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"If I’ve torn my ACL or something like that, I’d certainly get it fixed. But you don’t know how psychologically you’re going to come back from something like that," said Berkman, 36. "I’m not talking from the standpoint of being scared of hurting it again. I’m talking about doing everything it takes to come back and play again at an elite level. I think that’s a legitimate question I’m going to have to answer if, in fact, it turns out to be something more serious than we hope it is."
Hard to be overly critical if this is the end. There's not much left for him to accomplish. He's got a ring. He's made a pile of dough. If it's a blown ACL, it would be hard for anyone in his position to spend the next 8-9 months rehabbing a knee for a comeback at 37.
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Yeah and he was already willing to take a shared role when Craig was hitting. He isnt going to want to comeback unless he knows he can help the team. So is he out for the season for sure then?
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"So is he out for the season for sure then?"
He's supposedly having an MRI today. He's also quoted in the story saying it could be a meniscus tear, which would probably only shelve him for 4-6 weeks, but it looked very much to me like a ligament tear. You don't react the way he reacted with a cartilage tear. He wasn't able to put any weight at all on his leg, which screams ACL to me. If you tear a meniscus, your reaction is kind of "Geez, that burns. Wonder what I did?"
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The 590 Morning Crew interviewed Richard Justice this morning. I think Justice now works for MLB, but he was a longtime sportswriter in Houston. He had exchanged texts with Berkman and indications were it is a torn ACL and Berkman's days as a Cardinals are likely over.
Having said that, Justice noted that Houston moves to the AL next season. Berkman could DH and remain close to home, should he choose to do so. Not to mention, he'd likely be inexpensive. The question is would he return knowing that Houston was rebuilding.
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"indications were it is a torn ACL and Berkman's days as a Cardinals are likely over."
Milo Hamilton will be thrilled.
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It's a shame. I remember being cautiously optimistic when they signed Berkman. He had one hell of a comeback year.
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On the up side Craig and Adams will get a bunch of playing time.
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APIAD wrote:
On the up side Craig and Adams will get a bunch of playing time.
Yeah, they're definitely going to get a jump on 2013. Maybe this was meant to be.
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windwalker wrote:
Here's the question... at $12M for 13 games, will the Cards get better value from Berkman this year than the Scrubs get from Venus Soriano?
I think the Soriano Dynasty lasts for another two years, too.
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Berkman still sounds pessimistic.
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Yes he does ..
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El Diablo:
Cardinals first baseman Lance Berkman will undergo surgery this week to address a right knee injury that, according to the club, might or might not require a season-ending replacement of the anterior cruciate ligament.
An MRI Monday disclosed tearing of the meniscus and cartilage responsible for cushioning the knee. Berkman, a veteran of four knee operations, estimated he will be sidelined minimum of six weeks following the arthroscopic procedure while admitting that he might require a significantly more extensive procedure.
"All the information I'm getting plus what I felt leads me to believe there is an issue with the ACL," he said. "I'm hoping that's not the case, but I'm not sure that's the case."
Berkman consulted Monday with team medical supervisor Dr. George Paletta, who reviewed an MRI that found extensive cartilage damage to both sides of a knee that buckled as Berkman caught a routine throw from shortstop Rafael Furcal in the second inning Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
"I'm not as optimistic because — I stretch for a ball, obviously there's something that's not right. It's just a routine play. That should not happen," Berkman said, adding, "It leads me to believe there is joint instability that needs to be addressed."
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Sounds like Berkman is being a lot more realistic than the Cardinals.
Imagine that--an overly optimistic perspective from the Cardinals medical staff.
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"Imagine that--an overly optimistic perspective from the Cardinals medical staff."
As we await Mark Mulder's return to the mound any day now ...
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artie_fufkin wrote:
"Imagine that--an overly optimistic perspective from the Cardinals medical staff."
As we await Mark Mulder's return to the mound any day now ...
I swear, I almost included a reference to Mulder. LMAO!!!
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forsberg_us wrote:
Sounds like Berkman is being a lot more realistic than the Cardinals.
Imagine that--an overly optimistic perspective from the Cardinals medical staff.
Berkamn is probably pessimistic because the Med Staff is optimistic. It is like goign to Dr. Kevorkian for cancer treatment and him telling you it is going to be just fine.
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The Cardinals announced that the arthroscopy on Lance Berkman's right knee today "found a partial tear in the medial meniscus, which was removed, and a ... cartilage tear, which was debrided."
No mention was made of damage to the anterior cruciate ligament — which Berkman had feared — in the team's news release.
The first baseman will begin his recovery in Houston, where the surgery took place, and will return to St. Louis for the latter part of his rehabilitation. The team has issued an initial projection of eight to 10 weeks for Berkman's recovery and rehab. - - Strauss
Read more:
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better than it could have been. He'll be back for the end of the season with that timeline.
Course that's a projection.
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"The Cardinals announced that the arthroscopy on Lance Berkman's right knee today "found a partial tear in the medial meniscus, which was removed, and a ... cartilage tear, which was debrided."
I don't have a medical background, of course, but that's kind of confusing. The medial meniscus is cartilage. It's kind of like saying "Berkman was decapitated, and then he had a labotomy."