Kirilloff’s Injury

[stringer bell]

MLB Trade Rumors and Dick ‘n’ Roy are reporting that there is no new injury to Kirilloff, that he got a cortisone shot and that the club says he can work through the pain and play. 
 

Hmmmm, this is saying it is chronic injury. I just got a cortisone shot myself. At least for me, there are no guarantees of even modest improvement so on balance I don’t know if I’d call it positive. I guess he’ll try to come back, but obviously this might be a career threatening injury. 

[tony&rodney]

Pain management is very individual. A person may have pain or an uncomfortable feeling but there may not be anything wrong physically. On the other hand, one can have a fairly significant injury and ignore the pain. 

Kirilloff will need to learn what he can manage if it is indeed true that there is nothing wrong with his wrist even as he feels quite uncomfortable swinging a bat. Swinging a bat, after all, is his occupation. I hope he can figure it out quickly because he does have a beautiful swing.

[Linus]

I think that is worse news than if he had a new injury. I would be getting a second opinion asap. 

[tony&rodney]

2 hours ago, Linus said:

I think that is worse news than if he had a new injury. I would be getting a second opinion asap. 

Agree. I would even consult three separate clinics to ensure there is more or less a definitive opinion on the issues with his wrist.

[stringer bell]

3 hours ago, Linus said:

I think that is worse news than if he had a new injury. I would be getting a second opinion asap. 

Certainly not good news. I would expect the medical people will try to modify the treatment and/or therapy they used after the surgery. What they did last time apparently didn't work. There are lots of cases where injuries derail a promising career. It seems to me that the Twins have had more than their share.

[LA VIkes Fan]

I hate to sound old school, something I'm not, but this may be as simple as Kirilloff learning to play with a certain level of discomfort or pain. He should definitely get another opinion other than from the doctor who did the surgery and may have some bias toward defending his work. If that second or third opinion is the same it may be that he has to understand that he has a condition that he will have to live with as he plays. I said before that he looked overmatched this season. It may be that he was just being tentative because his swing caused some discomfort. It sounds like that may be something he's going to have to learn to play with over time. A setback to be sure, but one he has to overcome if he wants to be successful. We may learn a lot abut his mental toughness over the next few months. 

[ashbury]

On 4/16/2022 at 9:16 AM, LA VIkes Fan said:

I hate to sound old school, something I'm not, but this may be as simple as Kirilloff learning to play with a certain level of discomfort or pain. He should definitely get another opinion other than from the doctor who did the surgery and may have some bias toward defending his work. If that second or third opinion is the same it may be that he has to understand that he has a condition that he will have to live with as he plays. I said before that he looked overmatched this season. It may be that he was just being tentative because his swing caused some discomfort. It sounds like that may be something he's going to have to learn to play with over time. A setback to be sure, but one he has to overcome if he wants to be successful. We may learn a lot abut his mental toughness over the next few months. 

Unless it is searing pain, the main problem with discomfort is the fear that you are doing something to make it worse. And you might be. So getting reassurance from medical professionals should give him confidence. Except, no professional is going to be forthright in saying, "no, you won't cause further damage," for fear of malpractice or whatever. And round and round it goes.

[Linus]

Hello Mayo Clinic. 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

When do ten days end? 23rdish?

[Brock Beauchamp]

I have a really bad feeling that Kirilloff is going to burn a couple of years of service time while playing very few games.

Which is, unfortunately, completely on-brand for a top Minnesota Twins prospect.

[LA VIkes Fan]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

Unless it is searing pain, the main problem with discomfort is the fear that you are doing something to make it worse. And you might be. So getting reassurance from medical professionals should give him confidence. Except, no professional is going to be confident in saying, no, you won't cause further damage, for fear of malpractice or whatever. And round and round it goes.

I think you're absolutely right. And while this is a completely amateur diagnosis from afar with no real basis, I think that's what's going on here. It look like when he swung he was afraid to really "let it go" and so he was consistently late and tentative. If in fact the follow-up diagnosis is accurate, and I strongly support in getting a second and even third opinion, the issue is much more mental than physical. It may be that the correct clinician is not an orthopedist or MD, but a sports psychologist to help him get over the residual fear. I was a football player in high school and college and tore up my knee. I was not good for a while coming back after the first injury because I was scared to death that would hurt myself again. It took me a while to get over the hump and actually play freely again. That may be exactly what's going on with Kirilloff.  I don't know if he's ever had a major injury before. If not, coming back from the first one is really tough and it takes a while to be mentally ready to play.

Unfortunately, it may take a while before we see Kirilloff in the majors at anywhere close to his old self. I think what we're probably looking at is a rehabilitation assignment and some success at AAA before he would be ready to come back to the Twins. I think they get 20 days in the minors after completing the 10 day IL stint, but you guys know the rules a lot better than I do so correct me if I'm wrong. I think maybe the best case scenario is that he gets sent back to St. Paul, spends 20 days there and gradually gets over his fear of reinjuring his wrist. More likely, it takes longer than that for rest, rehabilitation and getting over the mental challenge and we don't see him until around her after the All-Star break. I hope I'm wrong. 

[KirbyDome89]

Wasn't this nearly the same approach that eventually led to surgery last offseason? The Twins haven't been all that cautious when it comes to letting guys play hurt; not sure I love the idea of Kirilloff "gutting," this one out. 

[LA VIkes Fan]

You may be right but the problem is that he's had the surgery so I'm not sure what else there would be to do. If the opinion he's received so far is correct that the surgery has accomplished what it could and there's nothing more to do medically, this really does become a condition to be managed rather than fixed. In that case, the real challenge becomes a mental one not a physical one. I think we just need to get this time because it can't be easy for a 24 year-old athlete to adjust to playing with what might be a chronic condition when the alternative is to kind of give up on his career. The mental part of this is going to be critical.

[cheeseheadgophfan]

I've had three shoulder surgeries.....after the 1st one and after extensive rehab I was feeling good and throwing better than ever in the spring.  As I started to let it go a little more and incorporate my curve again, I heard a pop and dropped to the ground.  I was sure i had re-torn the rotator cuff.  I was done.  Over.  Turned out, it was just scar tissue tearing away.  Cortisone shot and 2 weeks rest and the pain was gone.  Hope this is the case for AK....that first time coming back from surgery, you are certain that every pain or twinge is a re-injury.  Fingers crossed.  

[twinssporto]

As my doctor friends tell me, Cortisone is like putting lip stick on a pig. Uggh. 

[ashbury]

42 minutes ago, twinssporto said:

As my doctor friends tell me, Cortisone is like putting lip stick on a pig. Uggh. 

When the pig's ugly enough... you will find yourself inclined to accept any beautification offered, even cosmetic.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

This is at least the third cortisone shot for the wrist for Kirilloff, if I am recalling. Best of luck to the kid. 

[cheeseheadgophfan]

9 hours ago, ashbury said:

When the pig's ugly enough... you will find yourself inclined to accept any beautification offered, even cosmetic.

I had not heard that.......not good.  My Docs told me that most likely the effectiveness with cortisone starts to wear off every time you take one  

[glunn]

Another way to approach this would be to design a batting glove that absorbs more of the shock that passes from the bat handle to the wrist. I wonder if some silicone at the key transition zones might dissipate some of the force, like the shock absorbers in an automobile.

Something like this, but custom engineered for Kirilloff -- https://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Softball-Palmgard-Transfer-Batting/dp/B00X8JJTP2?th=1

 

[wsnydes]

15 hours ago, cheeseheadgophfan said:

I've had three shoulder surgeries.....after the 1st one and after extensive rehab I was feeling good and throwing better than ever in the spring.  As I started to let it go a little more and incorporate my curve again, I heard a pop and dropped to the ground.  I was sure i had re-torn the rotator cuff.  I was done.  Over.  Turned out, it was just scar tissue tearing away.  Cortisone shot and 2 weeks rest and the pain was gone.  Hope this is the case for AK....that first time coming back from surgery, you are certain that every pain or twinge is a re-injury.  Fingers crossed.  

Scar tissue is what I was thinking could be the problem too.

 

[TopGunn#22]

I HOPE it's just scar tissue and that AK can get past this.  This kid is just too talented to see him struggle like this.  I agree with others who say he needs 3-weeks (when he's ready) to just go to St. Paul and find his groove again.  I'd be getting Miranda up ASAP to play LF and other places as needed until AK is ready to go.  Miranda could play 3B and let Gio play some SS when Correa needs a break.  Just get Miranda up to the Twins.   

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, TopGunn#22 said:

I'd be getting Miranda up ASAP to play LF and other places as needed until AK is ready to go.  Miranda could play 3B and let Gio play some SS when Correa needs a break.  Just get Miranda up to the Twins.   

Calling up Miranda would be a strong possibility if Kirilloff goes to the IL, but not to play LF, ever. We have Larnach, Celestino and Gordon to rotate through LF ... assuming Buxton doesn't go on the IL. But even if he does, we have both Celestino and Gordon who can play center or left, with Larnach getting into the mix in left or right. Miranda would backup the infield to play 1st, 2nd or 3rd. If Buxton goes on the IL, too ... I'm not going to utter who I think the Twins might call up as another OFer.

[lecroy24fan]

I don't think they'd call up another OF if Buxton goes ion the DL. Kepler, Larnach, Celestino, Gordon, and Garlick can cover OF for a short stint. I'd expect it to be Miranda or a pitcher. 

[Squirrel]

45 minutes ago, lecroy24fan said:

I don't think they'd call up another OF if Buxton goes ion the DL. Kepler, Larnach, Celestino, Gordon, and Garlick can cover OF for a short stint. I'd expect it to be Miranda or a pitcher. 

Oh, I forgot about Garlick. Yeah, as I said, Miranda could get the call, but not to play the OF. And it’s the call I’d probably make