Alex Rodriguez, Ervin Santana, Justin Duchscherer: Injury News and Analysis

Down here in Florida this week covering my college’s baseball and softball spring break trips, so the lesser injuries may not get as much coverage from me until next week.

Justin Duchscherer’s came back as “nothing major” in terms of the MRI results.   He’s still suffering from the soreness and pain, basically being ruled out for Opening Day.  He’s quoted as saying that as soon as he throws 80 percent, he can’t bend his elbow  because of the pain.  This is especially concerning to me because they still don't have a clear-cut reason why his condition (whatever it is) is causing the level of pain he is experiencing.  I think that this clearly effects his status and drops him down many rounds.

Ervin Santana does not simply have inflammation as we were led to believe. Instead, he really has a sprained UCL of the elbow.  Yes, the very same ligament involved with Tommy John surgery.  The Angels don’t necessarily think this is anything major, as there has been no public discussion of Tommy John surgery—yet. 

He will definitely begin the season on the DL, but we don’t have a specific timetable yet.

After news reports flipped back and forth on details of Alex Rodriguez having or not having surgery, the statement is now official: A-Rod is going under the knife.

Supposedly, he’ll have a “hybrid” procedure that will correct part of the problem and allow him to play the rest of the season.  After the season, he will have the surgery to correct the problem completely.  Call me skeptical, but I’d worry about coming back in six to nine weeks if I were him.  And having him last the rest of the year is another question entirely. 

Even if things go completely to plan, I still think he’ll end up with diminished production.

Thankfully, it’s been a slow couple days for major injuries, save for A-Rod.  On Wednesday, I’ll have another post, and I’m trying to find out exactly what procedure A-Rod will undergo.