Votto expected to be out 3-4 weeks after knee surgery

[Always Red]

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/201...e-knee-sunday/

Trainer Paul Lessard said it’s common to wait on an MRI when the player is not having symptoms.

“We thought about an MRI,” Lessard said. “But he said, ‘I’ll be all right.’ He was able to play.”

While the original injury occurred June 29, Lessard said Votto aggravated the knee in the St. Louis series in the Sunday game. Votto was 2-for-3 with a double and run scored.

“He was fine in those two games (after the break),” Lessard said, “but then he did something to it, making a stop and twisting.”

[MikeS21]

I'm far from an expert in the field, but I do know that there's a big difference between a surgeon and a diagnostician. Kremchek is apparently very good at the surgeon part. But from numerous reports, he's a poor diagnostician. Seems pretty reasonable by some of the posters here to suggest we get a team doctor who can properly diagnose injuries...it doesn't have to be the same guy who performs the procedures.

Hey! Dr. House is available now that his show is over.

[Captain Hook]

So Monday, August 6 we should expect Joey to make his return to the Reds?Can't come soon enough!!!

[redsmetz]

I said this earlier in this thread, but I'm glad to see this club's mettle tested. We've all said we can't be a team solely carried by one player. We've got players capable of doing it and it's time now.

[cincrazy]

This is much ado about nothing. If Votto told them he was fine, why shouldn't they believe him?

And would you rather Votto leave the lineup on the 29th of June, during the road trip from hell, and missing the Cards series, or would you rather have him out now? Because I'd rather have him out now. This team will be fine. The pitching is great, the D is great. Votto is a great, great player. But this team will survive.

[gilpdawg]

How about Kearns' blister?

http://www.redszone.com/forums/archi...p/t-43305.html



That was the timeline.

Kearns was allowed to play with the bone spur for quite awhile before the Reds finally decided to operate on it.
I am pretty confident that Doc knew that there was more than just a blister going on, but that's what he told us.. It's kind of hard to dig up detailed info, since this happened in 2004.
But that's the quickest example of Doc lying to us about an injury.

So? They don't owe the fans an explanation. Unless the player wants to give it. What goes on with Austin Kearns' thumb isn't your or my business, frankly.

You know, I've read over and over that the Reds medical staff sucks. For years. I'm also a fan of the Indianapolis Colts. Been reading for years on the Colts board I frequent that their medical staff sucks too. Indiana Pacers, same thing. Now, either I just drew the bad doctor straw when I chose my teams as a child, or more likely, everyone just likes to complain about things they know nothing about. The medical field isn't an exact science. If it were that easy we wouldn't need doctors.

[GAC]

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/201...e-knee-sunday/

And that brings up a very good point.... at what point did this tear occur? It may not have occurred until that game with the Cards.

IMO, this is the most likely scenario: Votto told the team his knee was a little sore, but he wanted to try to play through it. He gave it *some* rest over the ASB (not full rest, but more than usual), played against the Cardinals, and then realized it was getting worse, so at that point, he told the doc. After that, the team acted pretty quickly in getting him an MRI and setting up surgery.

Yep. Most likely scenario. End of story as far as I'm concerned.

[MikeS21]

I dunno. It does seems as if Votto had been in a "mini-slump" since the series in LA. The timing suggests that the "mini-slump" corresponds with the knee injury. He certainly had some very poor AB's in LA, San Diego, the All Star Game, and the first two games with the Cards. Sunday he looked much better.

Recovery is different for every one. But as I said, my Dad had the same surgery a couple years ago. The nurse told him before they released him that the first couple days are the worse. However, she also warned him that the medicine does a good job of keeping the pain in check and most men, as they leave the hospital, are fooled into thinking they have no pain, and so they stop taking the medication as soon as they get home. When the pain does kick in, it can be agonizing the first couple days. So Mom made sure Dad stayed on his pain meds for 48 hours even though he kept saying he was fine. It was a little sore for probably 2-3 weeks, but pain was gone after that.

Votto will probably start rehab in the next day or two. He may even be in the batting cage by the weekend. Quite possibly he might be ready as soon as he is eligible to come off the DL.

[Sea Ray]

“He was fine in those two games (after the break),” Lessard said, “but then he did something to it, making a stop and twisting.”

This is BS. Anybody watching him can tell his knee was not "fine". His power was sapped and he couldn't run out ground balls, even double play grounders. I can recall one of those early in the series and one of the Reds radio announcers (I think it was Kelch) commented that the knee was still bothering him.

[Sea Ray]

Yep. Most likely scenario. End of story as far as I'm concerned.

I agree that's likely what happened but let's hope it's not the end of the story. Let's hope that they learn a lesson in all of this that they should have done an MRI much earlier.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

I remember a couple weeks ago Votto not being able to score from 1st (with 2 outs) on a BP double. He was obviously hurting.

[REDREAD]

This. I think too many of the people that don't understand all the Kremchek critics out there (like you and me) think we're upset just because of Votto. No, this is a proven track record with Kremhack. The Reds need to get rid of him and find the best medical director they can.

Yep.. I think Doc Hollywood was a marketing genius when he paid the Reds to be their team doctor. I don't know if he still pays them or not, but at one time he did. He got tons of exposure and built up his practice.. Apparently his office is lined with autographed athlete photos to "wow" clients.

I'm sure he's fine and sewing together things in surgery, but he doesn't seem to be a good job with the initial diagnosis/treatment. He also has sent guys out on the field WAY to early. Jr is the best example, but remember how Maj was having lingering injury problems when he first came over? It was inexcusable not to just shut him down for the season.. Maybe it wouldn't have saved Maj's career, but the dude obviously had NOTHING, and yet he was cleared to play.

If we can fire pitching coaches, managers, etc, I don't see why we can't be looking to upgrade the team doctor. Maybe Doc Hollywood can still do the surgeries, but we could use someone better to do the initial diagnosis.
Apparently the day Votto hurt his knee, there was lots of swelling. I don't care if it was on the West Coast.. I would think it would not have been too difficult to try to convince Votto to go to the ER and get an MRI. (Not suggesting they forcibly drag him there )Worse case, maybe you lose 4 hours bar hopping? I guess I don't understand.

[REDREAD]

So you are saying that EVERY bump, bruise, or scrape calls for a full body scan (MRI)? Somehow, I don't think the players are going to go for that.

His knee was visibly swollen at the time of the slide in SF.

[Big Klu]

Has anyone considered that maybe Votto is claustrophobic, so he put it off as long as possible? I would have to be near death before I would crawl into one of those MRI machines.

[REDREAD]

It looked to me like the blister didn't happen until August but maybe I read it wrong

Well, I don't have documentation, as it was 2004.
But I remember it being diagnosised as a blister.
Kearns missed some time "day to day"
Then he tried to play through it
Then finally it was announced as hand damage that required surgery.
I can't prove it, but the Reds delayed treatment on it, and lied to the fans about the injury.
I'm pretty sure Doc Hollywood is competent enough to know that it was more than a blister.

And again, I'm not saying the Reds owe us detailed info, but I expect them to "no comment' instead of lying.