32 replies to this topic

[Trautwein's Degree]

Aside from a dispiriting 3-2 loss to the Yankees Thursday, the Red Sox were hit with more bad news: Josh Beckett has been scratched from his scheduled start Friday against the White Sox at Fenway Park. Instead, Beckett will travel today to Birmingham, Ala., to visit with Dr. James Andrews to try and determine the source of discomfort in his right elbow. Link.

Edited by Trautwein's Degree, 28 August 2008 - 04:50 PM.

[SoxScout]

http://www.nesn.com/...02-607a39a688ad

The Red Sox got a double dose of bad news on Thursday. Not only did they fail to sweep the Yankees in New York, but they scratched Josh Beckett from his Friday start against the White Sox at Fenway Park.

Beckett is scheduled to see Dr. Andrews in Alabama on Friday, NESN's Heidi Watney reported. The team says the tingling sensation hasn't returned to his pitching hand (ring finger and pinkie), but he's not 100 percent.

Daisuke Matsuzaka will get the start in Beckett's place.

[SoxScout]

Here is a great story on Dr. Andrews from last September: http://sports.espn.g...tory?id=3024046

[BoSox Rule]

Didn't Noah Lowry have the same tingling sensation in Spring Training?

[Worst Trade Evah]

I thought this story was heading this direction as soon as they started passing around that silly "numbness caused by sleeping funny" excuse. Beckett may yet be okay, but the sleeping position thing made as much sense as the Mets trying to teach Jose Reyes to change his running stride a few years ago.

The crop of free agent pitchers is pretty sweet for next season though -- maybe it's time to start considering some:

Sabathia
Sheets
Burnett
Lowe
Mussina
Oliver Perez

among others.

Lackey and Harden have options that I assume get picked up.

[Quintanariffic]

Harden isn't a FA for another 2 years I believe. But, yeah, this may change things if it's as serious as the speculation would have it.

[Rob Bradford]

Keep in mind, Beckett had been talking on a daily basis with Dr. Andrews over the last week, but the doctor hadn't witnessed the pitcher's ailment in person. As I pointed out in the story today, there is only one person who is going to give Beckett peace of mind regarding this injury and it is Andrews.

"Some people may say something to you and you may trust them, but you have some of those doubts and still stay reserved," Beckett said. "For me, if Dr. Andrews tells me something I can put it in my head and know, 'This is how it is.' It's easier for me to get closure on something because I have that trust."

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Rob, does anyone visit Dr. Andrews and not eventually require surgery? I know Joba saw him earlier this year and is back to throwing, but generally a visit there means that at some point you're going to be on his operating table.

[Joshv02]

Keep in mind, Beckett had been talking on a daily basis with Dr. Andrews over the last week, but the doctor hadn't witnessed the pitcher's ailment in person. As I pointed out in the story today, there is only one person who is going to give Beckett peace of mind regarding this injury and it is Andrews.

"Some people may say something to you and you may trust them, but you have some of those doubts and still stay reserved," Beckett said. "For me, if Dr. Andrews tells me something I can put it in my head and know, 'This is how it is.' It's easier for me to get closure on something because I have that trust."

I was about to come here to post your piece. Timely, and very good.

SJH: read the piece. I think Beckett is one such person back nearly a decade ago.

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

I was about to come here to post your piece. Timely, and very good.

SJH: read the piece. I think Beckett is one such person back nearly a decade ago.

Yes, I read that. But that was the labrum. This is the elbow, specifically the ulnar nerve. That's Andrews' specialty, the Tommy John surgery.

I hope to hell that this is just a reassurance visit.

[leeharris]

I thought this story was heading this direction as soon as they started passing around that silly "numbness caused by sleeping funny" excuse. Beckett may yet be okay, but the sleeping position thing made as much sense as the Mets trying to teach Jose Reyes to change his running stride a few years ago.

The crop of free agent pitchers is pretty sweet for next season though -- maybe it's time to start considering some:

Sabathia
Sheets
Burnett
Lowe
Mussina
Oliver Perez

among others.

Lackey and Harden have options that I assume get picked up.

sweet?

Sabathia & Sheets - to the Yankees for $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

and then there's the other guys you mentioned.

[TheYellowDart5]

In a postgame interview, manager Terry Francona said Beckett was seeing Andrews as a precaution. There was no indication the tingling sensation he had previously felt in his pitching hand had returned.

"I think the best word I can use is we're just trying to get some closure," Francona said. "We never want to send anyone out there that's not 100 percent. We're no more pessimistic about him today than we were, but when he goes out there [again]we want him to be able to pitch with peace of mind."

General manager Theo Epstein echoed those precautionary sentiments.

"We don't feel comfortable pitching him unless he is 100 percent because we have to take his long term interests and the team's long term interests into account first and foremost," Epstein said.

Epstein also said it was his understanding that the tingling was not still present in Beckett's pitching hand, but that "the elbow itself doesn't feel 100 percent."

"We're pretty optimistic this thing's getting better," Epstein said. "It just makes sense. Josh has a great relationship with Andrews, he's an accomplished doctor. Get another opinion here, hoping he comes back and can take the ball pretty soon."

Also says Matsuzaka on Friday, with ProJo adding that Pauley will make a spot-start on Saturday.

http://www.boston.co...tt_scratch.html

[Foulkey Reese]

Ugh the White Sox are going to absolutely pound David Pauley. Unfortunate that they don't have a better option.

[Todd Benzinger]

Kenny Rogers is starting to sound good... any other news on SPs who have cleared waivers?

I'm afraid of the Jason Johnson & Kevin Jarvis flashbacks... Theo please make them go away

[cwright]

Kenny Rogers is starting to sound good... any other news on SPs who have cleared waivers?

I'm afraid of the Jason Johnson & Kevin Jarvis flashbacks... Theo please make them go away

According to MLB Trade Rumors (only list I can find), here are pitchers who've cleared waivers (but haven't been traded):
Eric Gagne (hah)
Kevin Millwood
Vincente Padilla
David Riske
Duaner Sanchez
Scott Schoeneweis
Jamie Walker
David Weathers

[TheRooster]

Ugh the White Sox are going to absolutely pound David Pauley. Unfortunate that they don't have a better option.

Why not give Zink another shot? I realize he was bad in his one start, but his entire AAA season wasn't a fluke.

[yecul]

Well, if he doesn't need surgery right now it can't be considered a surprise if he does get it in the near future. Tingling and elbow is a really lousy combination for a pitcher. A shame. But maybe he can at least salvage second half of '09 if he does go down.

[roundegotrip]

Steve Burton just said on the news that the team is insisting that the visit to Dr. Andrews is "100% precautionary."

Epstein also said it was his understanding that the tingling was not still present in Beckett's pitching hand, but that "the elbow itself doesn't feel 100 percent."

If Beckett's elbow is less than 100%, that makes this visit less than 100% precautionary.

[Rocco Graziosa]

Dr. James Andrews: The three worst words a pitcher can ever hear.

Ever. The World Series hopes for this team (not playoff) lie in the balance of this evaluation. I hope this isn't karma for me laughing my ass off for a week after Jobba The Hurt went for his eval.

Edited by Rocco Graziosa, 28 August 2008 - 09:00 PM.

[NomarRS05]

Ever. The World Series hopes for this team (not playoff) lie in the balance of this evaluation. I hope this isn't karma for me laughing my ass off for a week after Jobba The Hurt went for his eval.

The waiting game we have to play right now is the worst. We can't even have a substantive discussion about it. Right now it's just worrying and nervousness. The one guy this team probably can't afford to lose for October based on past playoff performances...

[bmacfarlane]

Is it definite that the source is the elbow? I get tingling in my hand and it's caused by herniated disks at the base of my neck. Stretching helps it but it never goes away completely.

[bernardsamuel]

For our sub-population of Jewish punsters, let me mention that when I'm in synagogue two mornings from now, I will offer a ...Misha-Beckett... for our premier pitcher's full recovery, may it come speedily in our time for the post-season (may we be granted a post-season!). Seriously, when it comes to matters like Brady's foot and Beckett's arm, items in which we have not much more than clues such as an MRI visit in one case and an orthopedic visit in the other, we can rant, speculate, and pray; each alternative is valid and has its place and its adherents.

[pk1627]

Seriously, when it comes to matters like Brady's foot and Beckett's arm, items in which we have not much more than clues such as an MRI visit in one case and an orthopedic visit in the other, we can rant, speculate, and pray; each alternative is valid and has its place and its adherents.

Well put. And while the fans do their thing, the team will go out and try to win tomorrow's game. I appreciate that we haven't a Hank Steinbrenner that throws in the towel.

[George from Maine]

Will he now finally be put on the DL?

[Ed Hillel]

Will he now finally be put on the DL?

With the 40-man roster approaching there is really no reason to. Unless, of course,Dr. Andrews finds reason to sit Beckett down for a sustained period of time. Let us hope that is not the case.

Edited by Ed Hillel, 28 August 2008 - 10:58 PM.

[doc]

Is it definite that the source is the elbow? I get tingling in my hand and it's caused by herniated disks at the base of my neck. Stretching helps it but it never goes away completely.

reposted from the other Beckett thread

What their diagnosis is and what they tell you are very different things. I can tell you from the moment I heard tingling in the 4th and 5th finger I was worried. Those fingers are in the distribution of the ulnar nerve , over which runs the ulnar collateral ligament which is what needs repair in TJ surgery. Now the typical symptom is a popping sensation in the elbow while pitching. There is also a condition called ulnar neuropathy that will cause this numbness that can be caused by an innocuous bump on the arm or even sleeping on your arm (because that nerve has no padding) and can get better with rest, with a cortisone shot and occasionally needs surgery.

[Pandemonium67]

I hope like hell Beckett is 100% fine. But I don't feel that his absence alone spells doom. It would hurt the Sox's chances, of course, but a rotation of Lester, Dice K, Wake and Byrd could still get it done.

I wouldn't bet a lot of money on the Sox, but nor would I just throw in the towel.

[sibpin]

With the 40-man roster approaching there is really no reason to. Unless, of course,Dr. Andrews finds reason to sit Beckett down for a sustained period of time. Let us hope that is not the case.

Additionally, every day they delay this decision is a waste. DL stints can only be applied 10 days in the past, and his last start was on August 17. Do they really expect Beckett back in the next 5 days?

[HighHeat]

With the 40-man roster approaching there is really no reason to.

While this is true, it would give the Sox an extra body that may help over the next few days versus an empty roster spot, and as sibpin points out, it's not like Beckett will be pitching in the next five days anyway.

Additionally, it allows the Sox the luxury of calling someone up that would potentially be eligible for the postseason roster.

[RedOctober3829]

Gammons was on Mike and Mike this morning and, surprisingly, wasn't his usual Red Sox-mouthpiece self. He expressed serious concern about this development for Beckett citing the fact that he "isn't a hypocondriac. He is one of the toughest people I've ever met and would be out there pitching." When Peter Gammons doesn't tote the party like for Theo, you have to be concerned.

I hope to God this is just a reassurance visit and not a pre-surgery visit.

[LynnRoyalRooter]

In a word - Ditto. Beckett is the one guy that is most important Red Sox player when it comes to winning in the short series. Having the pitching advantage down the line as you go through a series is the most important thing. Pushing every one "up" one slot does not bode well. It seems as if they would have enough offense especially if Lowell/Drew can come back and give 80% of what they would normally bring to the table. Ortiz seems to be having better ABs and driving the ball better the last couple weeks so that obviously helps...

Anyway - The next 48 hours could bring news that would bring down the Sox chances more than almost anything else they could possibly hear.