Carpenter injury history

jim · Post by **jim** » March 10 07, 9:33 am

Anyone know the details of Carps surgery(s) - specifically did he or did he not have TJ? The reason I ask is that it came up in another thread about pitchers coming back from TJ. According to THT Baseball Annual article on TJ surgery, Carp had it. Google searching you see several other references to Carp having TJ. But there seems to be confusion.

I know he had labryum surgery, does anyone know if he also had TJ done? Just curious.

greenback44 · Post by **greenback44** » March 10 07, 10:53 am

Paper of Record has a Sporting News archive. On page 56 of the 2/28/2000 edition you will find the following:

"RHP Chris Carpenter, thought to be the team's future ace, and RHP Joey Hamilton are coming back from offseason surgery. Carpenter, 24, has reported no pain after the September procedure to remove bone chips and shave a spur in his elbow. He was throwing from the mound five days before pitchers had to report, well ahead of his rehabilitation schedule."

That clarifies that "elbow surgery". Unfortunately the THT annual claims the Carpenter TJ surgery happened in 2003, which just happens to be the time of his shoulder surgery. I think you need to ask David Gassko about his source.

jim · Post by **jim** » March 10 07, 11:10 am

I just got a reply from Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus.

No TJ for Carpenter.

greenback44 · Post by **greenback44** » March 10 07, 12:12 pm

I wish I could trust Will Carroll.

jim · Post by **jim** » March 10 07, 12:14 pm

greenback44 wrote:I wish I could trust Will Carroll.

Really? I have quite a bit of respect for him on the injury front.

skmsw · Post by **skmsw** » March 10 07, 12:46 pm

Carp's elbow problems were when he was young, and were NOT ligament replacement.

His problems the year before coming to STL were shoulder --- he had a torn labrum.

greenback44 · Post by **greenback44** » March 10 07, 12:51 pm

jim wrote:
greenback44 wrote:I wish I could trust Will Carroll.
Really? I have quite a bit of respect for him on the injury front.

He's one of the interesting writers over there, but to me he's more of a rumors guy than a facts guy. He's got the database apparently, but there are times when I think he doesn't use it.

Jmodene · Post by **Jmodene** » March 10 07, 2:29 pm

Carroll seems to know what he's talking about, but he tends to let his personal prejudices seep into his work. For instance, as with almost all the BP guys, he seems to have little regard for LaRussa.

greenback44 · Post by **greenback44** » March 10 07, 2:44 pm

When it comes to dealing with injuries, there's good reason for a lack for fondness of LaRussa.

Jmodene · Post by **Jmodene** » March 10 07, 2:46 pm

Right. Like Herzog had a great track record with injuries (Martinez, Rincon, Fulgham, Littell, Cox, Mathews, Magrane, etc. etc. etc.)