your time Ryan. Heal properly. Do your rehab. Enjoy your off season (and your wedding ). Be healthy and ready to go in Spring training.
I honestly believe that he will contend for the MVP if he stays healthy.
On-line medical dictionary defines "sprain" as
"a joint injury in which some of the fibers of a supporting ligament are ruptured but the continuity of the ligament remains intact."
So there was a bunch of torn "fibers" that had to be stitched back together. Having had a "sprain" in my right knee many years ago, it is no wonder he had throwing issues -- actually he was probably glad he had a push-button ignition in his car.
The Nats' handling of this issue was not one of their finer moments this year. No one heard any detail of the diagnosis after the MRI except that it "wasn't a structural issue." And I don't think anybody heard about the first cortisone injection until he got the second.
I was ready to give him major grief in May because I thought he was either or both concealing the injury or postponing treatment. If this was truly "six weeks recovery" surgery, it would have made as much sense to get it out of the way in April for all the good he did the team by staying in the lineup.
So Chad Tracy also had surgery on his knee today - same Dr. Well, if you can't be playing in the World Series, you might as well start getting healthy for next year.Maybe those pain meds will help them watch. I wish I had some. I am betting this won't be the last procedure. Burnett already had a procedure, right? But I don't think he will be a Nat next year.
MicheleS said...
Take your time Ryan. Heal properly. Do your rehab. Enjoy your off season (and your wedding ). Be healthy and ready to go in Spring training.
I honestly believe that he will contend for the MVP if he stays healthy.
October 25, 2012 4:31 PM
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Amen to that. Zim just needs to stay healthy for about 178 games and he could be the MVP for the NL and the World Series.
Does a good job of reinforcing what I keep on saying and nobody appears to believe:
Zimmerman is by far, without question the very best hitter currently on this ballclub. It there behooves the club to place him at first base, in order to, hopefully, extend his season to 162 games. The past three years have seen him fall short of that.
His glove would be just as valuable at first base. He would be clearly superior to Adam LaRoche by a wide margin.
This would also serve to open just the right slot for top Nats prospect Anthony Rendon.
The one weakness is losing the left-handed bat of 33 year old LaRoche. But, they do have some outfield candidates who might fill that need in Brown, Goodwin, Komatsu ...
Until left-field opens up the lineup could become predominantly right-handed. Werth could eventually move to a bench role but given his success as lead-off hitter that may now be put off for a year or two. Michael Morse and Tyler Moore may get moved as well. Morse could be traded or return to a bench role. Moore is too valuable ... he will get traded hopefully as a part of a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays for David Price.
Wishing good and full healing for both of them, er, all of them. :-)
Theophilus T. S. said...
I was ready to give him major grief in May because I thought he was either or both concealing the injury or postponing treatment. If this was truly "six weeks recovery" surgery, it would have made as much sense to get it out of the way in April for all the good he did the team by staying in the lineup.
October 25, 2012 4:33 PM
Hard to say what was what and who knew what however Zim has had a history of various injuries and on occasion he has been questioned by the fanbase of not being forthcoming most notably with the abdominal injury.
Did he actually have this injury before the season and when did he first report the injury to the team? We will never know.
In the end, it didn't have a negative impact on the outcome of the season and it also gave the Nats an opportunity to work in different players at 3rd base.
Gregor Blanco in LF may not have Melky's offense, but boy, he can sure field.
Kind of like Rick Ankiel he? If they don't hit Natslady they aren't going to be in the lineup.
And JayB they could've kept Iszturis. Who knows what he would have done? Again, JayB, its about developing the prospects for future lineups and trades.
Espinosa did not lose the Nats chance to make it beyond the Divisionals. Sufficient runs were scored. The pitching just ran out of gas after a long, stressful season. You're just going to have to accept that JayB.
1A.. I am sure there will be more going in for a tune up.. Sean had the elbow cleaned out, Zim with his shoulder, and now Tracy (and a hearty get well to the Captain of the Goon Squad)!
I wonder who will be next?
I hope Henry and Wilson are progressing in their rehab (and hopefully doing it stateside under the watchful eye of the Nats)
Maybe they can get a group discount. :-)
1A.. from our estemmed host and a reply from a Nats Minor Leaguer:
Mark Zuckerman@ZuckermanCSN
In more #Nats surgery news: Chad Tracy also had his left knee scoped today. Dr. Douoguih must've offered a 2-for-1 special.
Ryan Tatusko@RyanTatusko
@ZuckermanCSN or maybe they got a groupon?
peric said...
Espinosa did not lose the Nats chance to make it beyond the Divisionals. Sufficient runs were scored.
October 25, 2012 4:45 PM
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Sufficint runs in whose mind? You don't know if Espi's impact could have changed the outcome and neither do I. Game 5 is the best game to look at and say "what if" Espi didn't go 0-3 in a game where every position starter had hits except Espi and Desi. What if Espi had a hit in a game where the man behind him went 3 for 4. We will never know.
Espi had a horrible postseason. 7 K's in 15 ABs with a .067 BA. He was hitting so poorly that I believe the pitchers changed their approach with the hitter in front of him (Desi) and made him chase pitches knowing Espi behind him was a mess at the plate.
If Espi is hitting, expect the approach to Desi would have changed.
It would be silly to move Zimmerman off of third for Rendon. I can accept a few too many throwing errors with the rest of what he does. Who knows what value he'd have at 1st, beside the fact that other positions could use the defensive upgrade more like Morse to 1st instead of left for Bernadina or some other random player with even average ability. Rendon made plenty of errors in the minors last year playing third. He has a ways to go to measure up to the job.
Glad to hear it. Not sure why the media wasn't informed that the surgery was to occur prior to the surgery.
Hmmm
Because it happened during the surgery?
Yeah i know. Im a dork
But seriously, love the gonat line about the threshhold.
Best to zim and all of you.
Ghost Of Steve M. said...
Glad to hear it. Not sure why the media wasn't informed that the surgery was to occur prior to the surgery.
Not sure why that matters. It's not like there's a constitutional amendment requiring him to sign his powers over to the Vice Face of the Franchise while he's going under the knife. And who is the ViceFotF anyway? Is there concern that either the Harper or Strasburg forces might stage a coup d'etat if they knew Zimm would be out of commission?
Could have been a last-minute thing too. Maybe an opening came up when another of Dr. Weimi Duoguih Howser M.D.'s patients canceled. Or maybe Zimm just noticed this morning that his surgery Groupon was expiring today.
By the way, Gregor Blanco went 4 for 22 against the Cardinals. Say what you want about him, he got 3 more hits than Espinosa and had 2 big RBIs and he only K'd 3 times.
Feel Wood said...
Ghost Of Steve M. said...
Glad to hear it. Not sure why the media wasn't informed that the surgery was to occur prior to the surgery.
Not sure why that matters. It's not like there's a constitutional amendment requiring him to sign his powers over to the Vice Face of the Franchise while he's going under the knife. And who is the ViceFotF anyway? Is there concern that either the Harper or Strasburg forces might stage a coup d'etat if they knew Zimm would be out of commission?
Could have been a last-minute thing too. Maybe an opening came up when another of Dr. Weimi Duoguih Howser M.D.'s patients canceled. Or maybe Zimm just noticed this morning that his surgery Groupon was expiring today.
October 25, 2012 5:10 PM
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Mark hit it, there was a 2 for 1 special. Probably last minute and the reason there wasn't advance notice was probably because it was an off-season surgery.
waddu eye no said...
But seriously, love the gonat line about the threshhold.
Best to zim and all of you.
October 25, 2012 5:05 PM
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Thanks. Its the southern gentleman in me where you have to act like a gentleman at key times. Threshold lifting is one of them. Zim's brother Shawn may have to help him out as his best man.
Heather may need to carry Ryan over the threshold ;-)
Gonat, Good point on off-season news. I'm just used to living in NYC and LA where they report on everything. Today they announced CC will have an elbow bone spur removed.
Would we really want to pay this?
Buster Olney@Buster_ESPN
Some execs, agents speculating Lohse will get C.J. Wilson type deal, in $75 m. range.
Gonat, while people rag on Blanco, he is a lefty that hits LH pitching better than RH pitching. He also hits good at home with a .351 OBP.
MicheleS said...
Would we really want to pay this?
Buster Olney@Buster_ESPN
Some execs, agents speculating Lohse will get C.J. Wilson type deal, in $75 m. range.
October 25, 2012 5:21 PM
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Thats why he won't be a Nat. I agree all the rumors from Boras will be he will be a Nat and they will get the obligatory trip to DC where he can be seen. Its Boras 1.0 by the books.
3 years $50 mill I can see. After that, its just throwing away money.
Maybe they didn't inform the media because they didn't know exactly what they would find in there. I don't feel the need to know everything at all moments. He had the surgery and they gave the results and prognosis.
I remember Zim after one of those hard charging grabs saying that "I always played that way, that's my game." I hope he learned from Werth that you have to pick your moments. Werth didn't start banging on walls until the postseason...
Ghost Of Steve M. said...
Gonat, while people rag on Blanco, he is a lefty that hits LH pitching better than RH pitching. He also hits good at home with a .351 OBP.
October 25, 2012 5:25 PM
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I'm not saying much because I don't know him but I take what you say is what it is. I think comparing Espi to Blanco is unfair to Blanco.
Espi didn't show up in the post-season and it hurt.
I'm just glad they did the surgery now and not wait until the season started trying to avoid it. The idea of delaying the obvious never works out.
Moving Zim to first is a couple of years away.
NatsLady said...
Maybe they didn't inform the media because they didn't know exactly what they would find in there. I don't feel the need to know everything at all moments. He had the surgery and they gave the results and prognosis.
I remember Zim after one of those hard charging grabs saying that "I always played that way, that's my game." I hope he learned from Werth that you have to pick your moments. Werth didn't start banging on walls until the postseason...
October 25, 2012 5:28 PM
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That's a good point. Werth knows his limitations. He really brought it in the postseason. That HR robbing catch against DeScalso and the walk-off HRs showed what a big game player he is.
JamesFan said...
I'm just glad they did the surgery now and not wait until the season started trying to avoid it. The idea of delaying the obvious never works out.
Moving Zim to first is a couple of years away.
October 25, 2012 5:29 PM
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Very true. Also agree Zim won't move to 1st before 2014 and it may not even happen then. I think much of Zim's future will depend on the dynamic with Rendon and the bigger need for where Rendon will play - 2nd or 3rd.
Gonat
'Very true. Also agree Zim won't move to 1st before 2014 and it may not even happen then. I think much of Zim's future will depend on the dynamic with Rendon and the bigger need for where Rendon will play - 2nd or 3rd.'
Or for what team he'll play?
MicheleS said...
Heather may need to carry Ryan over the threshold ;-)
Good one, Michele.
I have no problem with the way the Nats and Ryan handled informing us of his surgery. Knowing about it soon after the fact is plenty good enough for me.
BTW, before we start making a spot for Rendon at third base and moving Zim to first, I want to see him hit major league pitching. I think he eventually will, but when?
Thanks, Michele. I almost used the GroupOn line myself. Great minds and all that. :-)
MicheleS said...
1A.. from our estemmed host and a reply from a Nats Minor Leaguer:
Mark Zuckerman@ZuckermanCSN
In more #Nats surgery news: Chad Tracy also had his left knee scoped today. Dr. Douoguih must've offered a 2-for-1 special.
Ryan Tatusko@RyanTatusko
@ZuckermanCSN or maybe they got a groupon?
October 25, 2012 5:01 PM
My husband didn't carry me over the threshhold back in the day, although it was discussed. :-)
I am going on record right now (since each day it has been pick apart someone).
Beast will hit 35 drive in 125 bat .300 and improve enough defensively that we will cut him some slack once in awhile.
Espi will have a 2012 Desi like season AND win a gold glove.
I will now finish my Spiked Koolaid. :-p
Okay, y'all know entirely too much about Ryan Zimmerman's personal life, and now I know a bit too much about 1a's.
Scooter.. sadly, Heather is on twitter and she gets re-tweeted into my timeline ALOT.
I hope he is healed in time to have a splendid wedding, and I know he'll be even better in Spring. I love your predictions, MicheleS!
Peric said, "Espinosa did not lose the Nats chance to make it beyond the Divisionals."
Gonat said, "Espi didn't show up in the post-season and it hurt."
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I can't help myself but to weigh in on the Espinosa debate because I think he will always be a lightning rod for fans so long as Lombardozzi & Rendon are around to push him. One of the prevailing arguments in favor of Espi is that his defense more than makes up for his lack of consistency on offense. Well, the truth is he delivered neither in the postseason. I recall there were two instances in the series where he failed to turn a crucial double-play (to be fair, one occurred when he was off the bag during the pivot on a tough throw from Zim).
I truly believe playoff baseball is won through patience and those without it usually lose.
MicheleS, I fully believe Morse will hit those numbers if he stays healthy. He can carry a team.
I also want to see the Espi that I saw in April 2011. He is better than the person we saw in October.
My other prediction is a 30/30 hitting Bryce. He should be in the MVP discussion early in the season.
I can't wait to see what Bryce is like in his sophomore season.
Swami/Ghost. I cannot predict anything for Bryce, because I know he will exceed it.
Aww look it's nats classic on MASN. Kids take over the park too. and Oh Lord. JD Martin on the mound.
Watching those episodes makes me appreciate our current Nats team so very, very much. And FP -- just can't listen to Rob Dibble. Sometimes I find it hard to believe it was only three years ago. The rise of the Nats seems like it's been a long time coming to some of the fans, but it's actually been pretty quick -- especially once we got real owners and a real gm.
The veterans tribute would be so much more poignent at Nats Park
Do u guys think would be a good deal, morse,rendon,karns and one more player for price? Would TB accept?
Espi had a horrible postseason. 7 K's in 15 ABs with a .067 BA. He was hitting so poorly that I believe the pitchers changed their approach with the hitter in front of him (Desi) and made him chase pitches knowing Espi behind him was a mess at the plate.
His first season and others with more experience did just as badly. Blaming Espinosa is tantamount to insanity. He hits close to the bottom of the lineup where you typically find good fielding / no hit players. The difference between Espinosa and say Rick Ankiel? Espinosa has a pretty good shot at turning things around just as Desmond did.
You all are going to have to get used to this. Harper will be in his second year. Rendon will likely be in his first. Tyler Moore his second ... and Corey Brown just might sneak in there especially if the FO executes some canny trades.
Stop worrying about Espinosa. Worry more about Zimmerman being in there for 162 instead of partial seasons as has too often been the case of late.
Michele - that is true. I do think that tonight's opening ceremonies were some of the best I have seen in a long time. Emotional and respectful without going across the hokey line. Good National Anthem for a change. Willie Mays. Got a little misty.
Do u guys think would be a good deal, morse,rendon,karns and one more player for price? Would TB accept?
They won't trade Rendon and given his recent spate of injuries Tamp Bay is unlikely to ask for him ... yet ... operative word there.
But Michael Morse, Danny Espinosa, Karns, and Alex Meyer? Clippard, Tyler Moore, Roger Bernadina, Stephen Lombardozzi, Brian Goodwin, Matt Skole? Ross Detwiler? John Lannan?
They'll certainly drag their feet about losing Meyer, that would be about it. All the rest would be in play for a pitcher like David Price.
Swami.. It must be dusty in my house too. Ian just tweeted out the following about the anthem:
Ian Desmond@IanDesmond20
That was a nice rendition, nobody does it like Dc Washington though.
That HR robbing catch against DeScalso and the walk-off HRs showed what a big game player he is.
But they needed more offense from Werth as well as Harper ... they are at the top of the lineup. Espinosa was at the bottom. That where it starts with the #1 and #2 guys getting on base and wreaking havoc. I didn't see that throughout most of the series.
So, no Werth did not look like a big game guy to me.
Another Nice Touch for the Giants:
Raj Mathai@rajmathai
Wow. Injured #sfgiants fan Bryan Stow is at the game tonight. #WorldSeries
Just saw on BBTN that Stow has asked the Giants not to acknowledge him. Glad he has a chance to see this with his family. I hope he is recovering from his injuries (Frank McCourt is still a Jerk and whoever did this to Stow should rot in jail for all eternity)
Peric. That walk off proves he is big game. Can you just drop your Werth Hate? He won't be the back up bench catcher next year and probably won't be a backup until the LAST year of his contract IF at ALL. He changed the culture of this org. Got rid of Nyjer, probably helped push Riggleman out the door and has mentored many of our young players. Get over it.
They won't trade Rendon
Heh. The same could have been said about Milone and Peacock. Best not to hitch yourself to a star prospect until he actually makes the team. As soon as they sign LaRoche, there will be nowhere for Rendon to play for at least three years. He'll be traded.
DCWashington is a great guy. I have worked with him professionally - definitely not baseball settings. He is not that big a fan of the game, but does appreciate that the fans appreciate him. When asked why he doesn't do it more often -- he is not asked to do it more often.
I think winning Game 4 and saving the Nats season qualifies Jayson Werth and meets most peoples' definition of a big-game player.
Ouch -- another vicious come-backer right to a pitcher's head. Shouldn't they be checking him more carefully?
Swami.. new thread.
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