John Danks surgery/rehab/recovery thread

[southsider2k5]

More at link

 

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/artic...rticle_39665708

 

Danks looking to make fresh start in 2013

White Sox lefty hopes to be over arm problems by Spring Training

 

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | 10/10/12 2:25 PM ET

 

Lefty John Danks isn't driven by money despite signing a five-year, $65-million extension before the 2012 season. (Getty)

 

CHICAGO -- For the sake of a family-suitable tale, we'll call the morning of May 20 an "oh, no" moment for John Danks' 2012 season.

 

Of course, Danks added a few more expletives when the pain in his shoulder began, following a shutout effort covering 6 1/3 innings the day before at Wrigley Field.

 

"I felt well enough to pitch that Saturday [May 19], and Sunday I couldn't move my arm," Danks said in a recent interview with MLB.com. "Literally, I tried to go out and play catch at 20 feet and couldn't do it.

 

"I'd say that was the point. That was my, 'Oh [no]' moment or whatever you want to write."

 

That 83-pitch effort against the Cubs basically brought an end to a personal two-year run that Danks would like to forget. Actually, that end came on Aug. 6, after extensive rehab didn't work on Danks' troublesome left shoulder and successful arthroscopic surgery was performed to repair a capsular tear and minor debridements of the rotator cuff and biceps.

 

While the White Sox were battling for their playoff lives, resulting in a late-season fade where they lost a three-game lead over Detroit in the American League Central race with 15 games to play and fell short of the postseason, Danks was left as a highly-interested bystander. But the post-surgery situation became much easier to handle than the almost three-month period following the Cubs start, where the rehab work simply wasn't producing major improvement.

 

"There was definitely a lot of soul searching and times where I hated baseball," Danks said. "There were times where I couldn't wait to get to the field to try to work hard at it. There were times I dreaded coming to the field.

 

"It was one of those deals. It's part of the game. You stick around long enough, there's going to be highs and lows and hopefully this is as low as it gets. We'll start that climb up and get on one of those highs."

 

Since the August surgery, Danks has been slowly traveling on what he hopes will be one of those upward climbs. All the limitations have been taken off of the southpaw during his rehab work, and a target date of Nov. 1 to start throwing leaves him optimistic to be ready at the start of Spring Training.

[witesoxfan]

Just in time for the World Series

[LittleHurt05]

Just in time for the World Series

 

I wouldn't want anyone else on the mound for game 7

[Steve9347]

Just in time for the World Series

Ha, I was going to say that.

[southsider2k5]

http://www.chicagonow.com/white-sox-observ...end-john-danks/

 

Not that long ago, John Danks' return to the rotation was set to be the big trade deadline addition to the starting rotation. It wasn't the jazziest sales line of all time, but since the alternative was Francisco Liriano, a Danks 2012 return can reside in the realm of tortured White Sox fantasies.

 

But now the off-season brings part two of this tale, where John Danks is the big off-season addition to the starting rotation. At the very least, he is the enigma that needs to be solved before the White Sox move forward this off-season.

 

On that end, there's some insight offered from Scott Merkin's most recent look-in on the wounded left-hander.

 

"All the limitations have been taken off of the southpaw during his rehab work, and a target date of Nov. 1 to start throwing leaves him optimistic to be ready at the start of Spring Training."

 

Which means that the White Sox will start getting their first serious feedback on Danks' recovery right in time for a hypothetical Game 7 of the World Series. That timing could pretty hairy, but the rest of the article produced more cringing.

 

Danks described the way his arm felt after his May 19th start in Wrigley Field in very severe terms.

 

"I felt well enough to pitch that Saturday [May 19], and Sunday I couldn't move my arm," Danks said in a recent interview with MLB.com. "Literally, I tried to go out and play catch at 20 feet and couldn't do it.

 

"I'd say that was the point. That was my, 'Oh [no]' moment or whatever you want to write."

 

Which is, only naturally, drastically different than how he described it at the time when he was trying to keep himself in the rotation.

 

""It was feeling different than I normally would. I'm no doctor, but I told them I was prepared to pitch tomorrow. I still feel like I probably could. Talking to (general manager) Kenny (Williams), Robin and (head athletic trainer) Herm (Schneider), it's better to be safe than sorry. I'll try to get everything completely right and get back up."

 

Not to impugn Danks specifically, but let this be a reminder for how to weigh future self-assessments from injured players. It's a rare, rare case when these guys aren't willing to do unwise things to be out there.

 

With that in mind, Danks was steadfast back in May that the injury had nothing to do with his early-season struggles. "It isn't the reason I've stunk to this point," is how he put it.

 

He's sticking to that story in spirit, but at the same time "explained the injury didn't come about on one pitch in particular against the Cubs," suggesting progressive deterioration--a theory that Don Cooper readily parrots.

 

"He gets a pass on [his struggles], as far as I'm concerned. I don't know if he was healthy, and my guess is he probably wasn't."

 

He was missing two miles on his fastball and throwing flat cutters for two months, so an injury is plausible, but Danks getting the ball for nine starts while his shoulder wore out and line drives flew around the park isn't a warming thought either.

 

If that sounds reckless, the White Sox seem prepared to compensate for it upon Danks return by being "constantly aware of Danks' workload." After all, someone needs to take Chris Sale's place as the focus for all starter health anxiety.

 

Cooper compares the Danks situation to the recovery of Jake Peavy and Johan Santana which is a) terrifying and b) useful for putting Danks' recovery in the right perspective. At this point in the rehab process, getting him back at all is the goal. He has to prove he can be an effective pitcher again before any of those naive, starry-eyed discussions of ace workload can return.

[Jerksticks]

http://www.chicagonow.com/white-sox-observ...end-john-danks/

 

I wish we hosed somebody into taking him last offseason. Preferably Toronto again, those assholes.

[Doc Edwards Shot]

I generally like Danks and think he's a quality #3 starter, but he sure ain't worth $65 million.

 

Hopefully he comes back from his arm trouble and proves me wrong by pitching like a #1 or #2.

[balfanman]

Looks like he's ahead of schedule.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,5027359.story

[JohnCangelosi]

I wish we hosed somebody into taking him last offseason. Preferably Toronto again, those assholes.

LOL, haven't they had enough by now?

[Dick Allen]

If he's healthy, Danks is a huge addition.

[southsider2k5]

http://www.csnchicago.com/baseball-chicago...tm_medium=email

 

DAN HAYES

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The lavish pitching depth the White Sox would love to boast in 2013 may be a reality as John Danks continues to progress in his rehab.

 

Thus far, all reports on Danks, who on Aug. 6 had surgery to repair a capsule tear and minor debridments in his left shoulder, have been good. White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Danks, who began his rehab program in late October several days ahead of schedule, worked out for team trainer Herm Schneider in Austin, Texas recently and still appears to be on track.

 

The team believes Danks, who was 3-4 with a 5.70 ERA in nine starts last season, is on track to be ready in time for spring training. The White Sox report to camp in Glendale, Ariz. on Feb. 12.

 

If Danks remains on target, the White Sox would feature one of the deeper starting rotations in the majors with Jake Peavy, Chris Sale, Gavin Floyd, Jose Quintana and Hector Santiago all in the mix.

 

“Hermie was in Austin last week within the last 10 days and said that John is progressing well and on target with his throwing program and everything remains cautiously optimistic as we head into spring training,” Hahn said Monday. “He’s playing catch. But Herm and Don Cooper have mapped out every day of his offseason leading up to spring training. Don’t know where he is today (but he) maintains path to be ready opening day.”

[ptatc]

http://www.csnchicago.com/baseball-chicago...tm_medium=email

There is really no reason he shouldn't be ready. The tissues involved are all static structures like ACL reconstruction or UCL replacement in the elbow. These are all very predictable in the recovery time. Moreso, than when you are dealing with active dynamic structures such as muscle or tendon repairs. The usual recovery time is 3-6 months depending on the extent of the repair. His wasn't too bad considering they have him throwing 3 months after the surgery.

[Harry Chappas]

There is really no reason he shouldn't be ready. The tissues involved are all static structures like ACL reconstruction or UCL replacement in the elbow. These are all very predictable in the recovery time. Moreso, than when you are dealing with active dynamic structures such as muscle or tendon repairs. The usual recovery time is 3-6 months depending on the extent of the repair. His wasn't too bad considering they have him throwing 3 months after the surgery.

 

I love it when you analyze.

[Dick Allen]

I wonder if any of this caused is drop in performance in 2011. If the Sox get the 2008-2010 John Danks, it will be a tremendous addition.

[ptatc]

I wonder if any of this caused is drop in performance in 2011. If the Sox get the 2008-2010 John Danks, it will be a tremendous addition.

It possible. The injury he had is a "wear and tear" type of thing so who knows. Unless he was drunk with some buddies of his and fell on the arm, which from some stories about him may be possible.

[southsider2k5]

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/white-sox/...anks-progresses

 

By Doug Padilla | ESPNChicago.com

 

CHICAGO – While White Sox pitcher John Danks is progressing on schedule with his throwing program this winter, the club still is not saying the left-hander is a lock for the Opening Day roster.

 

General manager Rick Hahn cautioned Monday, though, that even if Danks doesn’t break camp with the club this spring, it doesn’t mean there has been a setback.

 

“These are broad targets when they are laid out and you have to respond to how the player feels and how his body reacts,” Hahn said. “Being on the roster by Opening Day is the target, but if we have to push that back a few weeks to err on the side of caution, that is what we will do.”

 

Danks had surgery last season to repair a shoulder strain. A healthy return is vital for a club that feels its pitching will be the best way to combat a talented Detroit Tigers club that will add Torii Hunter and Victor Martinez this season.

 

Danks will also head into the season as the highest paid player on the roster at $15.75 million, ahead of guys like Adam Dunn ($15 million), Jake Peavy ($14.5 million), Paul Konerko ($13.5 million) and Alex Rios ($13 million).

 

Danks figures to be examined again by team doctors, as well as trainer Herm Schneider, when he is in town later this month for SoxFest.

 

“Everything is progressing nicely and remains on target with the rehab plan that Herm, our doctors and (pitching coach Don Cooper) put together for him,” Hahn said.

[Jake]

Sounds like he's probably not having issues, but they have to be tempted to have both Q and Santiago on the Opening Day roster. You can play it safe with John while figuring out who your fifth starter is by having a 2-4 start tryout. This is assuming we don't move Gavin.

[Balta1701]

Sounds like he's probably not having issues, but they have to be tempted to have both Q and Santiago on the Opening Day roster. You can play it safe with John while figuring out who your fifth starter is by having a 2-4 start tryout. This is assuming we don't move Gavin.

It sounds like they're trying to be a little vague just in case someone comes in with a new offer for Floyd, they can attempt to negotiate from a position of seeming strength

[southsider2k5]

Sounds like he's probably not having issues, but they have to be tempted to have both Q and Santiago on the Opening Day roster. You can play it safe with John while figuring out who your fifth starter is by having a 2-4 start tryout. This is assuming we don't move Gavin.

 

I am guessing if they having moved Gavin yet, they haven't really gotten an offer they had to jump at yet. But with Kyle Loehse the top guy out there, that might change.

[Marty34]

Take Victor Martinez over Danks in the "Who is Likeliest to Return From Injury Pool."

[elrockinMT]

Take Victor Martinez over Danks in the "Who is Likeliest to Return From Injury Pool."

 

 

Based on what? Time lost from injury and rehab? I am betting Danks will be there at the beginning of the season, but if it is cold weather I have no problem with him being kept out a bit longer.

Edited January 8, 2013 by elrockinMT

[Marty34]

Based on what? Time lost from injury and rehab? I am betting Danks will be there at the beginning of the season, but if it is cold weather I have no problem with him being kept out a bit longer.

 

Based on Hahn's comments and the fact that they have him locked up for four more years, I think they are going to be extra cautious with his return. I will be surprised if he is on the Opening Day roster.

 

[Balta1701]

Based on what? Time lost from injury and rehab? I am betting Danks will be there at the beginning of the season, but if it is cold weather I have no problem with him being kept out a bit longer.

Based on the fact that Marty always assumes everything goes wrong for the Sox.

[Marty34]

Based on the fact that Marty always assumes everything goes wrong for the Sox.

 

Hahn doesn't sound like he's counting on Danks to be ready by Opening Day. He's a lot closer to the situation than anyone posting on Soxtalk.

[Brian]

Will this surgery stop him from walking so many guys?