Jim McIsaac - Getty Images
OW MY HIP
I was just sitting here, staring off into space, thinking about how hard it is to get back into the writing mood after the holidays when there's so little new news to discuss. Thankfully the Mariners' official Twitter account saved the day by delivering this delightful little nugget completely out of the blue:
#Mariners have announced that RHP David Aardsma will have surgery (Dr. Phillipon, Vail, Co.) on Monday to repair torn labrum in left hip.
A torn labrum in the hip is, of course, a lot better for a pitcher than having a torn labrum in the shoulder, but having a torn anything is always bad news, and this is hardly insignificant.
Alex Gordon had a very similar surgery and was out of action for three months. Chase Utley, Mike Lowell, and Alex Rodriguez have dealt with similar injuries as well, and none of them were given quick timelines. There's a slim chance that Aardsma is recovered by the start of Spring Training, but more likely is that he isn't recovered until the end, or even the start of the regular season.
Aardsma should be able to make a full recovery - this isn't something that should damage his long-term prospects. What it does, rather obviously, is make him untradable, at least for the short-term. So you can forget about adding some financial flexibility, and you can also reduce the odds of some of those fringey guys making the bullpen out of camp.
Just how much this actually changes, I'm not sure; my sense is that the M's were leaning towards keeping Aardsma into the summer anyway. But now they don't have a choice. Aardsma and his salary are locked in with the Mariners for at least the next three months, and if this is the way it ends, then I think we can all agree that 2010 can go eat shit and kill itself.
2 recs | 36 comments
I bet that lil fucker did this on purpose.
Robert - December 30, 2010
So, they're locked in...
because of his injury? Can’t they still reject whatever arbitration figure he gets and pay 1/6th of it?
jameslcrockett - December 30, 2010
And then they lose Aardsma for nothing
Jeff Sullivan - December 30, 2010
Pitcher quotesies
via Drayer
msb - December 30, 2010
The Doc should fix his torn ass too...
You know, seeing as how hitters did nothing but pound him in the ass all year
Fuzz - December 30, 2010
Oh now I get it
Robert - December 30, 2010
They mostly missed Aardsma and hit the people in the outfield stands.
joof - December 30, 2010
I haven't been paying attention since about Thanksgiving
Good to know I didn’t miss anything
appleshampoo - December 30, 2010
On the bright side, hopefully this means we won't give a multiyear deal to Fuentes or Gregg.
Fuckmikereilly - December 30, 2010
Why would this lessen that chance?
Thingray - December 30, 2010
No money
Matthew - December 30, 2010
But perhaps an increased sense of necessity.
Thingray - December 30, 2010
With no money
Matthew - December 30, 2010
Won't Gregg or Fuentes take American Express?
Our country runs on credit. I want to see the kids in the pen this year anyway. Let’s try to develop a low cost team controlled pen for the next few years so we have money to spend on starters and position players going forward.
Droid Rage - December 30, 2010
So you're saying that Aardsma has a degenerative hip condition that's going to prevent us from trading him?
Matthew - December 30, 2010
Were we going to trade him for Lillibridge?
Jed MC - December 30, 2010
No, flip
appleshampoo - December 31, 2010
What took them so long?
The season is over for weeks, why couldn’t they repair him sooner?
Schuxu - December 30, 2010
per Drayer
“Aardsma has been working out for most of the off season but felt discomfort when he started throwing a few weeks ago. He had battled what was thought to be an oblique injury in the last month of the season but when that failed to improve and he felt the discomfort throwing he alerted the team. An MRI was scheduled and the labrum tear was revealed last Tuesday.”
msb - December 30, 2010
So would he get less in arb because of this?
lailaihei - December 30, 2010
Doubtful
Jeff Sullivan - December 30, 2010
That's the question that came to my mind
You’d think that the M’s could use the uncertainty this presents in negotiations, but I doubt it will change things much. He might sign for a little less than if he hadn’t had the injury, but it shouldn’t matter a whole lot.
nathaniel dawson - December 30, 2010
I should have just chosen a one word answer.
Could’ve saved myself the embarrassment of getting sloppy seconds.
nathaniel dawson - December 30, 2010
Wow, dammit Aardsma. This sucks.
“I think we can all agree that 2010 can go eat shit and kill itself.”
I’ll drink to that!
sanford_and_son - December 30, 2010
I'll have a double!
"I think we can all agree that 2010 can go eat shit and kill itself."
Kudos to Jeff! Thoughtful and considered opinions like this are a pleasure to read.
Bart's Evil Twin - December 30, 2010
Well Fuck, as shitty as our 'pen looked....
If Aardsma can’t get back on track, it’s gonna be a disaster.
wes W - December 30, 2010
Well Sean White is gone and Lueke and Cortes are probably in so I think it won't be THAT bad.
Slurvey - December 30, 2010
So Aardsma hurts his hip less than a week from Hasselbeck hurting his.
Does this mean a Sounders player is next?
LeftArrow2 - December 30, 2010
Not a very good one
Jeff Sullivan - December 30, 2010
I'm willing to bet there's a rule of 3 when it comes to hip injuries
LeftArrow2 - December 30, 2010
Hasselbeck makes Aardsma look like Pele
Poochie - December 30, 2010
"Hip me with your best shot."
wazzu93 - December 30, 2010
"Prior away"
MT Olson - December 30, 2010
Rumors are rumors
but the stories about the Ms seeking an impact bat for him seem just plain odd now. Zduriencik is not a sheister, I doubt he’d try to fleece a team for a broken player. I guess they didn’t know at the time?
Bearskin Rugburn - December 31, 2010
Nope
Jeff Sullivan - December 31, 2010
I'd bet Zduriencik knew Putz was injured before that trade.
$cHu - January 1, 2011
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