Crede still in pain after two years

[southsider2k5]

http://www.csnchicago.com/09/13/11/Sox-Dra...tm_medium=email

 

Sox Drawer: Crede's still feeling the pain

 

Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011

Posted: 9:36 p.m.

 

By Chuck Garfien

CSNChicago.com

 

Exactly two years ago today, Joe Crede took the field at the Metrodome against the Oakland A’s. He didn’t know it at the time, but it would be the final game of his major league career.

 

Battling an injured back that on a scale between 1 and 10 had the pain level of 10, Crede came to the plate four times that day. He struck out every time.

 

“The pain was just out of this world. I played the whole game through that pain,” Crede said in an interview with Comcast SportsNet.

 

Afterwards, he walked into the office of Twins manager Ron Gardenhire and told him that his season was over. So was his career. He just didn’t know it at the time.

 

“It really bothered me, trying to come back the next year and not getting much for offers at all. Not being wanted in baseball is not a good feeling after you’ve played so well and all of sudden it just stops,” Crede said. “I wish it would have been a storybook ending, but probably 95 percent of major league players don’t have a fairy tale ending.”

 

Baseball might have stopped for Crede in 2009, but the pain in his back still remains. It’s a problem that may never go away.

 

“It eats at me everyday almost. Everyday I get out of bed,” Crede said. “I have to get up in the middle of the night and I feel that pain again in my back. It really bothers me. It usually takes me an hour, or an hour and a half to get back to feeling normal walking around. It’s what I deal with on a daily basis.”

 

What specifically is wrong with Crede’s back? Seemingly just about everything.

 

“There’s arthritis back there. My joints are just swelling up, causing irritation. I’m sure there’s still some herniation in the lower part of the disc, which is irritating the nerves and stuff,” Crede said.

 

The former White Sox third baseman has had three surgeries on his back, and so many cortisone shots during his playing career he doesn’t want to know the number. What he’d like to know is if there is a doctor somewhere in the world who can fix his back.

 

He’s yet to find him.

“I’ve been going to doctors trying to figure out what’s going on back there. I don’t know. I just don’t really have a good enough answer,” Crede said. “I’m kind of at a loss for words with it. How many doctors can you see about it and still feel the same way? That’s another frustrating thing about it for me, is seeing some of the top doctors supposedly in the world and still having my back feel the same way. I’ve just kind of learned to deal with it and move on. That’s life.”

Joe Crede's most fond memories of his White Sox career come from the magical 2005 season that resulted in a World Series Championship. Crede hit .333 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in the ALCS and World Series. (AP)

 

In his nine-year White Sox career, Crede made a name for himself diving for baseballs at the hot corner. His incredible plays might have been rally killers, but they also punished just about every fiber in his lower back.

 

“I don’t know if it was hereditary or a degenerative disc, which it very possibly could be. I hate to talk about it because I’m someone who doesn’t like to talk about himself.”

 

But Tuesday, Crede was willing to speak about his calamity while sitting in the White Sox dugout, just yards away from his old third base spot. The White Sox invited Crede back to U.S. Cellular Field to honor him for his celebrated career.

 

Looking out at the diamond, memories of his playing days started flooding back -- both good and bad.

 

“I can remember dropping a pop fly in the top of the ninth with two outs (vs. the Red Sox in July, 2005). Manny Ramirez on the next pitch hit a home run. We lost 1-0. In the headlines the next day it said ‘Crede E,’” he said with a laugh. “I wanted to crawl under a rock after that.”

 

But he redeemed himself tenfold later that season, especially on Sept. 20 at U.S. Cellular, when he hit a walk-off homer in the 10th inning against the Indians, who had cut the White Sox lead in the Central Division from 15 games to 1 1/2.

 

“It felt like we were going to blow this big lead here. It just felt like they had all the momentum in the world. But then I hit the home run, that kind of swung the momentum. That was a big moment.”

 

So was the four-game sweep of the Houston Astros, giving the White Sox their first World Series title in 88 years. And there on one of Crede’s fingers was his championship ring.

 

“It’s been a while since I’ve worn it,” he said, admitting that he’s kept it hidden in a closet all this time. “I should probably put it in a safe or something, but I guess I live in the country.”

 

Living without pain. That’s Crede’s goal. Hopefully he gets there. If he does, he’ll offer the doctor an enormous “thank you.”

 

Come to think of it, that’s exactly what every White Sox fan would probably say to Joe.

 

For the memories.

[NorthSideSox72]

I Joe. So much fun to watch play 3B, and the definition of a hitter who got the most out of his hits (which really weren't all that many). Its sad that his career had to end because of his back.

 

[Jordan4life_2007]

Joe had really come into his own in '06. Off the top of my head, only Scott Rolen was a better all-around 3B at that point (though I'm sure that can be refuted). So sad that he's still suffering from a bum back.

[MattZakrowski]

In 90 games in 09', Crede still put up 1.8 fWAR. It's just too bad the back pain robbed him of a huge chunk of a great career.

[elrockinMT]

Who can forget his 2005 World Series plays? Joe Crede was a real good player

[Milkman delivers]

Who can forget his 2005 World Series plays? Joe Crede was a real good player for about a year's worth of time, spanning from the last month of 2005 through most of 2006.

 

Fixed.

[BigSqwert]

Fixed.

Hey now. Don't squash some of these fans' hopes that he will be in the HOF some day.

[NorthSideSox72]

Fixed.

Incorrectly... what you said is true offensively only, and even that has some exceptions. Until very late in his short career, he was a well above average defensive 3B.

 

[Milkman delivers]

Incorrectly... what you said is true offensively only, and even that has some exceptions. Until very late in his short career, he was a well above average defensive 3B.

 

Then I guess he should have said "really good half-player" in that case.

[Balta1701]

Dude's put on a fair amount of weight.

[shago]

God bless Joe Crede -- the real World Series MVP ... Please JR, give him a job

Edited September 14, 2011 by La Marr Hoyt HOF

[Balta1701]

God bless Joe Crede -- the real World Series MVP ... Please JR, give him a job

If he's still in pain, he may not want one.

[Quin]

Wasn't it Boras that told him not to get surgery?

 

f*** Boras.

[Balta1701]

Wasn't it Boras that told him not to get surgery?

 

f*** Boras.

He eventually did have the surgery.

[southsider2k5]

Wasn't it Boras that told him not to get surgery?

 

f*** Boras.

 

I had forgotten about that. I wonder if that would have changed anything anyway. Back surgerys are notorious for being unreliable.

[Quin]

I had forgotten about that. I wonder if that would have changed anything anyway. Back surgerys are notorious for being unreliable.

 

I bet Joe wishes he could get a redo regardless.

[greg775]

Fixed.

 

It wouldn't be the Internet w/out a few negative comments.

Joe Crede, one of the great studs in White Sox history. Why? We don't win a WS w/out him, likely the only one in our lifetimes. Yes they are that rare in Chicago.

[Balta1701]

I bet Joe wishes he could get a redo regardless.

It's entirely possible that delaying the surgery extended his career by a year.

[ptatc]

I had forgotten about that. I wonder if that would have changed anything anyway. Back surgerys are notorious for being unreliable.

 

Back surgeries are extremely unreliable. Sometimes you can exhaust all options and you need to have them. However, the spine is one area where I would really use it as a last resort.

 

The latest example of this is Peyton Manning. The lockout really hurt him as he had the cervical spinal surgery without being followed closely by the team medical group. The surgery didn't work and now he just had a spinal fusion and could be in alot of trouble once he tries to comeback. I'm sure he will need to have hardware placed in the spine and it will need to stay in there to prevent any further injuries.

[greg775]

Back surgeries are extremely unreliable. Sometimes you can exhaust all options and you need to have them. However, the spine is one area where I would really use it as a last resort.

 

The latest example of this is Peyton Manning. The lockout really hurt him as he had the cervical spinal surgery without being followed closely by the team medical group. The surgery didn't work and now he just had a spinal fusion and could be in alot of trouble once he tries to comeback. I'm sure he will need to have hardware placed in the spine and it will need to stay in there to prevent any further injuries.

 

How in the heck could Manning EVER consider playing again?

I mean baseball is much less contact, so much less, and Crede's back is wrecked.

Manning is going to get hit in the back a lot.

If he plays again he has a screw loose.

Isn't there danger in playing, ptatc?

[Milkman delivers]

It wouldn't be the Internet w/out a few negative comments.

Joe Crede, one of the great studs in White Sox history. Why? We don't win a WS w/out him, likely the only one in our lifetimes. Yes they are that rare in Chicago.

 

This is either hyperbole or the White Sox have been pretty terrible when it comes to individual players over the team's entire history.

[NorthSideSox72]

I had forgotten about that. I wonder if that would have changed anything anyway. Back surgerys are notorious for being unreliable.

 

 

I bet Joe wishes he could get a redo regardless.

 

Doubt it. Anyone medical person, or any former or current patient with major back issues, will tell you clearly and absolutely, that surgery always needs to be the last resort when it comes to back problems. It was only smart for Crede to try everythign else first, I don't blame him one bit for it.

 

[BigSqwert]

This is either hyperbole or the White Sox have been pretty terrible when it comes to individual players over the team's entire history.

Don't mind him. He doesn't follow stats or use facts to make his opinions. Just the eye test and his gut.

[ptatc]

How in the heck could Manning EVER consider playing again?

I mean baseball is much less contact, so much less, and Crede's back is wrecked.

Manning is going to get hit in the back a lot.

If he plays again he has a screw loose.

Isn't there danger in playing, ptatc?

 

sure there's danger in playing but probably no more than the others players. He will have metal plates in his neck. The danger is that if he injures it again there may not be much left to put back together and he will have problems for the rest of his life with numbness and tingling in his arms.

[Milkman delivers]

sure there's danger in playing but probably no more than the others players. He will have metal plates in his neck. The danger is that if he injures it again there may not be much left to put back together and he will have problems for the rest of his life with numbness and tingling in his arms.

 

Then again, he's a QB. They get hit like once or twice a year now with the pussification of football.