Berardino: Mastroianni Out Awhile + My Twins Med Staff Rant

[Willihammer]

A lot of times people are good at masking pain/injury. For instance, I got hit in the nuts last Sunday during my baseball game (I was told I was DHing and at the last minute put in at 1st base), nobody knew I had gotten hit or was hurt until I literally thought I was going to vomit in the dugout the following half inning.

 

If you get hit in the balls, do this:

 

http://allwomenstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/10-fab-yoga-poses/bridge_fab-yoga-poses.jpg

 

Disclaimer: I'm not a professional doctor. Do skyward pelvic thrusts at your own risk.

[LaBombo]

I think one of the problems I have with attacking the Twins on this is that no one knows how well other teams handle the same issue. Some idiot will post some crap about JJ Hardy in Baltimore as if that makes the case. The only study I've seen on how teams stay healthy was the fangraphs link I posted and, according to that, the Twins were pretty good over a 10 year period.

Terry Ryan seemed to think there was considerable room for improvement, since he addressed the topic his first frigging day back on the job.

 

And while everybody is thrilled by the fact that the Twins were relatively healthy in the previous decade, the fact is that they lead the league in DL utilization in 2011 and spent a good chunk of 2012 with a 24 man (or fewer) roster while injured players sat in the dugout.

 

Also, please be sure to enlighten all the "idiots" who haven't heard the new evidence that the Twins didn't make a mistake with Hardy's injury.

[LaBombo]

If you get hit in the balls, do this:

At first I was like, duh, who wouldn't? And then I realized: Oh, you meant mimic the gymnastic feat of the person in the picture, not...uh, ok, never mind.

[cmathewson]

At first I was like, duh, who wouldn't? And then I realized: Oh, you meant mimic the gymnastic feat of the person in the picture, not...uh, ok, never mind.

 

I was going to say, how can you do that when you have just experienced an impact fracture to the testicle? Blue pills aren't going to help much either.

[Alex]

Really? So we're all going to blast the medical staff (again) and no one is going to put any of the blame on Mastroianni, who undoubtedly continued to downplay the injury and -- by forcing his way through it -- ended up making it much worse?

 

These guys are professional athletes. It's their job to take care of their own bodies. If he's hiding a significant injury, that's his bad.

 

Probably a good point. I'd add, though that the Twins were very well aware that he would have only very limited use in at least the first week of the season, basically as a pinch runner and late game defensive sub. IMO, you just can't have a guy like that on the bench when you don't have another CF. A lot of people were asking why he wasn't DLed at that point. In fact, playing him actually continued to setback a possible return from the DL (though that proved moot). The roster management issue here isn't a phantom one, but you're right that Mastro shares some of the blame.

[Kobs]

He didn't try to play through the injury. He was not able to play a full game for more than a few games, and everyone was aware of that. That's why this isn't on him or on the training staff. It is on the coaching staff and front office. Marginal player X isn't able to play at full capacity for more than a game or two, replace him with marginal player Y until marginal player X can play again. If you don't have marginal player Y, you should be fired for not having forseen that a player might go on the DL at some point in the season.

[DaveW]

If this was an isolated incident, I'd probably agree with you completely. The problem is that this issue has happened across a whole range of players, injuries, and seasons. I'm inclined to believe there is a true issue of culture behind the scenes as evidenced by the Baker manhood comments. This team prides itself on being "old-school" and I wonder if there isn't too much pressure on players to not disclose injuries openly.

 

I thought they had replaced the trainers, but maybe the issue isn't the people, it's the methods/philosophies.

 

Every team has these issues though! I just spent 3 hours in a bar with a Yankees fan friend of mine who laughed at this notion when I brought it up to him. His rebuttal: "**** I wish we had the Twins issue when it came to misdiagnosed injuries, our 180 mil man Texierias timetable just got pushed back at least a month and Mr. Baseball Jeter himself just got pushed back 2+ months, don't even get me started on A-Rod!"

[DaveW]

If you get hit in the balls, do this:

 

http://allwomenstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/10-fab-yoga-poses/bridge_fab-yoga-poses.jpg

 

Disclaimer: I'm not a professional doctor. Do skyward pelvic thrusts at your own risk.

 

Ha. The pain subsided eventually. But man, that was a tough 6 hours or so.

[IdahoPilgrim]

I'm going to give the Twins FO the benefit of the doubt on this one. Is it frustrating when things like this happen and we're left wondering if it could/should have played out differently? Of course. But the bottom line is we don't know what went on behind the scenes, what internal discussions were held (and which never got reported, nor should they be, to the media), and what medical opinions were presented.

 

I also think it is impossible to evaluate the Twins performance in this area without comparing it to other franchises - you can't just look at this franchise in a vacuum and say "The medical staff doesn't know what they're doing" and have it be a credible statement. I remember driving through New York last year and listening to a local sports station ripping the Yankees medical staff, for many of the same complaints I hear in regard to the Twins medical staff. Is it possible that both staffs are incompetent? Sure. It's also possible that both staffs are on par with what is the industry standard, given the inherently uncertain nature of medicine and the fact that each person's body reacts and heals slightly differently, even to the same injury.

[drivlikejehu]

The kool-aid drinkers can't have it both ways. Terry Ryan himself said it was a problem when he took back his old job. Either there has never been a problem, or there has been, and if it's the latter fans have every reason to wonder why similar patterns seem to be repeating.

[ashbury]

Should I direct user resumes your way so that you can personally approve of who is allowed to provide opinions on any given subject?

 

Maybe something needs to be added to Bonnes's posting guidelines:

 

"The Twins are doing it wrong." Cool.

"You other poster(s) are doing it wrong." Not cool.

 

Of course, calling someone out on #2 is itself a violation. I don't like to invoke what seems like the heavier machinery of reporting a post, if a bit of self-policing seems possible. But I digress...

[ashbury]

His rebuttal: "**** I wish we had the Twins issue when it came to misdiagnosed injuries, our 180 mil man Texierias timetable just got pushed back at least a month and Mr. Baseball Jeter himself just got pushed back 2+ months, don't even get me started on A-Rod!"

 

Ha ha, he thinks outspending other teams gives them additional privileges as well. Ha ha.

[DaveW]

Ha ha, he thinks outspending other teams gives them additional privileges as well. Ha ha.

 

Ha, well to be fair, they are having serious health issues/delays with 3 of their top 4 highest paid players on the roster. Could you imagine if this was happening with Mauer, Morneau and Willingham? Twinsdaily would be a toxic wasteland!

[snepp]

It seems to me that there has been more "freaking out" directed toward the responses than toward the 4th OF.

[glunn]

Maybe something needs to be added to Bonnes's posting guidelines:

 

"The Twins are doing it wrong." Cool.

"You other poster(s) are doing it wrong." Not cool.

 

Of course, calling someone out on #2 is itself a violation. I don't like to invoke what seems like the heavier machinery of reporting a post, if a bit of self-policing seems possible. But I digress...

 

More self policing would be much appreciated. But I have to admit that some former policy violators seem to be making a genuine effort to avoid personal attacks, despite provocation that has sometimes been almost irresistible.

 

I view this is a process whereby TD will continue to get better. Some of the former (now reformed) violators of TD policy always had good points to make and were articulate. What they needed was to realize that they could make their points in a respectful way yet still have a fierce debate. Now, some of the most troublesome former violators are making their points more effectively by not getting sidetracked by baiting then bickering with other members.

 

I have an idea. If you see a post that you feel is not consistent with respectful debate, feel free to send a private message to the poster explaining why TD policy is important and GENTLY making CONSTRUCTIVE suggestions for improvement. This site belongs to all of us and it boils down to sharing and helping.

 

Whether you think that the training staff should get their salaries tripled or you wish that they should be re-tasked as astronauts and sent on a mission to Mars next year, you are my fellow Twins fan. I may think that you are stupidly wrong, and you may think the same about me. But I am not going to call you stupid or refer to your ideas using any synonym for stupid. You are my fellow Twins fan and in a knife fight at any stadium other than Target Field, I would have your back, even if you said something really stupid in the 9th inning.

[glunn]

Ha, well to be fair, they are having serious health issues/delays with 3 of their top 4 highest paid players on the roster. Could you imagine if this was happening with Mauer, Morneau and Willingham? Twinsdaily would be a toxic wasteland!

 

Snepp and I would have to quit our day jobs.

[Guest USAFChief]

I have often complained about the Twins playing with a short bench while some "day-to-day" player languished for a week or more, only to end up on the DL without ever getting in a game. But in this case, I'm having a hard time understanding all the hullaballoo over Mastro. He never sat for more than 3 days. He appeared in 8 games, including 2 complete games, one of which was the day prior to going on the DL. He got into a game on April 3rd, so it's not like he sat for a week at the start of the season. Hicks got the CF job, Mastro was always going to be the 4th OFer. How much more should he have played? If players went on the DL every time they weren't 100 percent healthy, they'd be on the DL a month or more every season.

[Mike Sixel]

I have no idea what the medical staff is good at or not. that's not the issue for me. The issue is that they have spent the last two years going short on the bench because they wait too long to DL marginal players. Just DL them, it's not like Mastro missing two weeks greatly weakens the team, but it could help him a lot......

 

So, it isn't the medical staff, it is the FO not changing its process that bothers me.

[LaBombo]

I was going to say, how can you do that when you have just experienced an impact fracture to the testicle? Blue pills aren't going to help much either.

Blue pill, red pill, whatever. If it helps me get the phrase "impact fracture to the testicle" out of my head, I'm totally on board. Even if the the possible side effects include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, messiah complex, night sweats, constipation, and the condition known as hotdog fingers...

[cmathewson]

I have often complained about the Twins playing with a short bench while some "day-to-day" player languished for a week or more, only to end up on the DL without ever getting in a game. But in this case, I'm having a hard time understanding all the hullaballoo over Mastro. He never sat for more than 3 days. He appeared in 8 games, including 2 complete games, one of which was the day prior to going on the DL. He got into a game on April 3rd, so it's not like he sat for a week at the start of the season. Hicks got the CF job, Mastro was always going to be the 4th OFer. How much more should he have played? If players went on the DL every time they weren't 100 percent healthy, they'd be on the DL a month or more every season.

 

Point is, he played in those games as a pinch runner/late-inning defensive replacement for Willingham. Both times he started and played a whole game he was unavailable the next two days. The second time, they put him on the DL. If that was all he could do on the bum leg, it wasn't enough to stay off the DL. Given the nature of the injury, it was a huge risk letting him play through it.

 

When he told Gardy he couldn't play for a whole game, they should have DLed him then and there. He told him that on March 26, and again after the season started. According to reports, Gardy asked him several times in the first week if he could start in place of Hicks and he said "no". If that's the case, why did they wait for him to aggravate the injury before they DLed him?

[TheLeviathan]

that's the case, why did they wait for him to aggravate the injury before they DLed him?

 

Apparently Mastro gets to decide his own roster spot and not trainers or the front office. Strange that some seem to be arguing its most his fault on a decision that should never be his anyway. He's not Jeter - he's a fringe roster player - he shouldn't be the one making that call.

[Guest USAFChief]

Point is, he played in those games as a pinch runner/late-inning defensive replacement for Willingham. (1)Both times he started and played a whole game he was unavailable the next two days. The second time, they put him on the DL. If that was all he could do on the bum leg, it wasn't enough to stay off the DL. Given the nature of the injury, it was a huge risk letting him play through it.

 

When he told Gardy he couldn't play for a whole game, they should have DLed him then and there. He told him that on March 26, and again after the season started. (2)According to reports, Gardy asked him several times in the first week if he could start in place of Hicks and he said "no". If that's the case, why did they wait for him to aggravate the injury before they DLed him?

1) It's possible I missed it, do you have some verification for this claim? 2) It's possible I missed it, do you have some verification for this claim?

[Rosterman]

Put him on the 60-day and add a centerfielder, now. Make it a rotating spot until someone produces.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Put him on the 60-day and add a centerfielder, now. Make it a rotating spot until someone produces.

 

Honest question: who do you add in CF? Benson is awful. Who slots in after that point and is he going to hit more than Hicks?

 

The team obviously needs a backup CF but given the Twins options, they're best off letting Hicks roam CF for the time being and hope he figures it out. Otherwise, you'll probably be throwing away ABs on a guy who won't produce numbers better enough to matter.

[nicksaviking]

What are the chances the Twins most competent CF offensively and defensively is currently in the low A ball?

 

Edit: To be clear, this is not an endorsement to promote Byron Buxton.

[nicksaviking]

Honest question: who do you add in CF? Benson is awful. Who slots in after that point and is he going to hit more than Hicks?

 

The team obviously needs a backup CF but given the Twins options, they're best off letting Hicks roam CF for the time being and hope he figures it out. Otherwise, you'll probably be throwing away ABs on a guy who won't produce numbers better enough to matter.

 

Maybe Antoan Richardson will get a shot? He's been hitting in AA. Boggs has been awful at Rochester but Clete Thomas has been hitting. The team might still have a bitter taste in their mouth after last year's experience with him though.

[Riverbrian]

Honest question: who do you add in CF? Benson is awful. Who slots in after that point and is he going to hit more than Hicks?

 

The team obviously needs a backup CF but given the Twins options, they're best off letting Hicks roam CF for the time being and hope he figures it out. Otherwise, you'll probably be throwing away ABs on a guy who won't produce numbers better enough to matter.

 

Specifically... I don't know... But in all of baseball... There has to be a Lars Anderson type CF who can be acquired for next to nothing and then provide backup duties until Mastro is back.

 

He won't be Mike Trout but he may make a catch and get a knock here and there.

[Riverbrian]

Should I direct user resumes your way so that you can personally approve of who is allowed to provide opinions on any given subject?

 

Or should the proprietors just shut the forum down now given that there would be no one left to discuss anything?

 

Discussion and Opinions are always interesting.

 

Personally... I start to cringe when the discussion and opinions start labeling professionals as idiots or inept without context of what exactly they have done or are capable of doing.

[cmathewson]

Maybe Antoan Richardson will get a shot? He's been hitting in AA. Boggs has been awful at Rochester but Clete Thomas has been hitting. The team might still have a bitter taste in their mouth after last year's experience with him though.

 

Richardson has enough glove. Not sure Gardy will approve of either Thomas or Boggs in center for more than a game at a time.

[DaveW]

Honest question: who do you add in CF? Benson is awful. Who slots in after that point and is he going to hit more than Hicks?

 

The team obviously needs a backup CF but given the Twins options, they're best off letting Hicks roam CF for the time being and hope he figures it out. Otherwise, you'll probably be throwing away ABs on a guy who won't produce numbers better enough to matter.

Give Hicks another 100-150 at bats. If its still bad, someone like Benson or such will have played themselves into contention. You can always make a trade down the road as well if it gets dire.

 

Maybe you give Rosario a cup of coffee in CF? Though he really isn't even close to ready...