The Injury Update Thread 2012

[-tz]

07/10/12 6:37 PM ET

Sabathia feels good after bullpen session

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

KANSAS CITY -- CC Sabathia said he felt fine after throwing a bullpen session on Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium and is eyeing a July 17 return to the Yankees rotation.
Sabathia missed two starts before the All-Star break with a groin strain, but said he hasn't been bothered since the first week after he suffered the injury in a June 24 start against the Mets at Citi Field.

"I'll be ready. I feel pretty good," Sabathia said. "My arm feels great, I haven't felt the injury. I would assume that I'll go out and be ready to go."

Sabathia said that he expects to throw about 60 pitches in a simulated game on Friday at Yankee Stadium, which would put him in line to get back into the Yankees' starting five to face the Blue Jays in the Bronx.


Joba fires scoreless inning in rehab outing

KANSAS CITY -- Joba Chamberlain started the clock on his march back to the big leagues on Tuesday, turning in a strong rehab outing for the Rookie level Gulf Coast League Yankees.


Chamberlain fired a scoreless inning, permitting one unearned run, while striking out two against the GCL Pirates in Bradenton, Fla.

Newsday reported that Chamberlain topped out at 97 mph with his fastball.

"My heart was racing, and it's nice to see somebody up there [at the plate] with the guys behind you," Chamberlain told the newspaper. "You sweat a little bit more and the adrenaline's going, but I couldn't have been more pleased with my offspeed stuff. Obviously, my fastball command wasn't where I would like it, but as far as velocity and everything that goes along with that with my arm was great."

The Yankees are hoping that Chamberlain will rejoin the big league roster in August. He is returning from Tommy John surgery performed last summer, as well as an open dislocation of his right ankle suffered during Spring Training in March.

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/...k_nyy&c_id=nyy

[Eldee5]

RE: Brett Gardner
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/stor...least-end-july

NEW YORK -- New York Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner, who has played just nine games all season, won't return for at least another two-and-a-half weeks, general Brian Cashman told ESPNNewYork.com.

"The earliest you will see him is the 27th of the July at the major league level," Cashman said Tuesday.

Gardner has been sidelined with a right elbow strain, an injury he suffered while diving for a ball in mid-April. After the initial diagnosis, the Yankees had hoped Gardner would be back in two weeks.

Gardner made it to minor league rehab games before having to be shut down again. After going to see elbow specialists, the hope was that Gardner would return shortly after the All-Star break.

The best-case scenario now is that the speedy Gardner will be in a Yankee uniform toward the end of the month.

"He is swinging off of a tee," Cashman said. "He's been fine but as you know, his first two outings that's what he did. He was fine until he got all the way through a major league rehab. There is going to be a lot of, 'He's fine,' up until he is playing in rehab games."

And a blurb on some of the Yankees' prized minor leaguers:
http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/yan...ch-again-in-12

Yankees GM Brian Cashman said that top prospect Manny Banuelos is on his throwing program, as he continues to recover from what the Yankees have described as a sore elbow. Jose Campos, the minor leaguer included in the Michael Pineda deal, hasn't started throwing again yet. He also has a sore elbow.

"They will both pitch this year," Cashman said.

When asked if there is any long-term concern over their elbows, Cashman said, "I hope not."

Banuelos, 21, last pitched in a game on May 18. He is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in six Triple-A starts this season. Campos, who will turn 20 this month, is 3-0 with a 4.01 ERA in five starts. Campos has been out since the end of April.

[-tz]

Whole bunch of updates here ... though it's the same news on Gardner, Banuelos and Campos as posted above:

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2012/07/1...ury-updates-2/

Others included: Rivera, Aardsma, Chamberlain, Pettitte, Feliciano, Nunez (didn't even know he was hurt), and Romine.

The Romine news might be the most interesting, considering that everyone is clamoring for an alternative to Martin:

Romine’s back was a problem last season, and it started bothering him again in spring training. The Yankees have tried to be cautious with it, and Romine hasn’t played a single game this season because of the injury. He is, however, catching bullpens and taking full batting practice on the field. He’s been cleared for every drill, he’s just not cleared to play in games just yet.

“He’s going through all his stuff,” Cashman said. “(But) I can’t tell you how far away he is.”

[-tz]

• The Yankees announced today that Joba Chamberlain will pitch two innings in the Gulf Coast League on Saturday. This will be the first two-inning outing of his rehab. Brian Cashman said today that there’s a good chance Chamberlain will need less than the full 30 days of rehab before he’s activated.

...

• Dr. Lewis Yocum and Dr. Christopher Ahmad have recommended that David Aardsma rest for another two weeks before resuming his throwing program.

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2012/07/1...helps-aardsma/

[Jax Teller]

Sweeny Murti ‏@YankeesWFAN CC Sabathia threw 30 pitches and said he's ready to go. Bullpen session Sunday, start Tuesday. No limitations.

[-tz]

More on Sabathia here:

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2012/07/1...te-about-that/

From the same source, updates on Gardner and Pettitte ... wonder which of them will make it back first?

• Brett Gardner is getting closer. He took full batting practice today, he’ll do the same tomorrow and he’s scheduled to play a simulated game on Sunday. “And then we’ll go from there,” Girardi said.

• Andy Pettitte is here. He flew into town yesterday. Turns out he’s actually been able to play catch regularly since breaking his ankle. Nothing over the top, just enough to keep his arm loose. “I think he’s bored to death,” Girardi said

And finally, on Joba:

• Girardi said he’s encouraged by the fact Joba Chamberlain is scheduled to pitch two innings tomorrow. His return to the big leagues is starting to feel close. “It’s really encouraging that he’s out on the field competing again and he’s able to do the things he has to to pitch, cover bases and do those things,” Girardi said.

[Yankees1962]

LoHud is reporting today that Pettitte is walking around the clubhouse without a cast or wrap on his leg. This leads me to believe that his fracture must be a small hairline one.

[-tz]

Meredith Marakovits‏@M_Marakovits

Andy Pettitte had X-ray... Showed fracture is healing... But still not 100%
encouraged by progress .. As of now time table remains the same

[ARodCanoMelky]

https://twitter.com/M_Marakovits

Girardi said Gardner came up a little sore today... Will see how he is tomorrow... That will determine next step ‪#yankees‬

[Mr Coffee]

https://twitter.com/M_Marakovits

I knew giving him Nick Johnson's old locker was a bad idea.

[teknetic]

Christ. Just shut him down the rest of the year.

[Yankee Tripper]

Christ. Just shut him down the rest of the year.

He's getting another MRI so that may or may not be what happens.

[Torre Must Go]

There's nothing worse in sports than when a player, especially a good, young, homegrown player like Gardner, goes down because he's hustling and makes a diving play. At this point, Yankees and Cashman should think they're not getting him back and if they somehow do, consider it a nice bonus. I think they'll shut him down though if this latest setback is serious

[THEBOSS84]

In an interview on Monday with ESPN Radio’s Michael Kay, Mariano Rivera (knee) said Monday that his goal is to return in September.

http://www.rotoworld.com/

[-tz]

^ Kay recounted a conversation with him in which he said he thought it might be possible, however he wasn't calling it a goal because he didn't want to be disappointed if he didn't achieve it.

[Yankees1962]

Yeah, I listen to that interview today. He stated he was ahead of schedule. Also, Kay asked him if he was throwing and Mo answered him by saying he'll pass on that question. Then Mo finally admitted he's throwing with his son which is probably the one playing college ball. Based on what I heard today, he's trying for September, but he doesn't know if it will happen quite yet.

[Dabu]

Apparently Gardner had another setback and it is now very possible he misses the rest of the season.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...eason/related/

[Eldee5]

http://riveraveblues.com/2012/07/job...earance-72208/

In his third minor league rehab game, right-hander Joba Chamberlain struck out two batters in a perfect inning. The other out came on a ground ball and for once there was no error made behind him. Joba has not allowed a hit or a walk in four rehab innings so far. No word on the pitch count or velocity, but I suspect we’ll hear about it at some point today. There’s a decent chance Chamberlain will be make his next appearance at a higher level, perhaps High-A Tampa.

Also from the same source:

In other news, Eduardo Nunez played shortstop in the same game, his first game action since going down with a thumb injury back in May. He played three innings in the field, handled one ground ball without incident, and grounded out to first in his only at-bat. He probably won’t need much more than a week of rehab games before rejoining Triple-A Empire State.

[JL25and3]

-tz/Churchill was right. A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma

[-tz]

Gardner will have elbow surgery, probably season-ending ...

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/...s_nyy&c_id=nyy

07/19/12 9:30 PM ET

Gardner to undergo surgery on right elbow


By Evan Drellich / MLB.com

OAKLAND -- The Yankees will need to carry on without Brett Gardner.
The outfielder, who has played in just nine games this season, the last on April 17, is scheduled for arthroscopic surgery next week to remove inflamed tissue from his right elbow. The procedure, to be performed by team doctor Christopher Ahmad, is set for an unspecified day, according to a team official.

The news was delivered at about 9 p.m. ET, before the start of a four-game road series with the A's. When manager Joe Girardi spoke to the media earlier in the day, a decision on Gardner's future following an MRI had not been made.

"That's kind of what you do," Girardi said when asked if the team had to proceed like Gardner was not in its plans. "Until someone's back you really can't say, 'Well, we're counting on this guy.' You know, it's unfortunate, because I think we've missed some of the things he brings to our club. He's had a couple of different setbacks."

Doctors James Andrews and Timothy Kremcheck reviewed the MRI after Gardner's third setback.

[ArodEra]

The incompetency of the Yankee medical staff and decision makers is shocking. I'm equally shocked that heads don't roll.

[Jace]

The incompetency of the Yankee medical staff and decision makers is shocking. I'm equally shocked that heads don't roll.

Honestly, i feel like every team's fans say this (ive definitely heard it a TON from Red Sox fans and Mets fans, for example). The human body isn't a simple equation, and everyone is different. No surprise its hard to figure some injuries

[-tz]

Gardner saw some of the top people in the field, including Dr. Elbow himself, James Andrews. Can't fault the medical profession for this one.

[hardrain]

It certainly makes you wonder why the didn't find this earlier. It's not a new injury. Yet, we all knew news like this was coming.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

The incompetency of the Yankee medical staff and decision makers is shocking. I'm equally shocked that heads don't roll.

It hasn't only been the Yankees doctors, though. Andrews saw him at the beginning of June.