Hart out with meniscus issue (Needs surgery; out 3-4 weeks); Weeks scratched too

[brewers19]

Marcum is jumping aboard the Spring Training injury bandwagon too.

[monty57]

I'd really like to see Aoki get a lot of playing time in RF to get accustomed to American baseball, with the Morgan & Gomez platoon staying in place in CF, but today's article on the Brewers' site makes it sound like Gomez will be the CF, and it will be "a team effort" in RF, where Morgan seems to be the primary starter at this point. I don't like that. Here's to hoping Hart heals quickly.

[thebruce44]

So did Hart come into camp out of shape?

 

He isn't Gamel, so Tom probably wont spin it that way.

 

 

Didn't Gamel himself recently admit he came into camp last year carrying a few extra pounds or something which didn't help his oblique?

 

I just don't see every criticism of Gamel as a conspiracy against him.

 

Yea, he said he lost some weight going into this season. But the JS writers said something to the effect that he was injured because he didn't stretch out properly and we never had a quote indicating that. All the other bloggers who wrote their stories with the same information didn't put that spin on it.

 

I'll admit, I've been holding way to much resentment over that story and a few other things that were spun about Gamel last year, I guess part of it is carry over from when the Tom and Witrado did the same thing to Weeks and Parra in the past. I just feel bad for these kids when part of the fan base turns on them because they aren't liked by one or two individuals who hold way too much power.

[MJLiverock]

When I read the Adam Mcalvy story from Feb 22 I didn't see it as spin regarding Gamel or a reporter with an ax to grind. The trainer from the gym was quoted saying he was in poor shape and didn't seem to work hard enough. Gamel himself said he was not in good shape and didn't work hard in the offseason and just liked hitting. I think that article confirmed the comments by Money and others, he needed to mature, work harder on things beyond hitting. Probably true of many young guys who have succeeded at many levels, but it doesn't excuse a guy or shield him from deserved criticism and when it comes from multiple sources including the player I think it is pretty true and telling.

[GormanHarvey]

Yea, he said he lost some weight going into this season. But the JS writers said something to the effect that he was injured because he didn't stretch out properly and we never had a quote indicating that. All the other bloggers who wrote their stories with the same information didn't put that spin on it.

 

I'll admit, I've been holding way to much resentment over that story and a few other things that were spun about Gamel last year, I guess part of it is carry over from when the Tom and Witrado did the same thing to Weeks and Parra in the past. I just feel bad for these kids when part of the fan base turns on them because they aren't liked by one or two individuals who hold way too much power.

You might want to read these articles...Gamel admits he was out of shape and that it probably contributed to his injury(s):

 

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/gamel-gets-in-shape-for-shot-at-first-jq49ljt-139930243.html

 

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120222&content_id=26806818&vkey=news_mil&c_id=mil

[logan82]

Maybe it did, maybe it didn't. Hart has come into camp a couple times now in the best shape of his life and has been hurt two years in a row.

[thebruce44]

When I read the Adam Mcalvy story from Feb 22 I didn't see it as spin regarding Gamel or a reporter with an ax to grind. The trainer from the gym was quoted saying he was in poor shape and didn't seem to work hard enough. Gamel himself said he was not in good shape and didn't work hard in the offseason and just liked hitting. I think that article confirmed the comments by Money and others, he needed to mature, work harder on things beyond hitting. Probably true of many young guys who have succeeded at many levels, but it doesn't excuse a guy or shield him from deserved criticism and when it comes from multiple sources including the player I think it is pretty true and telling.

 

Right, the Mcalvy story was the one without spin. I think you missed my point.

[thebruce44]

You might want to read these articles...Gamel admits he was out of shape and that it probably contributed to his injury(s):

 

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/gamel-gets-in-shape-for-shot-at-first-jq49ljt-139930243.html

 

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120222&content_id=26806818&vkey=news_mil&c_id=mil

I've read them. The mlb article mentions nothing of him getting injured because he was out of shape, or as the JS writers insinuated at the time because he was too lazy to stretch out.

 

I don't want to read too much into the JS article, but it is funny a quote in there doesn't appear in McCalvy's article. Gamel, says:

 

"I've never helped my case, getting hurt," said Gamel. "Last year could have been prevented by showing up in better shape, looking back on it."

 

Is he talking about not getting called up? Is he talking about the injury? I wonder what Tom's question was, since McCalvy didn't feel the need to include that story line. Those quotes could have been at two different times or on two different thoughts.

 

Just for the record, I do believe Gamel was out of shape last year, but there are tons of guys who report to camp to get into shape every year and can still rake. Not the best idea for a rookie, and I'm happy to see him in better shape this year, but I still think there was some personal touches in those past stories and perhaps they are still showing their way through.

[GormanHarvey]

Valid points. Fortunately, Gamel looks like a different person in pictures from last year to pictures from this year shape-wise

[JJHardy7]

Wasn't Gamel coming off some type of surgery? Maybe I'm 'misremembering', but I thought he had some knee surgery done during the off-season last year.

 

Obviously it is in the best interest to report to camp in great shape, etc, but some guys try to work into it. Not the best idea, but it happens.

 

Back to Hart...I hope he's able to come back after one stint on the DL in the regular season. I don't think we have as much room for error this year as we did last year on offense. We really need our IF to stay healthy as well.

[monty57]

Gamel was interviewed during the game yesterday. He was very quiet and every answer was one or two words. My wife's a reporter, and they hate when people "aren't good interviews." I could see how coaches may take that the wrong way as well. Maybe a lot of the "not caring" thing has been misconstrued, and really he's just shy/reserved. Personally, I don't care if he's mute, as long as he can play ball.

[jmeks23]

I thought he had the best quote of the spring when they asked how he lost the weight.

 

"Uh...just ate better...and worked out more...everything like that..."

 

That made me burst out laughing, I mean...no crap that's how you scientifically lose weight Mat, I think they were asking what you did differently from the years prior.

[TooLiveBrew]

Adam McCalvy with a post-surgery update on Hart:

 

Brewers [spokesperson] Mike Vassallo reports that right fielder Corey Hart underwent successful surgery Thursday to repair torn cartilage in his right knee. He is expected to miss 3-4 weeks, the same timetable club officials released over the weekend. That’s a good sign that surgeons did not find more damage in the joint than they expected.

 

Chalk it up as good news. Hart is expected back at Maryvale Baseball Park on Wednesday to begin his rehabilitation.

[trwi7]

An even bigger update courtesy of TH.

 

Phoenix -- Brewers rightfielder Corey Hart was back in the clubhouse this morning, on crutches, one day after undergoing arthroscopic right knee surgery to remove torn cartilage.

 

Hart said the surgery was a little more involved than originally thought, with three "big" cartilage tears to shave down and two pieces already broken off. Still, it proved to be the minor surgery and not the major surgery that he feared might be needed. Thus, he still hopes to return in 3-4 weeks.

 

"It was torn almost all the way," he said. "But they could deal with it.

 

"I had three pretty big tears. Then, I had two pieces that were almost two centimeters that were broke off. (Dr. William Raasch) said if I would have kept playing, I would have blown out within a month and I'd have had to have the big (surgery). That would have been three or four months (out of action).

 

"It wasn't bad enough to have to do the big surgery but there was a lot more than they thought. I saw the photos. It was a blessing, actually, (to do the surgery now)."

[TooLiveBrew]

For all the crap the Brewers' medical staff has taken in the past (in some cases rightfully so), this was a huge catch by Dr. Raasch, et al. Glad to hear the surgery went so well; it's amazing to me that all the tears Corey described will only amount to missing about a month.

[GormanHarvey]

For all the crap the Brewers' medical staff has taken in the past (in some cases rightfully so), this was a huge catch by Dr. Raasch, et al. Glad to hear the surgery went so well; it's amazing to me that all the tears Corey described will only amount to missing about a month.

 

We hope...

[xisxisxis]

Chalk it up as good news.

 

Why? Because they found more damage then they expected but he didn't completely tear the meniscus? Yeah that sounds great.

 

'He didn't completely chop of his arm there still was some skin holding it on.....'

 

 

We hope...

 

Yep, when a minor oblique strain turned into no ST last year any Hart timetable should be doubled.

 

 

it's amazing to me that all the tears Corey described will only amount to missing about a month.

 

It's called Spin....

[PKBadger]

Chalk it up as good news.

 

Why? Because they found more damage then they expected but he didn't completely tear the meniscus? Yeah that sounds great.

 

 

Actually, it does sound great.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Chalk it up as good news.

 

Why? Because they found more damage then they expected but he didn't completely tear the meniscus? Yeah that sounds great.

 

 

Actually, it does sound great.

 

It is great news. It was all stuff that could be easily repaired, and was found at the right time before it got worse. Not having a complete tear is good. The timeline should be right. Just a matter of getting him enough at-bats to be ready. This will be an easier injury to come back from than the oblique he had last year, which always recurs. He'll probably miss a week or two of the season max, and maybe not even that. There are ways to get more more at-bats in a short period of time. Just send him over to the minor league side, and get him at-bats there before or after the major league games.

[umphrey]

Chalk it up as good news.

 

Why? Because they found more damage then they expected but he didn't completely tear the meniscus? Yeah that sounds great.

 

'He didn't completely chop of his arm there still was some skin holding it on.....'

 

It's called Spin....

 

I think of it more like, you left the stove on and set the stove on fire but remembered before it burned down your house

[JJHardy7]

I thought he had the best quote of the spring when they asked how he lost the weight.

 

"Uh...just ate better...and worked out more...everything like that..."

 

That made me burst out laughing, I mean...no crap that's how you scientifically lose weight Mat, I think they were asking what you did differently from the years prior.

 

So he probably ate worse and didn't work out as much the yeaer before? I hope Gamel performs...I get the feeling he's going to have a target on his back from Brewers fans.

 

And for the bad interviews...not everyone on the team can be Braun. Besides Braun, Greinke, and Plush...who else is really all that interesting during interviews?

[RockCoCougars]

Bad interview or not, my guess is that Gamel has big-timed some members of the local media in the past, likely resulting in some of the 'snippets' that we've gotten from the media over the past few years. He could very well have some immaturity and/or d-bag in him, but I could care less if he hits.

[monty57]

Bill & Brian said on the broadcast today that Hart is already on the exercise bike, which seems to be a good sign.

 

However, they mentioned that Marcum's injury may cause him to not be on the Opening Day roster. There goes the "2-3 day" prognosis.

[TooLiveBrew]

Yeah, the way Marcum fell apart at the end of last season certainly seems like it could've been due to injury. This is the guy who said in '11 ST he wouldn't report the kind of shoulder soreness he had that ST if it had been the regular season. So did he try to gut his way through the playoffs & pitch with an injury?

[TooLiveBrew]

McCalvy's latest blog post, "Hart looks like a go for Opening Day"

 

Corey Hart won’t know for sure until Monday, but it’s looking likely that he will be in right field for the Brewers on Opening Day.

 

Hart, coming back from March 6 surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee, played a fifth straight day in Minor League camp on Sunday. He will be examined again on Monday, and if all is well, will take the day off so he can play Cactus League games on Tuesday and Wednesday against the D-backs at Chase Field.

 

“We wouldn’t do that unless we felt really strongly about him starting the season with us,” manager Ron Roenicke said. “We’ll see how he is when he comes in [Monday], make sure everything is OK.”

 

If Hart appears in big league Spring Training games, it removes the option of backdating a stint on the 15-day disabled list all the way to March 26. If any red flags present themselves on Monday, the Brewers could continue working Hart on the Minor League side and preserve the right to back-date.

I think the post title could be a bit misleading, since it doesn't sound like anything will be known for certain until Hart's exam on Monday. But since McCalvy is around the team so much, the title might hint that everyone's expecting Hart to get the green light.

 

Fingers crossed for tomorrow.