Carson Kainer(Reds 14th rd pick) needs kidney transplant

UT baseball player needs new kidneyAssociated Press

AUSTIN - A Texas baseball player born with chronic renal failure has learned that he will need a transplant for his only functioning kidney.

Outfielder Carson Kainer, 21, said his doctor told him earlier this month that the organ was failing.

"My doctor told me that my kidney function went down to 13 percent," Kainer, who was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 14th round of the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft last week, said in a story in Wednesday's online edition of the Austin American-Statesman. "That one kidney that had been doing all the work all this time is starting to give out."

Chronic renal failure is a condition in which kidneys are unable to filter toxins and waste from the blood.

Kainer said Wednesday that he would postpone plans to turn pro and instead return for his senior season at Texas in 2007.

He said he hoped one of his relatives would prove a kidney match, saving him from dialysis or a wait on the transplant list.

"The quicker they do it, the better," Kainer said. "There's a process involved for me to go through - like three months or so - before I can do baseball stuff. Hopefully I can take it slow and be ready for next season."

Kainer hit .364 this season and led the team in RBIs (66), doubles (25), and hits (84).

He would not be the first Texas athlete to bounce back after transplant surgery.

San Antonio Spurs forward Sean Elliott in March 2000 became the first known pro athlete to return from a kidney transplant, rejoining the Spurs seven months after the procedure.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/14819135.htm

Sheesh... good luck with that... With the miracles of modern medicine, however, and his age... hopefully he can have a standout Senior year and get drafted even higher next time around.

Makes you wonder if the Reds did their homework on that pick. Best of luck to him though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Az. Reds Fan

Makes you wonder if the Reds did their homework on that pick. Best of luck to him though.

---

Makes me wonder more if he disclosed that to teams talking to him at draft time.

The draft was on the sixth of June and the article says "earlier this month". It's possible the family knew before, but I doubt any teams had the information beforehand.

I understand there could be a controversy if they released this info. But either way I could careless if they did or didnt. Baseball takes a back seat in this article. I wish him the best of luck and once he gets everyting worked out medically then goes onto a great pro career.

I wish Carson nothing but a fast donor and a healthy future:beerme: , forget about baseball this kid's life is at stake. That is the bigger picture and most important thing.

I hope he gets the treatment he needs to get well. Would he get better medical coverage if he was to sign with the Reds and have professional staff help the recovery? The other question is was he covered while still at school with NCAA coverage?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gallen5862

I hope he gets the treatment he needs to get well. Would he get better medical coverage if he was to sign with the Reds and have professional staff help the recovery? The other question is was he covered while still at school with NCAA coverage?

---

I'm sure UT's hospital will take better than average care of this young man. He's a Longhorn.

As far as disclosure, I gathered from the article that he's had a kidney condition for some time now. Teams (including the one that gave him a college scholarship) would have known about this, at the least. Perhaps that's why he didn't go before the 14th round.

http://www.statesman.com/sports/cont...1/1kainer.html

By Cedric Golden
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Carson Kainer had planned to return to Texas for his senior season, but the Longhorns' All-Big 12 outfielder received an offer he could not refuse Tuesday.

Kainer is skipping his final college season after signing a professional baseball contract with the Cincinnati Reds.

Kainer underwent a kidney transplant on Sept. 12 — his father, Ron, was the donor — and he had planned to return to school before negotiations heated up with the Reds, the team that selected him in the 14th round of Major League Baseball's first-year player draft in June.

Kainer agreed to a $60,000 signing bonus, and the team also agreed to pay for his final two semesters of college.

"I know there are some people who may be upset with me, but it's my lifelong dream,'' said Kainer, 21. "For me to get this opportunity is a blessing and something that would have been hard to pass up."

The Reds called Kainer after his surgery and had their doctors examine him this past week. After he was cleared as fit to resume playing baseball, the team made him the contract offer.

Reds' area talent scout Mark Snipp said Kainer's physical ability and his mental makeup were the biggest factors in the decision to sign him. Kainer joins former college teammates Sam LeCure and Drew Stubbs in the Reds' organization.

"I've followed him since high school, and we always knew he could swing the bat,'' Snipp said. "I told him he could be a pioneer in baseball. He has all this energy, and we hope he can transfer it over to the baseball field."

Kainer called Longhorns coach Augie Garrido on Tuesday afternoon to inform him of his decision. Kainer, who batted .364 with a team-high 66 RBIs this past season, also thanked Garrido for his support throughout his career.

Kainer said he is jogging 15 minutes a day and plans to start taking batting practice in the next couple of weeks. He plans to attend Cincinnati's spring training camp in March.

Best of luck to the kid.

Very cool. I wish him luck - could be a nice little feel-good story in the makings.

This draft looks a bit better after today.

This is like a draft and follow signing. The Team wins by signing him and Kainer gets a $60,000 signing bonus, and the team also agreed to pay for his final two semesters of college. He also joins his former roomate and teammate Drew Stubbs and his former teammate Sam LeCure in the Reds' organization.

awsesome sign..