Giants Outfielder Torres On DL

San Francisco Giants outfielder Andres Torres was placed on the 15 day disabled list last Thursday because
of a strained Achilles tendon. He may not return this season.
Torres has been dealing with the injury since the 2011 season. He had a second opinion with Dr. Robert Anderson and is hoping to avoid surgery on his foot, even though the MRI showed bone spurs in the area.
"I need to be 100%," Torres said. "After we won the World Series and they gave us the rings (April 9th, 2011), I hurt this foot and I've never been the same. Playing like this is not going to be good for me and it's not going to be good for the organization. I respect them a lot. This is something I have to work to get better.
"When you don't play 100%, that affects you," Torres continued. "You see this year, my defense hasn't been the best. I really care. Last year, I hurt it a little bit again. I remember 2010, I used to drive the ball from the left side. But (now), my left foot kind of lifts, I lose my power."
Torres has tried rehabilitation and it did not help. Torres, who is known for his speed, said his left foot bothers him most when hitting from the left side and the pain has limited him to running at about 80%.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Torres called him at 1:30 p.m. last Thursday to tell him he couldn't play in the opener of a four-game series against the NL Central-leading Pittsburgh Pirates.
"It's bothering him to the point where he needs a break," Bochy said. "I can't say it's over yet until he gets evaluated. I think that will determine what ends up happening with Andres. Is there a possibility for surgery? Sure. That's why he's getting it checked out."
Bochy didn't know Torres was having an off-and-on issue with his foot, but doesn't seem bothered he wasn't aware of it. "This isn't a case where we thought he was hiding anything. You always appreciate a player who wants to be out there and play. I can talk to almost every one of them, and there's probably something going on, especially here in August, including my staff. It goes with the territory."
Torres, 35, signed a $2 million, one-year contract with the Giants last winter to return after spending one year with the New York Mets. He is batting .250 with two home runs and 21 RBIs with four stolen bases in 103 games this season.
Bochy is in no hurry to get Torres back, saying, "There's no rush to get Andres back. We want him to be healthy. He's got his future to think of." If Torres does come back this season, it will be mostly as a pinch-hitter, pinch-runner, or late defensive replacement.
Reference: San Francisco Chronicle and ESPN.
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Atlanta Braves' Jordan Schafer Out Another Few Weeks

When Jordan Schafer fouled a ball off his foot on June 26th in Kansas City, it did not look like it was going

to be a serious problem. However over time this ankle injury has become more complicated and unusual. 
The Atlanta Braves decided to do an MRI on the outfielder's ankle and it was discovered he has an intraosseous stress fracture in his right foot and will be out at least another two weeks recovering.
Braves general manager Frank Wren said, "It's a soft tissue injury that you treat over 7-10 days and see if it's going to get better. He was X-rayed that day, there was no fracture revealed. After seven days, he still wasn't getting a lot better. It was X-rayed again- still no fracture. And then after that he started doing more, there were some things he could do and some things he couldn't. He started having more pain, so we took it to the next step and had the MRI done."
Schafer is currently four weeks into a six week recovery process and he can now do more non-load bearing activity in his rehabilitation, like working on the underwater treadmill.
Wren added that the two pinch-hit appearances Schafer made in the team's home series against the Marlins less than a week after suffering the initial injury did not worsen his ankle's condition. 
"If we'd MRI'd it at the time of the injury, this fracture would not have shown up. It's a type that over time, you get a better sense of it. It's just one of those strange situations."
The Braves have taken a few injury blows recently, including Jason Heyward, B. J. Upton, and Justin Upton, who have all been diagnosed with injuries. 
Schafer was placed on the disabled list July 4th and prior to that he was having a career year. In 2013 he has hit .312/.399/.464 in 64 games. 
Reference: MLB
If you are a baseball player with a foot or ankle problem, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
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Mets Third Baseman Playing Through Injury

Depending on how severe a foot or ankle injury is, we typically do not recommend to our patients to play

through injuries. Often times playing through the pain will cause further damage, leaving you out longer and away from the activities you love most. 
Last week it came out that New York Mets third baseman David Wright has been playing through a foot injury. Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters that Wright told him the foot was "killing him," but when talking to Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York, Wright said his foot was "good."
"It's good. It's good. It hasn't given me any problems, so it'll be nice to get a few days off. I don't know what exactly happened. It's nothing that's prohibiting me from doing anything. Plus, HIPAA doesn't let me talk about injuries either." 
So what is it? Is his foot, "good", as he's describing it, or is it "killing him" like Collins said? We'd be more likely to believe Collins, as Wright is likely putting up a good front to reporters and the public. He is definitely downplaying the severity of his injury. And, we should mention, HIPAA doesn't prevent you from talking about your own injuries- it prevents medical professionals from talking about your ailments without your given permission.
Collins went on to compare this foot problem to the broken back Wright suffered two years ago, saying, "He's got a foot that's killing him, but he never says anything. It's the same as two years ago, he's playing three weeks with a broken back. Even when we have a bad game, he won't come out because he thinks he needs to be there for his teammates. I knew he was a good player before I got here, but didn't realize his preparation, and desire to be that guy in tough situations. This organization is damn lucky to have him."
We're all for being there for your teammates, club, and fans, but sometimes you need to be smart and take some time off to recuperate and be able to play your best. Sometimes being stupid and playing with something like a broken back does you and your team no good. 
Even with a foot ailment that's "killing him" Wright managed to get his seventh trip to the All-Star game by hitting .304/.396/.507 with 21 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, and 15 stolen bases in 17 attempts. Wright is obviously good at hiding pain.
Reference: MLB Injury News.
If you are a baseball player with a foot or ankle problem, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
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San Diego Padres' Blanks On DL With Achilles Tendonitis

San Diego Padres outfielder Kyle Blanks has been bothered with Achilles tendonitis in his left heel frequently

since the team's trip to Colorado in early June.
The tendonitis flared up again during the three games in Boston from July 2-4. During those games he missed one and played designated hitter for another.
Blanks was placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 12th and will be able to rest his aching left heel.
"This give us an opportunity to let it quiet down," Padres manager Bud Black said. "He'll stay off it for a week or so."
While on the disabled list, Blanks has been playing catch and hit but has been staying away from cardio and running.
Blanks has been plagued by various injuries since joining the major leagues in 2009. He was having the best year of his career in nearly every offensive category, including doubles, RBIs, and games played. He was hitting .256 with 13 doubles, eight home runs, and 34 RBIs in 67 games this season. Let's hope when he comes back from the disabled list, he'll continue his career setting highs.
Reference: MLB
If you are a baseball player with a foot or ankle problem, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
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Dodgers' Kemp Suffers Ankle Injury

If you've seen the video of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp's ankle injury, you know how

cringe-worthy it is. When you're watching the video, you are saying "Ouch" along with him. 
Sunday was Kemp's first game back from a two week break due to inflammation in his left shoulder from off-season surgery.
Kemp was on third base with the bases loaded and two outs when Carl Crawford hit a slow groundball to Adam LaRoche. Crawford hustled to first base and beat the pitcher to the bag. LaRoche noticed that Kemp did not move from third base and he threw the ball to the catcher.
Kemp finally realized he needed to move his behind off third base and ran to home, where he rolled his ankle and was removed from the game. 
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said after the game he doesn't believe Kemp will be on the disabled list, as his injury appears to be just an ankle sprain. "That's what I said last time, too," Mattingly joked, referring to the two weeks Kemp spent on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation. 
Kemp commented after the game that, "It's not bad. I hope it's not bad. The biggest thing will be tomorrow when I wake up and see how it feels." He felt the injury was a result of not running hard enough on a force play at home plate. 
Prior to his injury Kemp was having an excellent return to baseball. Batting sixth, he led off the second with a home run that bounced around in the cherry trees behind the left field stands. Later in the same inning he hit a double to left that brought home Andre Ethier from first. With two outs at the top of the fourth Kemp hit a single to left that scored Hanley Ramirez from second. He finished 3-4 with a walk, just a triple shy of the cycle. 
References: USA Today and SB Nation. 
If you are a baseball player with a foot or ankle problem, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
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Tigers Player Infante On the DL

The Detroit Tigers placed second baseman Omar Infante on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. The team
recalled 22 year old infielder Hernan Perez from Double-A Erie. The Tigers had been hoping to avoid putting Infante on the list. The move is retroactive to July 4th and Infante will be eligible for activation after the All-Star break.
The injury occurred during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays a week ago Wednesday when Infante was hit hard by Toronto's Colby Rasmus, who was sliding into second base.
Tigers Manager Jim Leyland expects Infante to be better after the All-Star break. Infante is hitting .309 with six home runs and 27 RBIs in 76 games this season.
Perez made his major league debut last month, playing two games for the Tigers. His record is similar to Infante's, posting .300/.324//422 for Double-A Erie. He has 28 doubles and stolen 24 bases in 31 attempts this season.
Reference: USA Today and CBS Sports
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Giants' Sandoval Dogged By Foot Injury

San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval was placed on the disabled list last week after being

plagued with a foot injury for several weeks.
Sandoval originally injured his foot on May 30th when he attempted to running out a groundball. He sat out the next three games and after starting the next four games, left the next in the third inning.
The exact nature of his injury has been difficult to determine, with team president Larry Baer and general manager Brian Sabean saying Sandoval has a hairline fracture in his foot, and head trainer Dave Groeschner saying he has no fracture. The team has resorted to calling this injury a left foot strain, which could be just about anything.
Sandoval likely reinjured his foot on June 9th after grounding into an inning-ending double play against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Sandoval was placed in a walking boot and began a rehab assignment yesterday in the minors as the designated hitter for Class A San Jose. The All-Star took batting practice and fielder grounders before San Francisco's game against San Diego on Tuesday.
The 26 year old "Kung Fu Panda" is hitting .289/.326/.427 with eight home runs, numbers that are only slightly lower than last year's.
The talk of the season with regards to Sandoval has been his weight. Many have pointed out the link between his injury and his current overweight status. Sandoval is listed at 240 pounds, which is 20 pounds heavier than he was last year. This is a recurring problem between Sandoval and managers: late in the 2010 season Sabean threatened to send Sandoval to the minors. Sandoval consequently lost 40 pounds over the winter, but since then he's gained it back, plus some. He's gained some leeway because of his performances, which have included two All-Star appearances and a World Series MVP award. Sandoval told reporters in April, "I'm at the weight that I feel great to play at... If you feel good, you're going to play good. And I feel great."
We'll see how Sandoval progresses after he is eligible to return from the DL on Monday. Will his "foot strain" continue to bother him? And most importantly will he continue to blow gum bubbles, like pictured above?
Reference: Sports Illustrated
If you are a baseball player and have a foot problem, call our Newington, Kensington, or Middletown office to make an appointment.
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Kansas City Royals Lose Dyson For 2-4 Weeks

Kansas City Royals center fielder Jarrod Dyson will be out two to four weeks because of a high mild right

ankle sprain he sustained last Wednesday night.
Dyson was attempting to catch Mike Trout's home run in the 9-5 victory over the Angels at Anaheim. He jammed his foot against the wall padding and threw himself up in the attempt to catch Trout's hit. Dyson hung on the fence for several moments, almost delaying returning to the ground on his injured foot. He left the game after eight innings, limping as he left the outfield.
He returned to Kansas City last Friday to have his sprained ankle evaluated by team physicians. Dyson was consequently placed on the 15-day disabled list and outfielder David Lough was recalled from Triple-A Omaha. Dyson is the first A's player to be placed on the disabled list all season.
This injury must be disappointing for Dyson, who was getting some playing time after starting the season as the team's reserve outfielder. He had started five of the last eight games, filling in for Jeff Francoeur, who is 4-for-34, .118 in May. Manager Ned Yost was using Dyson in center and shifted Lorenzo Cain to Francoeur's position in right field.
Dyson, known for his speed, had been at the leadoff spot in his last three starts. He was hitting .268 with eight RBIs and six stolen bases in seven attempts. He hit a three-run homer on May 10th in a 11-6 loss against the Yankees, his second Major League home run.
Of his speed, Yost said, "He's getting better and better and better all the time."
Dyson was originally supposed to be examined by doctors in Oakland, but the plan was changed. "When he woke up, it was actually a little more sore, which is not always a good thing, especially for a speed guy," said Yost.
Lough is also a left-handed batter and has a .340 average with the Storm Chasers, with three home runs, three triples, six doubles, five stolen bases, and 17 RBIs in 36 games. He can play all three outfield positions. Lough, 27, got his first Major League experience last September with the Royals and had a .237 average in 20 games. For Omaha last season Lough hit .275 with 10 home runs, 40 base hits, and 69 RBIs. In 2009 Lough led the entire Kansas City organization with a .325 average for Class-A Wilmington and Double-A Northwest Arkansas and won the George Brett Hitter of the Year Award.
Reference: MLB.
If you are a baseball player and you have a foot problem, call our Newington, Kensington, or Middletown office to make an appointment.
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Bryce Harper's Bad Week

Washington Nationals Player Bryce Harper just isn't having a good week.
Last Friday he had an ingrown toenail removed from his left foot and has been dealing with soreness and tenderness all week. That foot is the foot he uses to drive himself forward when he swings. The foot was still bothering him enough for him to sit out the game against the Cubs on Saturday afternoon.
At the time manager Davey Johnson was unsure if Harper would return to the lineup for Sunday's series finale. It might have been a good thing if Harper had stayed out of the lineup through the early part of the week.
Harper crashed face first into the scoreboard at Dodger's Stadium earlier in the week, causing fans and the

media to wonder if he could add concussion on to his list of ailments this week.
After 11 stitches, Harper was supposedly OK, but watching playback of the video gives you the heebie jeebies.
Teammate Denard Span told reporters after the game, "I thought he was going to brace himself or do something. As the ball kept going, I was like, 'Is he going to stop?' And he just kept going. I've never seen anybody run into a wall like that."
Span also said that Harper fought to stay in the game after hitting the wall. "Thank God he was able to get up. He was actually trying to stay in the game. I was looking at him like 'No, you need to come out of the game.' He's a warrior. I guarantee he's probably going to try to play tomorrow. I just thank God he's okay," Span said. "He kept telling Davey, 'I'm okay, serious.' I was like 'Is somebody going to step up and say he's not okay? Because he doesn't look good.'"
The team performed several concussion tests after the injury and Johnson had a "let Harper be Harper" attitude. "He's not worried about the wall or anything. He should know it's on the warning track and back off, but that's not his nature. I don't want to change that. I feel sorry for the wall if he keeps running into them," Johnson said.
Harper however admitted on Tuesday that he felt nauseous and many were speculating if he actually has a concussion. Trainers denied that the nausea was connected with a concussion and said that it was because Harper was hungry. Mmmm... right.
Johnson doesn't seem concerned, although he maybe should be: "I wasn't worried about the concussion. He got hit in the chin. Nobody gets a concussion from getting hit on the chin. You might be knocked out. You don't usually get a concussion from that. He's got a few aches and pains, but he's young. He'll probably be alright today."
Anyone else think he needs a refresher course in head injuries?
There's always the possibility he was so distracted by the pain in his toe that he didn't notice where he was headed...
Reference: Washington Post, Washington Post, and Washington Post.
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Red Sox's Ortiz Has Foot Problems, Again

David Ortiz (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When we said last week that we were hoping Carlos Beltran's bone bruise on his foot wasn't an inauspicious beginning to the baseball season, we were being serious.
Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz's foot problems are becoming a tale as old as time. Ortiz is likely to begin the season on the disabled list after being diagnosed with inflammation in his heels. He has not played in a week, and said he wasn't surprised to about the inflammation because of how his feet have felt recently, especially his left foot.
"I knew there was something that was not normal. I was getting pain four or five hours after I was finished with my workout. I knew something wasn't right," Ortiz said.
Ortiz spoke with the medical staff and an MRI was taken on Saturday. He was relieved the diagnosis wasn't worse.
"It's not anything crazy, thank God," Ortiz said. "But it's going to take a couple weeks to get fixed."
The Red Sox slugger has started a course of anti-inflammatory medication and is receiving daily treatment. "We started doing a whole bunch of different things. I'm not just going to be doing baseball activities I guess for about a week. It's not a good feeling. I've been working really hard this offseason just to make sure, you know, I'm good to go for the season... The one thing that we really are working on is when I'm back, I'm back. It's not just coming back for a couple of weeks and go back to the same thing."
Ortiz's foot troubles go back to last July when he sustained a small tear in his Achilles tendon. He's not surprised he's still having troubles eight months later.
"We're humans. We're humans. Nobody wants to be injured. Me, I was going 120% this offseason working with this injury. The good news is that it had nothing that had to do with my Achilles, like it used to be. That made me happy, at least, knowing my Achilles is doing fine.
"It's a process that when you are going at it, you pretty much use everything. It's not like you can get picky with the things you want to do. Not being formally doing things for like six months, it's like starting all over. It happens."
With everyone's favorite DH and first baseman on the DL for the foreseeable future, who will replace him?
"It's safe to say we don't have another David Ortiz to occupy that slot. Where the best matchups are and how do we balance Mike Napoli playing everyday. Everything projects where he would be fine but we all have to consider that," said manager John Farrell.
Ortiz says his newest injury is related to his Achilles tendon and all the time he had off. "Yeah, I was compensating. I was compensating, that's one thing. The other thing is the time without running and doing all that activity. But I was compensating for the Achilles. That's why I was getting a little bit of inflammation on the other side."
Ortiz doesn't expect to miss much time, but he believes the Red Sox can be great without him. "We have a good team now. We have. We have good players. I've been talking to a lot of them and the one thing that I keep telling them is just try to do what you do at your best. Don't try to do more than that. You're going to bump into some tough times, just learn how to deal with it and everything's going to be taken care of."
Reference: Boston Globe.
If you are a baseball player and have a foot problem, call our Newington, Kensington, or Middletown office to make an appointment.

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Major League Baseball Foot Injury Update

Boston Red Sox
David Ortiz, DH
Ortiz is seeking a multi-year contract to remain with the club as he is eligible for free agency after this season. "In my case, it's not even all about the money. It's all about respect. That's the way I see it. I'm wide open to come back and play here. I know I'm up to the challenge. But at some point, it's not on me," said Ortiz, who is still recovering from his Achilles tendon injury.
Cleveland Indians
Roberto Hernandez, SP
Hernandez pitched a four-inning simulated game Wednesday as he continues to recover from an ankle injury. The Indians have yet to announce if he'll be back this season or not. Manager Manny Acta told MLB.com, "He threw the ball very well and moved around better than the last time I saw him. We're going to see how he bounces back, how he shows up on Friday, and then we'll make a decision then."
Cleveland Indians
Ubaldo Jimenez, SP
Jimenez has been shut down for the season with a minor right ankle sprain. He had been slowed down with the injury during the last two outings. "The good thing, in my opinion, is that it's a minor issue that's going to respond exceptionally well to rest and rehab," said head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff.
Cleveland Indians
Rafael Perez, RP
Perez is out for the season, not only with his ankle injury, but with a shoulder injury that required surgery on Wednesday. "Everything went as well as expected. He'll initiate a throwing program in approximately two months and is expected to be full-go by spring training," said Soloff.
Houston Astros
Marwin Gonzalez, SS
Gonzalez was out of the line-up again on Wednesday. He has been out since Monday, when he sprained his ankle (wasn't he out last week with an ankle problem???).
New York Yankees
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
Rodriguez was out of the line-up against Minnesota on Wednesday because he had fouled a ball off his left foot at his final at bat on Tuesday. No X-rays have been scheduled, and Rodriguez hoped to miss just one game with the injury.
New York Yankees
Pedro Feliciano, RP
Feliciano is likely out for the season.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Gustavo Nunez, SS
No update on Nunuez. Likely out for season.
St. Louis Cardinals
David Freese, 3B
Freese injured his ankle while running on the indoor batting cage earlier this week and was out of the line-up on Wednesday. He'll likely be back for the rest of the season.
Texas Rangers
Mike Olt, 1B
Olt has took batting practice on Monday, and has shown improvements with his plantar fasciitis. "It's getting a lot better. I'm going to start swinging today. It's all up to what I can take as far as pain. I'll see what happens," said Olt.
Toronto Blue Jays
J. A. Happ, SP
Turns out Happ suffered a broken foot earlier this month and has since has season ending surgery. He was transferred to the 60 day disabled list to make room for the Jay's 40 man roster. He is expected to be ready for the start of the 2013 season.

If you are a baseball player suffering from a foot injury, call our Newington, Kensington, or Middletown office to make an appointment.
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Related articles

• Major League Baseball Foot Injury Update
• Indians' Jimenez (ankle) out for rest of season
• More Achilles’ therapy likely for David Ortiz