Unbeknownst to, I think, anyone up until the moment they announced it, it turns out the injury bug has bitten the Blue Jays again. Anthony Alford’s hamate bone is, apparently, broken! Because this fucking season, man.
Anthony Alford is still in Milwaukee with the Blue Jays. Update coming later. Appeared to be a left arm/wrist issue bothering him last night
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) May 24, 2017
Dwight Smith Jr. up, Anthony Alford not listed on roster. Martin plays 3B for #BlueJays with Stroman starting pic.twitter.com/TcwTMeCzVt
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) May 24, 2017
Anthony Alford going on DL #BlueJays
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) May 24, 2017
Anthony Alford to DL with left hamate fracture… #BlueJays
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) May 24, 2017
Fractured hamate bone doesn't need big crash or collision. You can fracture it with a swing alone. Often from jolt of pressure from bat knob
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) May 24, 2017
Fun!
John Gibbons told reporters, including Benny Fresh, that Alford is due to be out for four to six weeks. So there’s a significant chunk of what was to be a key development season for the star prospect now out the window, and he gets to accrue big league service time while he heals, to boot.
Super fun!
Jays fans may remember the hamate bone as what it was initially presumed José Bautista had injured on a massive swing at Yankee Stadium in July of 2012, which all but ended his season. The injury ended up being to his tendon, but I definitely remember looking up a bunch of stuff on the hamate — a small bone in the hand/wrist that’s occasionally prone to breaking in athletes that swing clubs or bats or racquets — at that time.
More recently, back in 2015, Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins broke his hamate, and the excellent Marlins blog, Fish Stripes, had a lengthy post on the injury. They explained:
In the past, these injuries could have been managed conservatively with casting and immobilization, but it has been found that this causes lack of rejoining of the bones. Now, the standard of care is to do surgical intervention. As mentioned by [then-Marlins back-up infielder Jeff] Baker, the usual method is to excise or remove the hook of the hamate. Removal of the hook removes the attachments of a few ligaments and muscles, so there is a concern for decreased grip strength in the future, but the alternative of open reduction and internal fixation of the bones shows no difference in grip strength.
After that, the patient undergoes physical therapy for recovery. It includes allowing time for wound healing and slowly rebuilding strength. Timing for recovery is different for individuals and depends on what level of activity is needed afterwards. Excision of the hook allows for immediate beginning of therapy, with a likely progression to full activities within six to eight weeks. Other surgical options involve casting for two weeks followed by physical therapy, making hook removal the best option for an athlete like Stanton.
Super fun! Though in piece Jeff Baker also says that “I don’t say this lightly, but if you’re going to break something in your hand, the hamate is going to be the way to go.”
Cool, but, um… can we actually maybe just stop? With the fucking injuries? MAYBE? ALREADY??
https://twitter.com/Wilnerness590/status/867402574340730880
That reply by Pompey tho….
Fuck this season.
As I recall, Jose Canseco broke his hamate bone around 1990 and it was surgically removed.
Sadly they also removed his common sense, sense of decency and the filter between his brain and his mouth.
Stupid healthcare system.
I broke my hamate bone in grade 12 and had to write all my exams left handed. 8 weeks in a cast I think. I can still ‘write’ with my left hand. If you want to feel disabled, try printing your name with your non dominant hand.
Pffft, just be ambidextrous. Problem solved!
I’d give my left arm to be ambidextrous.
Give me the right arm too and I can make that happen.
Can’t wait.
The way I see it, if the Jays had signed Dexter Fowler they’d still suck but Dexter would take Josh aside and say, “This year, you have to inhale more oxygen when you run and five minutes on the bike between innings wouldn’t kill you. I’ve seen the dark heart of your legs in my dreams and they are going to betray you.”
And that’s it, really. If you don’t carry a practicing occultist your squad can fall victim to even the most foolish curse. I mean what can the Jays do now but hire Barry Davis back and hope it all goes away? Just poor roster construction. It’s probably grounds to fire everyone, raze Rogers Centre, and salt the earth so nothing can grow there.