A Maine concern
I'd like to believe the Mets when they say John Maine has a "mild strain" of his rotator cuff and his status is day-to-day. Manager Jerry Manuel even refused to rule out Maine starting on Sunday in Houston.
But last night, when I chatted with Pedro Martinez about it, he was not as optimistic about the diagnosis.
Martinez knows something about rotator cuffs now after the extensive surgery on his right shoulder following the 2006 season. And as he described his own history of rotator-cuff issues, which first surfaced during the 1998 ALDS against the the Indians, his initial reaction sounded a lot like what John Maine said Monday night.Or as Pedro said in today's story, "That's how it starts."
After leaving Monday's game in the fifth inning, Maine said the pain in the back of his shoulder, which had been troubling him all week, was something that he had never felt before. That's exactly how Martinez described it, too, recalling how he first experienced it long ago in 1998.
The good news is that rotator-cuff injuries are manageable -- depending on the severity, of course. But Martinez said the only real treatment is to strengthen the area around the rotator cuff to take the burden off the cuff itself. That takes time, however. Martinez was encouraged by the fact that the Mets pulled Maine early and he's young at 26. Maine also doesn't have the same pressure to carry this team as Martinez did in those years with the Red Sox.
In more upbeat news, Oliver Perez and Aaron Heilman shut down the Marlins last night and Carlos Delgado did what he usually does -- smack a two-run homer to ice it. Ryan Church also seemed encouraged by yesterday's indoor batting practice session and he plans to repeat it outside today -- weather permitting.
That makes GM Omar Minaya feel a little better if he can't get any more outfield help on the trade front, though manager Jerry Manuel still sounded worried because the Mets remain in uncharted territory with Church's post-concussion symptoms.
(Thanks to eorthopod.com for the image).
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Comments (3)
So, if all goes well, John Maine follows Pedro's path by winning the Cy Young in 2009 and 2010, then has to have rotator cuff surgery in October of 2016.
David,
With Maine's diagnosis, do you foresee the Mets aquiring Washburn? He'd fit in nicely, I think. 6+ innings and he's signed till next year. Won't cost much. Plus we can steal a Yankee!
ok so if maine is going to go through what pedro did, i am fine with that as he had 8 more productive seasons after this felling