Berardino: Mastroianni Out Awhile + My Twins Med Staff Rant

[johnnydakota]

This. It's not Gardy's job per se to notice when his players are injured. Don't the Twins pay actual people (i.e. more than one) to watch for these kind of things? It's hardly a new phenomenon that players fail to disclose injuries.

 

Just what is his job? eat seeds and submit lineup cards?

These are his players, he better notice , he better check the reports , he better be asking .

[Kobs]

Not to harp on this, but the posted article doesn't prove any of the following: According to published reports, Mastroianni told Gardy he couldn't play for a full day at the start of the season. So Gardy played him as a pinch runner and late-inning injury replacement. Even in limited duty, he would be sore after a two-inning assignment. He also told him that the leg was not improving, several times.

Mastroianni remains sidelined by bruised ankle | twinsbaseball.com: News Mastroianni makes first start, bats leadoff | twinsbaseball.com: News Darin Mastroianni still not game-ready - CBSSports.com

[jokin]

Mastroianni remains sidelined by bruised ankle | twinsbaseball.com: News Mastroianni makes first start, bats leadoff | twinsbaseball.com: News Darin Mastroianni still not game-ready - CBSSports.com

 

Thanks, this info is out there, ubiquitously. I'm not understanding why people are doubting it.

[The Wise One]

He was able to play enough for nine innings in one game. At the end of that game, he had to make an awkward cut in the outfield. He limped off the field. The next day he was caught limping around in warm-ups in a way he had not been limping around prior to that. So they sent him to the training room, where the medical staff found out he had aggravated the injury the night before. When he left the clubhouse in a walking boot, he was on the DL. Whatever injury he had, he had aggravated it.

 

The Twins reported it was a stress reaction. I said in a previous post that didn't make sense because you don't send a guy to get an MRI with a stress reaction. It sounded more like a impact fracture to me, based on the diagnostic test ordered and the fact that he had aggravated an injury that started with him fouling a ball off his leg near his ankle.

 

That's just using what is reported with facts you can learn from WebMD. All this stuff is reported in the daily newspapers. It shouldn't even be all that controversial.

 

Foul ball off the led. Impact fracture to you, nothing on the MRI. Point proved.

[Guest USAFChief]

Mastroianni remains sidelined by bruised ankle | twinsbaseball.com: News Mastroianni makes first start, bats leadoff | twinsbaseball.com: News Darin Mastroianni still not game-ready - CBSSports.com

Good finds, and I withdraw my earlier comments. It appears, at the least, he wasn't ready to play a full game for the first week or so of the season. cmat: I withdraw my questions.

[cmathewson]

Here is the latest on Matro: Mastroianni won't return to Twins until July at earliest | StarTribune.com

 

He needs surgery to repair a chip in the bone. This is consistent with my earlier theory: He had an impact fracture at the time of the incident. It was first diagnosed as a bone bruise. After it failed to heal for three weeks or so, it was diagnosed as a stress reaction. As several posters said, that doesn't make sense because a stress reaction is a thinning in the bone that is often the prelude to a stress fracture. This was a fracture not caused by stress but by fouling a ball off a bone near his ankle.

 

We can say definitively that the player was misdiagnosed and allowed to play on a broken leg, which likely got worse in trying to play with it. The player also spent time on the bench when he should have been on the DL. And the Twins were short handed while he was essentially unavailable on the bench. Also, it likely lengthened the time it will take him to get healthy again.

 

The good news is, we finally have resolution. He can be put on the 60-day DL and we can add a player to the 40-man roster. The question is, whom to add? It would be nice to have some CF depth, so Richardson makes some sense (.343/.436/.414/.870, 15 SBs). But the team could use another bat. Colabello would be my choice there (.350/.409/.650/1.059, 11 HR, 15 2B).

[old nurse]

Here is the latest on Matro: Mastroianni won't return to Twins until July at earliest | StarTribune.com

 

He needs surgery to repair a chip in the bone. This is consistent with my earlier theory: He had an impact fracture at the time of the incident. It was first diagnosed as a bone bruise. After it failed to heal for three weeks or so, it was diagnosed as a stress reaction. As several posters said, that doesn't make sense because a stress reaction is a thinning in the bone that is often the prelude to a stress fracture. This was a fracture not caused by stress but by fouling a ball off a bone near his ankle.

 

We can say definitively that the player was misdiagnosed and allowed to play on a broken leg, which likely got worse in trying to play with it. The player also spent time on the bench when he should have been on the DL. And the Twins were short handed while he was essentially unavailable on the bench. Also, it likely lengthened the time it will take him to get healthy again.

 

The good news is, we finally have resolution. He can be put on the 60-day DL and we can add a player to the 40-man roster. The question is, whom to add? It would be nice to have some CF depth, so Richardson makes some sense (.343/.436/.414/.870, 15 SBs). But the team could use another bat. Colabello would be my choice there (.350/.409/.650/1.059, 11 HR, 15 2B).

There is no need to add someone to the 40 man roster unless they are being called up. Feel free to start a thread about which player needs to be sent down and which non 40 man player needs to be brought up.

[nicksaviking]

Agreed, I want to see the Handsome Soda get a shot once a spot on the 25-man opens up.

[Seth Stohs]

It's be interest to go through the roster and determine, if Player X got hurt, who would come up.

 

I think that if Hicks got hurt, Richardson would be brought up. If any of the other OF were hurt, could be Richardson, but Colabello is also an option. If Morneau/Parmelee were hurt, it would be Colabello. If it were Doumit or Mauer, would it be Herrmann? Pinto? Middle infielder or Plouffe? Well, maybe that would be Colabello too as I don't think there'd be an option and they have Escobar and Carroll.

[cmathewson]

I'd send down Ramirez and call up Richardson. If things continue as they are, I'd send down Parmelee and call up Colabello. That second move requires another 40-man move, which I think is Wood going on the 60-day DL.

 

I was shocked Gardy put Parmalee in the number 2 hole. He is struggleing so much to hit the fastball. TK said in the booth, "Again, we all know Parm struggles to hit the number 1. That has been his history throughout the minor leagues. If he can't hit the number 1, he doesn't belong in the majors."

[Danchat]

I'd send down Ramirez and call up Richardson. If things continue as they are, I'd send down Parmelee and call up Colabello. That second move requires another 40-man move, which I think is Wood going on the 60-day DL.

 

I was shocked Gardy put Parmalee in the number 2 hole. He is struggleing so much to hit the fastball. TK said in the booth, "Again, we all know Parm struggles to hit the number 1. That has been his history throughout the minor leagues. If he can't hit the number 1, he doesn't belong in the majors."

I have to disagree. I think we should send Hicks down and do lots of batting practice. He's getting better and maybe this could help him improve. I would 60DL Mastro and add Clete Thomas to the 40man roster. Yes, I know, he was really inconsistent last year... but he's batting .346 with 6 homers, and last year in 5 times as many ABs he hit .232 and 12 homers. I've give the guy one more chance. Even though I'm a Parmelee fan, I must say Collabelo deserves a shot very soon. 60DL Wood could open a spot, and I guess Parm could use some batting practice too....

[cmathewson]

I have to disagree. I think we should send Hicks down and do lots of batting practice. He's getting better and maybe this could help him improve. I would 60DL Mastro and add Clete Thomas to the 40man roster. Yes, I know, he was really inconsistent last year... but he's batting .346 with 6 homers, and last year in 5 times as many ABs he hit .232 and 12 homers. I've give the guy one more chance. Even though I'm a Parmelee fan, I must say Collabelo deserves a shot very soon. 60DL Wood could open a spot, and I guess Parm could use some batting practice too....

 

Who plays center field? Clete Thomas, I hope not. Clete was a middling right fielder when he played for the Twins. Richardson is a lot like Ben Revere out there.

 

Hicks

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[TheLeviathan]

So an injury to a roleplayer that needs 15-16 weeks to recover and we still took 3 weeks to DL him and figure out the situation was worse than we thought. I'm glad it was "only" three weeks this time...but jesus, this is getting old.

[kab21]

Hicks has done enough recently to stay up with the big league team. He's also the only real CF option so we would be stuck with him regardless.

 

I'm giving Parmelee another month because I don't want his future to be undecided next offseason. Either he's a starter or he is battling for a roster spot next season.

 

I would like it if we could get rid of this 2 futility infielder roster that the Twins currently employ. Of course it doesn't make much sense to call Colabello up (what I want) if Doumit, Parmelee, Morneau and Arcia are sharing 3 spots as it is.

[Thrylos]

If the Twins need a centerfielder for more than a day or two (Ramirez will fill in then) it has to be Clete Thomas. He has been Rochester's starting CF the last 2 seasons and right now is the hottest OF bat in the organization not named Buxton. He is hitting .346/.436/.630. Richardson just got promoted to AAA. Interesting to see who will play CF in Rochester. They are both the same age.

That in case Hicks is sent down (but I really doubt it...) or gets hurts. Otherwise it is academic. Ramirez is the back up CF. If Thomas was a RHB, I think that you could switch those 2 at this point...

[jokin]

So an injury to a roleplayer that needs 15-16 weeks to recover and we still took 3 weeks to DL him and figure out the situation was worse than we thought. I'm glad it was "only" three weeks this time...but jesus, this is getting old.

 

Uh-oh...now you've done it...cue the "Where's your medical degree?" crew in full-rebuttal mode.

 

Levi- you actually undersold and minimized the hemming and hawing time involved to determine the exact nature of the injury, jeopardizing the team and the health and career of the player in question.

[jokin]

Here is the latest on Matro: Mastroianni won't return to Twins until July at earliest | StarTribune.com

 

He needs surgery to repair a chip in the bone. This is consistent with my earlier theory: He had an impact fracture at the time of the incident. It was first diagnosed as a bone bruise. After it failed to heal for three weeks or so, it was diagnosed as a stress reaction. As several posters said, that doesn't make sense because a stress reaction is a thinning in the bone that is often the prelude to a stress fracture. This was a fracture not caused by stress but by fouling a ball off a bone near his ankle.

 

We can say definitively that the player was misdiagnosed and allowed to play on a broken leg, which likely got worse in trying to play with it. The player also spent time on the bench when he should have been on the DL. And the Twins were short handed while he was essentially unavailable on the bench. Also, it likely lengthened the time it will take him to get healthy again.

 

The good news is, we finally have resolution. He can be put on the 60-day DL and we can add a player to the 40-man roster. The question is, whom to add? It would be nice to have some CF depth, so Richardson makes some sense (.343/.436/.414/.870, 15 SBs). But the team could use another bat. Colabello would be my choice there (.350/.409/.650/1.059, 11 HR, 15 2B).

 

Rewind previous post......."Uh-oh...now you've done it...cue the "Where's your medical degree?" crew in full-rebuttal mode."

 

This typical Twins medical fumbling-faux pas must go over well with all prospective free agents trying to determine which teams would make an attractive fit for them in the near future.

 

Of course, it would be nice if the press corps would push the FO more on which direction they are thinking of heading with the 2 potential roster spots.

[IdahoPilgrim]

Maybe I'm missing something? What two potential roster spots are we talking about? Are we talking 25-man or 40-man? If it's 40-man, then why do we need to do anything with them? You don't put somebody on the 40-man just for the sake of having a "full" 40-man roster. If you need to make a change on the 25-man roster, then having a vacancy on the 40-man is actually a good thing - it gives you more options as to who is put on the 25-man.

 

My guess is they won't do anything with Mastrioanni's or Woods's spots on the 40-man (via 60-day DL) until they decide they need that vacancy to facilitate a 25-man change.

[Thrylos]

My guess is they won't do anything with Mastrioanni's or Woods's spots on the 40-man (via 60-day DL) until they decide they need that vacancy to facilitate a 25-man change.

 

Indeed. And add Butera's spot to the equation.

[jokin]

Maybe I'm missing something? What two potential roster spots are we talking about? Are we talking 25-man or 40-man? If it's 40-man, then why do we need to do anything with them? You don't put somebody on the 40-man just for the sake of having a "full" 40-man roster. If you need to make a change on the 25-man roster, then having a vacancy on the 40-man is actually a good thing - it gives you more options as to who is put on the 25-man.

 

My guess is they won't do anything with Mastrioanni's or Woods's spots on the 40-man (via 60-day DL) until they decide they need that vacancy to facilitate a 25-man change.

 

I think everyone's in agreement on this. But this is the perfect time to speculate on who and how the team moves forward with those spots finally opening up, and query the Twins FO to glean info on what they might be thinking in the short- and intermediate-term.

 

Do you remember just over the last week or two, the gnashing of teeth on TD over how to get a non-rostered pitcher in to replace the one or more of the faltering pitchers in the rotation?

[jokin]

Indeed. And add Butera's spot to the equation.

 

That could make potentially 3 spots. And Benson might make it 4....

[IdahoPilgrim]

Do you remember just over the last week or two, the gnashing of teeth on TD over how to get a non-rostered pitcher in to replace the one or more of the faltering pitchers in the rotation?

 

Of course I do...now.

[LaBombo]

I was shocked Gardy put Parmalee in the number 2 hole. He is struggleing so much to hit the fastball. TK said in the booth, "Again, we all know Parm struggles to hit the number 1. That has been his history throughout the minor leagues. If he can't hit the number 1, he doesn't belong in the majors."

 

And yet he's flat-out raking fastballs compared to Hicks, who is completely helpless when facing them left-handed.

 

It will be interesting to see if the Twins admit to themselves that the ingenious idea of evaluating a player based on a handful of good exhibition at bats against lefties and Chunichi Dragon castoffs instead of a 5 year minor league track record isn't working out so well.

 

Given Ryan's absurd, almost surreal rhetoric regarding Hicks during spring training, I'm guessing the answer is no.

[jokin]

And yet he's flat-out raking fastballs compared to Hicks, who is completely helpless when facing them left-handed.

 

It will be interesting to see if the Twins admit to themselves that the ingenious idea of evaluating a player based on a handful of good exhibition at bats against lefties and Chunichi Dragon castoffs instead of a 5 year minor league track record isn't working out so well.

 

Given Ryan's absurd, almost surreal rhetoric regarding Hicks during spring training, I'm guessing the answer is no.

 

And he's flat-out out-fielded "Hicksie", as well.

[TheLeviathan]

Levi- you actually undersold and minimized the hemming and hawing time involved to determine the exact nature of the injury, jeopardizing the team and the health and career of the player in question.

 

On purpose in case any of the spin doctors for the team wanted to attack the idea. I could see doing this for Mauer or another very important part of the team....but a damn backup OF? DL him immediately when he can't play and get things figured out.

 

I'd hate to see someone quantify the Twin's medical staff on correct injury diagnoses. It'd probably make Drew Butera's hitting look like Mauer.

[drjim]

Given Ryan's absurd, almost surreal rhetoric regarding Hicks during spring training, I'm guessing the answer is no.

 

I'm curious what rhetoric from Ryan you are referring to?

[drjim]

I think everyone's in agreement on this. But this is the perfect time to speculate on who and how the team moves forward with those spots finally opening up, and query the Twins FO to glean info on what they might be thinking in the short- and intermediate-term.

 

Do you remember just over the last week or two, the gnashing of teeth on TD over how to get a non-rostered pitcher in to replace the one or more of the faltering pitchers in the rotation?

 

I don't remember this conversation but I'm pretty sure we could make 7-8 spots with very little trouble.

 

Also it is a small point but you use the 60 day DL at the same time as adding to the 40 man.

[LaBombo]

I'm curious what rhetoric from Ryan you are referring to?

Curious because you're approaching the situation with an open mind, right?

 

Lol j/k! Here's the first one:

 

"The guy has earned it," Ryan said of the former 14th overall draft pick in 2008. "I find it almost humorous that people are talking about service time, starting the clock. We didn't trade Span and Revere to stall the next guy.

 

Ryan indisputably contradicts himself here, revealing that through a handful of nearly meaningless exhibition games, Hicks somehow "earned" a job that was his by default the moment that Span and Revere were traded.

 

And to ensure that he strips himself of any lingering credibility after his 'pretty darn good pitcher' comment, Ryan reveals that he considers the very concept of service time laughable.

 

O... k. But there's more.

 

"Are we trying to win, or what are we doing?" Ryan said. "Can you imagine if we sent somebody out that did what the kid did, and I had to look at (Josh) Willingham and (Justin) Morneau and (Glen) Perkins and (Joe) Mauer and those guys that are trying to win, and I'm going to stop that guy? I just don't believe in that. I hear this stuff. Not here."

 

And now Ryan blazes past the absurdity of the flat earth service time denier bit, escalating to some sort of weird humanitarian zone where he is somehow morally, almost tearfully obligated to make a personnel decision that will let him socialize with highly compensated veterans who are apparently living in abject terror of losing 93 games instead of 83.

 

By his own assertion (or at this point, admission), Terry Ryan is trying to win. By any standard that I can either observe or imagine, he's failing so far this season. So that tends to undermine his entire premise for any personnel decisions allegedly predicated on that goal.

 

Ryan was good in his first incarnation as GM. The jury is still out on his second, which may turn out well. And obviously he feels obligated to help sell tickets by putting a positive spin on things, which is perfectly understandable. Good for him.

 

That being said, Terry Ryan shot his credibility in the foot when he mocked any scepticism regarding the decision to rely on a double A player who is now undeniably one of the worst in the majors. My hope is that he earns that credibility back with a 'sell' trade like the one he managed with AJ.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I don't think TR was mocking any skepticism of Hicks; he was just saying service time wasn't going to be an issue with how they handled him.

 

So Hicks won the job a bit more by default than by performance -- I'm not sure I see the big deal here. Maybe TR was aware that Hicks isn't a future star and thus he's not going to save anything by playing service time games with him, and potentially taking some lumps at the MLB isn't going to hinder his non-existent star potential?

[LaBombo]

I don't think TR was mocking any skepticism of Hicks; he was just saying service time wasn't going to be an issue with how they handled him.

 

So Hicks won the job a bit more by default than by performance -- I'm not sure I see the big deal here. Maybe TR was aware that Hicks isn't a future star and thus he's not going to save anything by playing service time games with him, and potentially taking some lumps at the MLB isn't going to hinder his non-existent star potential?

 

By addressing service time exclusively regarding the decision to rush Hicks to the majors, Ryan disdained any other arguments by default.

 

Also, isn't there at least some conflict in your appraisal of the situation? Which appears to be this...

 

Ryan believed so strongly in Hicks that he asked him to make a level jump so difficult that only one Twins hitter, a likely future Hall of Famer, has managed to make it successfully in the past 20 years.

 

And yet Ryan was so down on Hicksie's ceiling that he didn't give a hoot about how much his continued presence will cost the team in the future? Doesn't sound right...