Harper cleared to resume rehab

PHILADELPHIA — One week after his much-publicized visit to orthopedist James Andrews, Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper has been cleared to resume his rehab from a badly bruised left knee that has plagued him more than a month.

Harper was examined this morning by Nationals team doctor Wiemi Douoguih, who determined that a week of rest and limited activity reduced the swelling in the 20-year-old's knee, enough to allow him to ramp up his rehab.

For now, that means only that Harper will be allowed to start walking without a knee brace. If he makes it through that seemingly mundane task with no issues, he'll then attempt to jog, then run. Not until he passes all those tests will Harper be allowed to resume baseball activities, though head trainer Lee Kuntz suggested there may not be much time at all between each step of the process.

"Running's the key for me," Kuntz said. "If he can run and do all those explosive type of activities, where it doesn't have any swelling or anything else, he's in a good spot and we can add all the other things. The hitting and throwing will come quickly, because obviously there's nothing wrong with his arm or back."
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Harper out with bursitis; other updates

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Bryce Harper is out of the Nationals lineup against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday after leaving Sunday’s game in the seventh inning with an aggravated sore knee. An MRI showed no structural damage for Harper, but he has been diagnosed with bursitis.

Team Medical Director Wiemi Douogiuh said a few days rest is the best course of action at this point.

“Bryce has got some inflammation of a bursa sac in the front of his knee,” Douogiuh said. “It has nothing to do with the joint. We got an MRI that just showed some soft tissue swelling, soft tissue edema. We anticipate it’s going to clear up in a couple of days. There is nothing structurally wrong with his knee.”

Harper said on Sunday he did not plan to miss any time, but Davey Johnson and the Nationals decided it was best to have him sit.

“If you were seeing the same thing I was seeing, he was hurting even when he came into the dugout,” Johnson said.

“I think it’s just uncomfortable -- it’s like an inflammation. We just need to let it calm down. It was a little more swollen today.”

Team trainer Lee Kuntz said the Nats are most concerned at this point with Harper re-injuring the knee.

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Nats trainers revive, but can't save man

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Nationals head trainer Lee Kuntz with manager Davey Johnson on Monday.

Updated at 8:45 p.m.

ATLANTA — Two members of the Nationals' training staff thought they helped save a man's life Wednesday afternoon, reviving a cameraman who suffered an apparent heart attack at Turner Field, only to learn later in the evening he died at an Atlanta hospital.

Reuben Porras, 61, was working for MLB Network, setting up in a media workroom underneath the stadium around noon, when he collapsed. A colleague rushed down the hallway and found Nationals head athletic trainer Lee Kuntz and training assistant John Hsu, who were in the nearby visiting weight room.

Kuntz and Hsu grabbed an automated external defibrillator that had only been installed in the visiting clubhouse a week ago and rushed to the aid of Porras, who had lost consciousness and wasn't breathing. Kuntz used the AED machine and CPR to revive the man, then waited for paramedics to arrive.

Porras was taken to a nearby hospital and admitted to the ICU. Kuntz was still awaiting word of his fate shortly before the start of the Nationals' game against the Braves. He later was informed Porras had died.

Kuntz said he and his entire staff receive CPR training each spring, though this was the first time he'd needed to use it at the ballpark.