Article: It's Official: Sano to have Tommy John Surgery

[Seth Stohs]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php/2702-It-s-Official-Sano-to-have-Tommy-John-Surgery

[TheLeviathan]

One positive to this is it may align Sano and Buxton to come up at the same time, but this is still a huge blow. I'm sure he'll recover just fine but it delays this team's future for sure.

[highlander]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, does this portend a future Twins line up of Arcia and Sano battling for the DH spot.

[Seth Stohs]

http://www.tout.com/m/akd89d?ref=twssfc6g

 

Another Mike Berardino Tout video, of Rob Antony explaining the situation.

[PseudoSABR]

Getting some time in the AFL would be a boon. At least his ML service clock hadn't started, if you're looking for a silver lining.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Well, it lines up Sano and Buxton to come up at the same time. His service clock hasn't started yet. He's a position player, not a pitcher, so the rehab time is 6-8 months, not 14-16 months. Also, this means that if Sano turns out as expected, the Twins get an additional prime age 27-28 season on the cheap.

 

All in all, this isn't disastrous. Frustrating, definitely. Disastrous, no.

 

It'd be a lot worse if this was Meyer, not Sano.

[twinsfan34]

The Twins prospects have lost some time of late.

 

e.g.

 

Kennys Vargas is 23, he's only had 1 full minor league season due to injuries/suspensions.

Eddie Rosario is out 50g this year (so will only have half a season).

And then Sano.

 

Can anyone benefit from Sano's spot being open at New Britian?

 

Trying to find a positive here...

 

Could Travis Harrison move up more quickly? Maybe do a A/A+ to A+/AA this year?

 

I wish this surgery has been scheduled sooner, but they did consult James Andrews, so I can't (or we) shouldn't plant this one on the Twins medical staff, as you're not going to get better advice than that.

 

Definitely disappointing...though, a few reports said that the reason Sano had such a 'tough' 2nd half at New Britian last year was because of the elbow injury was already bothering him there. So that .236 average and higher K rate (still not alarming, he also increased his BB rate) could also be alleviated with this surgery - of which many of us were expecting him to 'work out' through playing.

 

Which...really is the only thing keeping Sano from being the Twins every day 3B...

 

If the elbow was healthy and he somehow hit .310 there last year, he's the opening day Twins 3B this year.

 

So hoping this surgery will do for him what we hoped a few ABs would do for him.

[PopRiveter]

Phooey. This felt inevitable. Too bad it wasn't just a little more apparent to the docs last fall.

This has to be so frustrating for a ball player on the verge.

Can't wait 'til he's back!

[kblack1011]

Has rest and throwing program ever worked? It just seems to delay the surgery.

[Thrylos]

Hope he gets well soon. I know it is frustrating to him, but I hope he (and the Twins) see this as a Sabbatical and have him work on his weaknesses, like positioning and footwork and glovework in EST and in the Miracle/GCL squad practices. He can even work on bunting and base-running and conditioning. The only thing he cannot do right away is throw and take full force cuts with the bat. Might actually be a blessing in disguise.

 

Pretty certain that he cannot play in the AWL per agreement with the MLB. Not sure how Rosario got to do that last season, but unlike Sano, he is Puerto Rican. So likely DWL will be the first game situation for him

[Dance with Disco Dan]

Sadness.

 

I hope the surgery goes well and that this is just a momentary set back. The man is clearly a talent and I don't expect this to impact his hitting ability. I must admit, though, I am having a hard time thinking of many position-player TJ cases.

 

I hope Miguel keeps his spirits high (and his weight low) as he rehabs.

[drock2190]

I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see Sano in the major leagues till 2016.

 

He will need time to recover. He still has to improve his fielding to be an adequate at the hot corner. Plus his batting average needs to be at least .250+ to warrant a promotion imo.

[raindog]

Pretty depressing.

 

Oh well. He'll be fine. I was just really looking forward to watching him play. Another brutal 90 loss season on the way.

 

 

And seriously, someone find one example of a player resting and healing after UCL tearing.

[Craig Arko]

I must admit, though, I am having a hard time thinking of many position-player TJ cases.

 

Paul Molitor. At least he will be able to counsel Miguel during his rehab.

[JB_Iowa]

All the best to him.

 

And I hope that this gives him a mental break as well as a physical one. One of the things his agent noted yesterday was that he hadn't "had any time off since he was 15" and that the injury may have been due (at least in part) to the stress placed on his arm in his youth.

 

If he hasn't had a physical break, he probably hasn't had a mental break either so a few weeks away from baseball might be a good thing before he gears up again to work on the things that Thrylos mentioned.

 

Is this what he or the Twins or any of us would have wanted to happen? Of course not. But now that it has happened, they need to make the best of it.

[raindog]

@JB

I suppose that is a silver lining. I'm sure the rehab is pretty grueling though.

[UCLA_YANKEE_COLA]

This stings. His debut was going to be a real highlight of (what is likely) another down season. Not a total disaster, he's young and it probably doesn't really matter in the long run. But it still really makes me want to break the swear word rule on TD. Darn flipping crappy news.

[shs_59]

Well then that settles it, THAT WAS QUICK!

 

I'm still looking forward to Twins baseball today! I will get to see the game on TV while its snowing out here!

 

As for Mr. Sano keep ur head up and do you're due diligence and you'll be fine! Here's to hoping the best for the young man, and a good future outcome. If its 10 months from now he's back and ready or even 12 months, the timing will be perfect for next year and probably at AA New Britian after EXT.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Has rest and throwing program ever worked? It just seems to delay the surgery.

 

*Alex Meyer waves frantically from Ft Myers, yelling "me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me!"*

[Since71]

Not blaming this at all on the Twins Med staff/trainers but doesn't it seem like the Twins have had an unusually high number of TJ surgeries? Maybe all teams do and I just don't follow them close enough to know but it just seems to be one after another lately. Oh and totally agree with Kblack's comment...rest never seems to work.

[Since71]

*Alex Meyer waves frantically from Ft Myers, yelling "me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me!"*

Wasn't that a shoulder injury? kind of apples and oranges

[JB_Iowa]

@JB

I suppose that is a silver lining. I'm sure the rehab is pretty grueling though.

 

I have no idea if the following description of rehab is correct but you are right that it seems pretty intense:

 

http://www.yougoprobaseball.com/tommy-john-surgery-and-rehab.html

 

 

But it also would be a little different than his regular baseball regimen so perhaps it would give him a bit of a mental break.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Not blaming this at all on the Twins Med staff/trainers but doesn't it seem like the Twins have had an unusually high number of TJ surgeries?

 

TJS is pretty common among players nowadays. I remember KC had a rash of surgeries a couple years back.

 

Most teams go through this, it just seems particularly frustrating for the Twins because they've been hit with some of their best players and prospects going down in recent years (Liriano, Baker, Gibson, now Sano).

 

It stings a lot more when your good players go down... Not so much the Alex Wimmers of the world.

[Since71]

Yeah you are right it has been some of their best players and that is probably why it stands out more

TJS is pretty common among players nowadays. I remember KC had a rash of surgeries a couple years back.

 

Most teams go through this, it just seems particularly frustrating for the Twins because they've been hit with some of their best players and prospects going down in recent years (Liriano, Baker, Gibson, now Sano).

 

It stings a lot more when your good players go down... Not so much the Alex Wimmers of the world.

[raindog]

*Alex Meyer waves frantically from Ft Myers, yelling "me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me!"*

 

That's a shoulder injury. Surgeries are very invasive and to avoided when possible when it comes to that.

 

edit: Not that TJ isn't invasive, but they have that down to a science nowadays.

[Shane Wahl]

It worked with Meyer. At least we hope he doesn't have trouble this year . . .

 

Moving towards a lost Twins season. A key thing for my interest this year was Sano in June.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

All the best to him.

 

And I hope that this gives him a mental break as well as a physical one. One of the things his agent noted yesterday was that he hadn't "had any time off since he was 15" and that the injury may have been due (at least in part) to the stress placed on his arm in his youth.

 

If he hasn't had a physical break, he probably hasn't had a mental break either so a few weeks away from baseball might be a good thing before he gears up again to work on the things that Thrylos mentioned.

 

Is this what he or the Twins or any of us would have wanted to happen? Of course not. But now that it has happened, they need to make the best of it.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. A test of his patience but a chance to see the game from a new perspective too.

[Wookiee of the Year]

Oh, man. That's so depressing. Sano was one of the big reasons to be optimistic that the Twins could put together a better record than projected in 2014.

 

Taking the long view, my big concern is just that he can still play third base on the other end of this surgery. I don't know how much this sort of procedure and recovery increases his chances of moving to first base--I don't know enough of the history with position players having it--but I'm more concerned about it not hampering his fielding long-term than I am with his timetable being delayed, as disappointing as that is.

[JB_Iowa]

TJS is pretty common among players nowadays. I remember KC had a rash of surgeries a couple years back.

 

Most teams go through this, it just seems particularly frustrating for the Twins because they've been hit with some of their best players and prospects going down in recent years (Liriano, Baker, Gibson, now Sano).

 

It stings a lot more when your good players go down... Not so much the Alex Wimmers of the world.

 

While part of the "rash" is undoubtedly due to medical advances (many of the prospects/players would have just faded away longer ago), I have to wonder if the occurrence so early in so many careers isn't due somewhat to the intensity of youth sports. (Even in my small town, a group of parents have developed a more intense baseball program for kids they expect to excel).

 

There was an article the other day about the advantages of kids participating in a variety of sports while young (referencing Buxton, Mauer, etc). Have to wonder if it isn't better for them not only in developing a variety of tools (the point of the column) but also because varying up activities may prevent repetitive stress.

[markos]

I must admit, though, I am having a hard time thinking of many position-player TJ cases.

 

I dug around a little bit, and the following position players all had TJ:

Mike Aviles

Dustin Ackley

Shin-Soo Choo

Zach Cozart

Carl Crawford

Matt Holliday

Cesar Izturis

Kelly Johnson

Xavier Nady

Luke Scott

 

Top-100-ish Prospects:

Hak-Ju Lee

Rymer Liriano