Carpenter update

Leroy · Post by **Leroy** » April 12 07, 2:43 pm

jim wrote:Completely guessing here, but I would thing bone chips would be easier to deal than a bone spur. You could just remove the chips I would assume, to get rid of a spur I'm not sure what you would have to do.

Take off your boot?

rs232 · Post by **rs232** » April 12 07, 3:27 pm

Leroy wrote:
jim wrote:Completely guessing here, but I would thing bone chips would be easier to deal than a bone spur. You could just remove the chips I would assume, to get rid of a spur I'm not sure what you would have to do.
Take off your boot?

Phyrkrakr · Post by **Phyrkrakr** » April 12 07, 3:41 pm

jim wrote:Completely guessing here, but I would thing bone chips would be easier to deal than a bone spur. You could just remove the chips I would assume, to get rid of a spur I'm not sure what you would have to do.

I don't think that's necessarily correct. Spurs are an outgrowth of bone, while chips are a sign the joint is falling apart. Spurs are easier to come back from, as Carp had 'em in 1999 and won a Cy Young after that.

I'm more worried long term about the arthritis than the spurs, to tell the truth. That's something that can come back over and over and affect a pitcher repeatedly. For spurs, it's a fix, and it's done.

jim · Post by **jim** » April 12 07, 8:09 pm

Phyrkrakr wrote:
jim wrote:Completely guessing here, but I would thing bone chips would be easier to deal than a bone spur. You could just remove the chips I would assume, to get rid of a spur I'm not sure what you would have to do.
I don't think that's necessarily correct. Spurs are an outgrowth of bone, while chips are a sign the joint is falling apart. Spurs are easier to come back from, as Carp had 'em in 1999 and won a Cy Young after that.

I'm more worried long term about the arthritis than the spurs, to tell the truth. That's something that can come back over and over and affect a pitcher repeatedly. For spurs, it's a fix, and it's done.

Makes sense. I have almost no knowledge of this, but I know the source of bone spurs in the heel of your foot are caused by a ligament being pulled away. I guess I was hoping bone chips meant no soft tissue issues, whereas a bone spur might. But your explanation makes sense.

omaha_red · Post by **omaha_red** » April 18 07, 3:45 pm

what is going on with carpenter? any news?

Post by **planet planet** » April 18 07, 3:45 pm

omaha_red wrote:what is going on with carpenter? any news?

He's supposed to start throwing on Tues. That's all I know.

rs232 · Post by **rs232** » April 18 07, 3:59 pm

The last I saw was an article in the P-D on the 14th. LINK

Carpenter must rest
By Derrick Goold

How Chris Carpenter's right elbow reacts to two weeks of rest will determine if surgery is imminent or the elbow becomes the subject of a discussion that's tabled until the offseason, Carpenter said Friday.

A procedure to remove bone spurs that have caused irritation and swelling in his pitching arm remains a possibility even if he's able to pitch as planned later this month.

"I think that this (time off) right here will determine what is going to go on," Carpenter said. "If we can get through this and everything is fine then, from what (team medical supervisor George Paletta) tells me he believes it's going to be OK. If we get done through this time and it doesn't react properly, then obviously we're going to have to look at some other stuff.

"There's no question that at some point in time I don't want to go out there for the next five years wondering what's going to happen," Carpenter added. "That would obviously be a decision at some point."

Carpenter had an MRI taken of his elbow Monday, and that confirmed that bone spurs and mild arthritis were causing the recurring swelling and stiffness that followed his opening night start and a bullpen session a week later. On Tuesday, Carpenter received a cortisone injection into the elbow and, because of the shot, has not had any activity with the arm since.

A week to 10 days from today is when he is next scheduled to meet with doctors to determine if he can begin throwing and test the elbow again.

The spurs won't disappear, which prompted Carpenter to ask team doctors how he could pitch and still have them.

"That's the question that I had," he said. "(Paletta) believes that with the extended rest, this is more of an aggressive treatment to control that. He believes with the extra time to rest and settle we're going to be able to get over that hump and control it. You don't want to talk about surgery. If it happens, it happens.

"If this ends up having to have surgery, it's a simple surgery, it's a simple rehab," Carpenter continued. "You're not talking about reconstruction. You're not talking about missing 12 months. You're talking about missing two."

Carpenter went through a similar set of circumstances in 1999, going on the disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow. He pitched through the soreness and had arthroscopic surgery to remove spurs only after Toronto was out of the playoffs, he said Friday.

Carpenter came into spring training with a healthy arm and a shoulder that "felt as strong as it's felt in five years," he said. But over the spring and his six innings in the April 1 opener, the spurs "got to a point where it was big enough to irritate me."

The righthander said the swelling and stiffness he felt after throwing in a bullpen session a week ago were similar to those he had the day after his only start of the season, just less severe. The elbow's response to the time off and reaction to pitching will determine if the current treatment will have to be repeated again this season.

"I feel like I trust the doc, I trust what's going on," he said. "We're doing the things we need to do to make it right. We'll see what happens. If there was anything that was ever going to be wrong ... this would be the least worrisome thing."

Hungary Jack · Post by **Hungary Jack** » April 18 07, 4:03 pm

My view: Get on with the surgery now and have done with it. This will enable us to have him back after the ASB, when hopefully we have something to play for.

Go_Crazy_Folks · Post by **Go_Crazy_Folks** » April 19 07, 9:17 am

My view: Get on with the surgery now and have done with it. This will enable us to have him back after the ASB, when hopefully we have something to play for.

Same here. I just fill like we can pull through some decent options to hold down the fort until Carp came back from surgery. I don't see a team in this division capable of running away w/ it. Plus we aren't going anywhere unless the offense starts rolling.

By postponing the surgery, I think it just means he comes back in Late Aug. now instead of early Aug. which could have a big effect on this team's chances at the playoffs.

ghostrunner · Post by **ghostrunner** » April 19 07, 10:05 am

Go_Crazy_Folks wrote: I think it just means he comes back in Late Aug. now instead of early Aug. which could have a big effect on this team's chances at the playoffs.

Playoffs?

Somebody had to