Who's The Patron Saint of Labrums, and What Did We Do to Piss Him Off?
All-star surgeon James Andrews fixed Matt Hasselbeck's torn labrum yesterday. Hasselbeck's played with the injury, which is in his non-throwing shoulder, for three seasons, but it apparently got too troublesome.
Hasselbeck's out for six months--he'll be back by exhibition season, but he'll miss the minicamp where he was hoping to get his timing down with Nate Burleson and Deion Branch.
Damn labrums. Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus calls a labrum tear baseball's most fearsome injury. And we've endured our share of sympathy pains from them.
Remember Ryan Anderson, the "little unit"? The M's drafted him in '97, gave him a $2.175 million signing bonus, but after two labrum surgeries he left baseball and is now a cook.
1996's first round pick, Gil Meche, missed 2001 and 2002 after labrum surgery. He is now out of organized baseball.
1999 first round pick Jeff Heaverlo--tore a labrum. Australian signee Travis Blackley, the M's 2003 minor league player of the year--tore a labrum. Bobby Madritsch, expected to be a stalwart of the 2005 M's rotation, tore a labrum.
Whatever saint we have to pray to, or God we have to sacrifice goats to, please give us a sign. Obviously, at least in Hasselbeck's case, hanging out with failed gubernatorial candidates ain't helpin'.
