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Sunday, March 21, 2010

Nathan to have Tommy John surgery

Twins closer Joe Nathan said today that he will undergo the Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow with an eye toward returning for Opening Day in 2011.

Nathan played catch with pitching coach Rick Anderson this morning. It was Nathan’s first throwing session since he suffered a significant tear of his ulnar collateral ligament on March 6.

“It didn’t go like we hoped,” Nathan said. “We knew it was a long shot, but this will help clear my head.”

Nathan said he will have the surgery as soon as possible, though he hasn’t decided where or when. The estimated recovery time is 12 months.

The throwing session took place along the right-field line of Field 5, here at the Lee County Sports Complex. Nathan was making some strong throws before it ended. I couldn’t tell from the body language if it had gone good or bad.

Anderson patted Nathan on the back before they walked off the field, expressionless.

Repoz Posted: March 21, 2010 at 12:47 PM | 23 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
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1. Gamingboy Posted: March 21, 2010 at 01:00 PM (#3483058)

Drat.

2. DL from MN Posted: March 21, 2010 at 01:05 PM (#3483064)

The Twins are likely to look internally (Guerrier or Rauch) before they make a trade. If either of those guys can fill the role it lowers the asking price for bullpen help later in the season.

3. Damon Rutherford Posted: March 21, 2010 at 01:48 PM (#3483087)

Neshek!

4. La Damnation De Fausto (davekemp) Posted: March 21, 2010 at 02:44 PM (#3483109)

Nick Punto for Joakim Soria! Because you can't have enough Willie Bloomquist?

5. Twoey Guillen Posted: March 21, 2010 at 03:38 PM (#3483137)

This elbow surgery will help clear his head? He should've tried Scientology.

6. rLr Is King Of The Romans And Above Grammar Posted: March 21, 2010 at 04:12 PM (#3483154)

I guess this means they're going to have to trade Mauer.

7. Hang down your head, Tom Foley Posted: March 21, 2010 at 04:18 PM (#3483161)

The Giants admit that they knew about this before the Pierzynski trade, so the deal is rescinded.

8. Rich Rifkin Posted: March 21, 2010 at 05:06 PM (#3483193)

From Wikipedia:

Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body (often from the forearm, hamstring, knee, or foot of the patient). ... After the tendon from the forearm of the same or opposite elbow or below the knee is harvested it is then woven in a figure-eight pattern through tunnels that have been drilled in the ulna and humerus bone that are part of the elbow joint. ... In 2009, chances of a complete recovery after surgery are estimated at 85 to 92 percent. ... Full rehabilitation takes about one year for pitchers and about six months for position players. Usually, pitchers who have the surgery can get their full range of motion back after about two months and can start doing weight exercises. For the next four months, they can increase the weight that they use and start doing exercises that emphasize all parts of their arm.

What strikes me as weird about Tommy John Surgery is the fact that we have tendons elsewhere in our bodies which we don't need and thus can be harvested for use elsewhere.

9. Walt Davis Posted: March 21, 2010 at 05:44 PM (#3483217)

What strikes me as weird about Tommy John Surgery is the fact that we have tendons elsewhere in our bodies which we don't need and thus can be harvested for use elsewhere.

Same goes for knee ligament replacement surgery. I forget which ligament they use.

When I was contemplating mine, the doc told me that (back in the day), they'd tried transplanting ligaments from corpses but there tended to be rejection problems.

10. Greg Pope Posted: March 21, 2010 at 05:48 PM (#3483220)

What strikes me as weird about Tommy John Surgery is the fact that we have tendons elsewhere in our bodies which we don't need and thus can be harvested for use elsewhere.

I don't get why they can't take a tendon from a dead guy instead of having to have to have another surgery in a different part of your own body. If I died, I'd be fine if my heart went to a firefighter, my liver went to a father of 3, and my tendon went to Joe Nathan.

EDIT: Typed out before #9

11. Vailsoxfan Posted: March 21, 2010 at 06:09 PM (#3483233)

They do take cadaver tendons for knee ligament construction. There is a somewht higher failure rate with them than your own tissue. Hence for higher level athletes their own tissue is preffered

12. zachtoma Posted: March 21, 2010 at 06:21 PM (#3483236)

I don't get why they can't take a tendon from a dead guy instead of having to have to have another surgery in a different part of your own body. If I died, I'd be fine if my heart went to a firefighter, my liver went to a father of 3, and my tendon went to Joe Nathan.

What's all this about? I'm listed as an organ donor, and I'd be equally fine if my parts went to a drug addict or an accomplished novelist... when did judging people become a part of it?

13. Never Give an Inge (Dave) Posted: March 21, 2010 at 07:12 PM (#3483252)

What's all this about? I'm listed as an organ donor, and I'd be equally fine if my parts went to a drug addict or an accomplished novelist... when did judging people become a part of it?

I'm not a doctor, but I don't think they typically give donated organs to drug addicts. It's not a moral judgment but a medical one -- being an organ recipient may require an ongoing drug regimen, as well as dietary and lifestyle restrictions, so you want people who can reliably adhere to those requirements and survive.

14. zachtoma Posted: March 21, 2010 at 07:27 PM (#3483261)

Yeah, drug addicts is a bad example, but I bristle at the idea of specifying that your organs go to those you consider virtuous.

15. rLr Is King Of The Romans And Above Grammar Posted: March 21, 2010 at 07:32 PM (#3483262)

I bristle at the idea of specifying that your organs go to those you consider virtuous.

I want my organs to go to Yankees fans.

16. tl; dr (Voxter)

Posted: March 21, 2010 at 07:57 PM (#3483269)

I guess this means they're going to have to trade Mauer.

But the big-market teams like Florida and Texas aren't interested. Who could POSSIBLY afford his future salary if those guys can't?

17. rLr Is King Of The Romans And Above Grammar Posted: March 21, 2010 at 08:01 PM (#3483270)

Who could POSSIBLY afford his future salary if those guys can't?

The Yankees and Red Sox both have excellent closers who could fill the gap left by Nathan's injury.

18. Perros Posted: March 21, 2010 at 08:20 PM (#3483279)

Would you give up a kidney for a friend?

19. tl; dr (Voxter)

Posted: March 21, 2010 at 08:22 PM (#3483281)

No, but I'd give up a friend for a kidney if it was cooked right.

20. Runscreated Posted: March 21, 2010 at 10:13 PM (#3483328)

I always knew one day brian Sabean would be proven right for trading Joe Nathan.

21. Downtown Bookie

Posted: March 21, 2010 at 10:23 PM (#3483337)

I want my organs to go to Yankees fans.

What about your guitar?

DB

22. Mr. J. Penny Smoltzuzaka Posted: March 21, 2010 at 10:26 PM (#3483339)

I want my organs to go to Yankees fans.

I've got one organ I'd give up to a Yankee fan.

23. Robinson Cano Plate Like Home Posted: March 22, 2010 at 03:35 AM (#3483481)

I've got one organ I'd give up to a Yankee fan.

We know, we know.... anus.

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Nathan to have Tommy John surgery

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