Monday, July 14, 2008

My Question

UPDATE: Now it even gets more interesting--Thanks to Brian at NationalsFarmAuthority. Alex Escobar has been released--according to The Columbus Clippers website--on the very day Wily Mo Pena needs surgery?


Wily Mo Pena, after having a Gad MRI earlier today and an examination of his left shoulder with Nationals orthopedist Dr. Ben Shaffer, has a small tear and impingement in his left rotator cuff, as well as, fraying of the labrum in his left shoulder.

Surgery should take place within the next 7-10 days with details to follow.


When I received that email from Our Washington Nationals claiming that Wily Mo Pena has a tear in his left rotator cuff--I just started to laugh. Yesterday, Our Manager Manny Acta mentioned Our Number 26 has been hurt for 'some time". Obviously, others in involved with Our Washington Nationals had to know as well. So, my question. Why is it that each and every time one of our players gets injured, Our Team waits for "some time" to find out whether these players are always out for "MUCH MORE TIME".

Most always usually more seriously than previously mentioned or considered?

Never has there been an explanation why this "APPEARS" to always be the case. And in this particular one--some one KNEW Wily Mo was hurt and continued to play him. Yes, players get injured and there is nothing you can do about it. And some play through the everyday pain. But this one is mind puzzling.

It's a legitimate question--worth finding an answer to. That is My Question.

12 comments:

MikeHarris said...

Excellent question, 320, and one we all need to keep asking and asking and asking until there's an acceptable answer.
I'm told by someone with a medical clue that this type of injury wouldn't hurt just a little. It would hurt a lot. So maybe WMP was indeed very brave, as Lenny said. Still doesn't mean he should have been out there and this shouldn't have been asked earlier.

Anonymous said...

SBF,

Another in a series of baffling injury-related issues over which the Nats actually had control, but delayed acting to the detriment of the team (and perhaps the player). First came the delay in getting an MRI for Zimmerman while we played shorthanded for over a week. I also suspect that Kearns' elbow problem existed long before the bone chips were detected and he went on the DL. Now this. Not to mention the length of time it took to find out exactly what was wrong with Chief and the fact that, when Dukes suffered his injury on a Saturday night in Cincinnati and Casto was in Columbus, he wasn't called back up in time for that Sunday's game.

It just seems like something is instutionally amiss. If it's a matter of players being reluctant to disclose injuries or trying to play through them, there should nevertheless be some sort of team policy that such matters not be kept hidden, so that small things can be detected and fixed before they become big ones. (Personally, I'd like to see some sort of recrimination for this, but I'm sure if that ever happened, the union would step in and file a greivance.)

Anonymous said...

Hi SBF. I went to the game yesterday, and below are the reasons i will not be returning to Nationals Park again this season:

-Rude and incompentent concessions staff. Here we are at the midpoint of the season, and all i wanted yesterday was a hot dog. So i made the mistake of going to one of the "Nats Dog" stands where there were maybe five people ahead of me. Even with more people working the stand (most of whom clearly looked as though they'd rather be anywhere else on earth) than there were customers, i still stood in line for 15 minutes to get food before getting frustrated and moving on to another stand. Why does it seem as though many of the food service workers at the stadium are on their very first day on the job? The slow pace and surly attitude are simply unacceptable to me, especially when many people are paying well over $20 a ticket. I shouldn't feel as though i'm doing a disservice to the people working the food booths by actually coming up and ordering food, which is the feeling i get. I've been to several MLB stadiums, and the concessions staff at Nationals Park is by far the worst i have encountered. To top it off, the stand i went to was out of potato chips (for the Nats Dog Value Pack), and at the two stands i went to their fountain that dispsnses Coke wasn't working. I'm pretty sure Coca-Cola would love to hear about this since they are one of the biggest sponsors at the park. Pretty sure this was a stadium wide problem before the game yesterday. But i digress...

-The game atmosphere at Nationals Park is pretty bad. The fans, the majority of whom seemed to be wearing the paraphenalia (sp?) of other teams, wasn't into the game at all. I love live baseball, but i actually caught myself yawning more than once. There is virtually no fan interaction, and at times was so quiet you could've heard a pin drop. The crowd just hasn't been into it this season, which brings me to my next point...

-The team stinks, and if the Lerners et. al don't sign at last two free agents and go out of their way to improve this team in the off-season, i will be taking my money elsewhere next season.

Sorry for the negative post SBF, but i just wanted to share my thoughts. I've been to around 10 games so far this year, and the experience seems to be getting worse rather than better.

Anonymous said...

Which medical staff member is responsible for diagnosing these injuries? Who is responsible for prescribing two months of "rest and/or rehab" followed by surgery, followed by a year lost to recovery and rehab? Is everyone holding their breath that Ryan Zimmerman will not follow in his teammates' footsteps?

Screech's Best Friend said...

Dr. Benjamin Shaeffer would be interesting to hear from. This is one question the main stream media has ignored--for the most part. And I just don't understand it. There should be some sort of explanation of their procedures.

And anonymous at 6:29PM, I have no problem with your comments and I agree and have stated so, many times on the concession workers. They, many times, are not professional and act like THEY ARE DOING YOU A FAVOR by being there. Thanks.

Jim said...

320 -

Just stumbled upon your site and wish you to know that I'll be a daily visitor. Thanks for your hard work.

Jim H said...

I hate to say it...but I'm waiting to hear that Ryan has some pain in his shoulder during rehab...and surgery will keep him out of the lineup until halfway through next season.

Edward J. Cunningham said...

Regarding the concession workers---perhaps this is why certain employers need either undocumented workers or "guest workers" from other countries, because the native-born workers who do apply treat the job with contempt and do not give the customer the service they are entitled to.

I don't think the problem is Aramark or Centerfield, but rather the labor pool these compnaies have to use to fill these jobs.

Then again, the Starbucks by the Department of Transportartion (NJ & M) doesn't seem to have a problem getting cheerful, helpful employees...

Dave said...

Is the problem the Nats' training staff? Is it Dr. Shaeffer? Or is it macho players who believe they should "play through the pain"?

The Nats are cellar dwellers right now largely because of their injuries. How long, though, have the Nats on the field been the walking wounded? Kearns, Zim, now WMP. I know it's hard for these guys to sit on the sidelines, but when they play with injuries they hurt not only their own reputations but also the team's.

It's getting pretty tiresome. I think anonymous above, has hit the nail on the head. There should be no tacit encouragement for players' covering up injury.

And I share Jim H.'s concern about Zimmerman. I have a sinking feeling that Ryan, too, is trying to be a tough guy and hurrying back into the lineup before he should.

Anonymous said...

With all the concession talk which is totally accurate, has anyone noticed that the "branded" concession stands provide superior service and products? 5 Guys, Hard Times, Bens, Noahs are all positive and interested in the customer. How do they get the quality workers? I would guess that they have a bigger vested interest in long term success than that of Centerplate who has the overall contract.

Screech's Best Friend said...

Section 219--The Branded Concession stands have the choice and final say on their own employees. All are trained by those specific vendors--differently from Centerplates generic ballpark concessions. Big Difference.

SenatorNat said...

Well - if Alex Escobar is released on the same day that WM Pena becomes the latest victim of a spin on a revolving wheel of orthopoedics, that is truly insult to injury. The team has done precious little this year designed to meet fan's preferences - and one small bone would have been to let true fans enjoy Alex Escobar again in a Nationals uniform. Bow-Bow passed earlier of Brad Wilkinson, which would have been much preferred player on roster over Ryan Langerhans.

Has anyone heard a word about the progress of Shawn Hill or Lastings Milledge. Do we have some ancient elephant burial ground that Nats on the DL go to, far away from intern reporters?

And, expressed concerns that we will wind up delaying necessary surgical attention for Number 11 - well-justified in light of the pattern...

Finally, are shoulder injuries contagious? What is with the slew of these among Nationals the past two seasons? I say, for one, two fast rules: 1.no head first slides on the basepaths; and 2. no feet first slides in the outfield. Of course, for FLOP, no fear of either one, since uniform would get dirty!

Trust in putting a dab of Mayo where it hurts. All well.