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Stephania Bell

  (11:01 AM)

Good morning Sports Nation!! I'm in Miami - thought I'd be doing my chat poolside but it's raining !!! Boo - well, we can still talk injuries....so here we go.

Brian (Boston)

Thanks for taking my question, Stephania. Do you have any updates on Reyes? How long does it take to get over calf tendinitis and can it lead to more serious injuries (tears, strains, etc)? Would you characterize him as a "buy-low" or more of a "wait and see"?

Stephania Bell

  (11:04 AM)

Hi Brian - and you're welcome. As you know, last week I suspected he would end up on the DL b/c his calf just sounded a little more serious than they were making it out to be and he really needs that to be healthy in order to be quick. My big concern is that even at 15 days it won't be quite 100% and that he could make it worse - hard to say without seeing him myself. I think buy-low is probably reasonable - but I wouldn't then put him in my lineup until I'd seen him on the field a couple times. Still a bit of risk.

Daniel (Ann Arbor)

Kelvim... fun to say, also fun to start soon?

Stephania Bell

  (11:05 AM)

Daniel: You sound like my work neighbor M. Berry. It looks like he could rejoin the team next week. Hey - he struck out 8 in his last rehab start - he looks pretty darn good.

Adam (Philly)

Hi, can you talk about Brett Myers' hip injury please? Can we drop him or will the second opinion change the prognosis? Thanks.

Stephania Bell

  (11:07 AM)

Adam: It's always hard to say with certainty when no two hip labral injuries look alike and I haven't seen Myers or his MRI. BUT...with him having reported labral damage AND struggling, the worry is that he risks damaging the underlying cartilage if he keeps playing on it. I suspect that surgery sooner rather than later is going to be the result.

Marky Mark (Dorchester, MA)

Hey Miss Bell - how are you? Have you heard anything on Carlos Quentin's status? Sounding like he makes a back-dated trip to the DL which would probably be a good thing but I'm growing tired of being in fantasy limbo. Any insight is greatly appreciated!!

Stephania Bell

  (11:10 AM)

Marky Mark...Quentin has had this plantar fasciitis which clearly is continuing to get aggravated. Last note was that he was headed to get some special orthotics made (or built into his shoes) which would essentially help decrease the stress on his arch (and therefore hopefully help his pain). I would not plan on him for another week or so anyway b/c we need to be sure that the shoes really do help - but don't get rid of him. Just find some insurance for a couple weeks.

Kramer (v. Kramer)

Can we talk Grady Stephania? Sounds more and more likely that he'll hit the DL come Monday. Agree? How long you think he sits? Ryan Doumit activate-able mid-june?

Stephania Bell

  (11:14 AM)

Kramer: It does sound like that will be the timetable. Hafner returning to DH will probably bump Sizemore from that and he's having trouble with throwing. His elbow has been bothering him all season and now is clearly to the point where he's being protective of it - not how you want an athlete playing. There hasn't been much clue as to exactly what the nature of the problem is which makes it hard to give it a timestamp. But he hasn't fully rested it either. So it's quite possible that a DL stint would be sufficient to allow him back. I think the only thing that's fairly safe to assume is that he'll be heading to the DL. He doesn't want to - but it looks like it's happening.

Azim (Toronto, ON, Canada)

Hey Stephania,Thanks for any insight you can provide! I'm just wondering if there is any medical reason underlying BJ Upton's incredibly slow start. I understand that he's coming back from surgery, but I'm not sure that I expected him to be south of the Mendoza line this far into the year. Are we seeing someone who's just genuinely been awful, or is there perhaps a method to the madness?

Stephania Bell

  (11:17 AM)

Azim: I agree with you. I thought he'd be warming up about now - although I din't think he'd really hit full stride until June - so that target is still possible. Consider that his first home runs came in mid-May, and at least he's making some progress. I think he is still finding his swing - sometimes after surgery where they are essentially tightening the shoulder up, it has a different feel going through the swing and the player has to adjust to it. It takes some guys a little longer. I'm not giving up on him b/c I do see signs (very slow signs for sure) of progress. Expect him to pick it up in June.

Stephania Bell

  (11:21 AM)

Sorry gang - lost my internet connection - but I'm back....

David (Birmingham)

Could you talk about Carlos Delgado's comments yesterday? Should we assume that he's done for the year or will he still be back in 10 weeks? Worth stashing in a 12 team mixed league?

Stephania Bell

  (11:24 AM)

Hi David: I think he was just hedging his bets. I read the comments too - and I think he is just taking the one-day-at-a-time approach, maybe to take a little pressure off. I think that although the team has him projected out 10 weeks which would be a late June return, that he won't really return until after the All-Star Break - and maybe this sets this up. The fact that he has had little post-surgical pain and is engaged in his rehab, and you can tell how much he misses being with the team, I don't read into it that there are any problems, just that he wants to be sure he takes the rehab stepwise and doesn't screw it up by trying to meet an artificial timetable.

Jason (Bmore)

I don't get a warm and fuzzy feeling that Pat Burrell's neck problems will all of a sudden go away. Since he recently had a setback, are there any pertinent updates?

Stephania Bell

  (11:27 AM)

Jason - I agree. It's not clear what the problem is (they're calling it a stiff neck) but the fact that he had a cortisone injection which really didn't help, along with the setback, suggests something more - maybe a disc problem that's at the core of this. If that's the case, it's tough to put a timetable on it b/c it could be a week to a month. Although they said he's be out again until at least today, I'm not optimistic that he's back - and really wouldn't expect to see him soon.

Dave (Boston)

Existential question. Why are some player injury plagued but others stay on the field?

Stephania Bell

  (11:28 AM)

Dave: I ask myself this on a daily basis. If I had the answer, I would be a really, really rich woman.

Dino (from the Bar & Grill)

Hi Stephania - What's the latest on when we can expect Soria back?

Stephania Bell

  (11:30 AM)

Dino: There's really no timetable from the team. He looks to be headed for a rehab assignment and as I wrote earlier this week, the things I find most encouraging are that his recent outings have not bothered him during or after he's thrown. The team will want him to play a few rehab games before he makes a return so I would say you're loooking at at least two weeks.

Brad (Jackson, MS)

Does it seem to you like an unusual number of players are coming down with the flu this season? Isn't this odd in the summer? Is this just teams' way of characterizing any illness in their injury reports? Just seems odd to me.

Stephania Bell

  (11:32 AM)

Brad: Funny - I've thought the same thing. I suspect that flu is one of the categories for players on the DL, and in fact it's not always the flu. When Joey Votto was getting checked out for dizziness, they talked about how he had missed a few games with the flu. Later they called it an upper respiratory infectionn when they were talking more specifically about his dizziness - so in essence he didn't have the flu. But I think it's just a category and players with a collection of symptoms that are "flu-like" end up there.

Mark (Cary, NC)

Morning Stephania, hope you're enjoying Miami. I had a question regarding Joe Mauer. He obviously is off to a great start, and it looks like the Twins played it perfectly by taking his return nice and slow. However, we all know back injuries can linger. Can you discuss the liklihood that he encounters problems sometime between now and the end of the season?

Stephania Bell

  (11:35 AM)

Hi Mark: Why thank you - I am enjoying it - just wish it wasn't raining so much! I am totally impressed by Mauer's amazing start. I think it's safe to say that the inflammation in his sacroiliac joint is under control. That being said, we never really did get a reason as to why that unusual condition developed. Now it could be that the team is not saying, it could be that no one knows for sure. The concern is whether it recurs. If there is a specific "condition" and the team feels they've identified it and are managing it with the medication that he was prescribed, then there's less to worry about. With some of these chronic conditions, it can be months or even years before the symptoms come back - so with him performing as well as he is, there's no obvious reason to worry about it now. Just enjoy...

Eric (Ontario)

I've heard Smoltz could be back before the June 19 projection....any truth to this? And any idea what happens to Penny?

Stephania Bell

  (11:38 AM)

Hi Eric: He might - but again, the team is easing him back with progressively more intense competition - and they're taking their time (taking their cues from him) in bringing him back to the majors. He's still got at least a couple more rehab starts. I'm anxious to see him back b/c he's just been doing so well - and it's going to be (I think) an amazing comeback. There's a very good chance that he takes Penny's spot...but not a certainty.

JC (Miami)

I'm in Miami. If you answer my question, I'll head over and buy you a drink. What's the status on Doumit? Do you see him being a top-10 catcher when he returns or will the wrist injury linger

Stephania Bell

  (11:43 AM)

JC: Promise? I'm keeping up my end of the deal. Here's the good news on Doumit. His surgery to fix the scaphoid went well and it has responded as far as healing. This is REALLY important with this bone b/c there is an artery here that can become compromised with this type of fracture and the result can be bone death (which is why they so often fix it with a pin as they did here). He had his cast removed and can begin baseball-related rehab activities now. Here's the bad news. The scaphoid location at the base of the thumb near the wrist is a critical location to regain mobility/strength for grip and power. It always takes a little longer than expected to regain form, so I would temper my expectations for production....may take him a while to get his groove back, even after he returns.

Rosco, Redwood City, CA

LAST ONE I PROMISE!!! Hi Stephania, please comment on the rest of the year for Conor jackson. Thanks a ton!

Stephania Bell

  (11:46 AM)

Rosco: Thanks for hanging around...This is a really tough one. Valley fever is not something I was immediately familiar with. Apparently this condition led to pneumonia - certainly explains why he's been exhausted. Apparently the recovery varies from months to years! The thing he has going for him is youth and athleticism...but it may be otugh for him to be the same this year. He apparently was wiped out after hitting from a tee. He's lost weight - and his body is still fighting infection. I really just hope he can get himself totally healthy before the year is out - but I would not expect the same player for the rest of the season.

Tim(Atlanta,GA)

What is the latest on Hiroki Kuroda? Is he fully recovered and can we expect a good second half from him?

Stephania Bell

  (11:49 AM)

Tim: Well, he got lit up in his last rehab start - so I suspect the team will hold off on reactivating him until he demonstrates better control. From a health perspective the good news is that the oblique looks to be fully resolved. But he still appears rusty. I do think once he gets his control bacl you can look forward to a strong second half.

Ralph Chicago

Hi "Star" :) What's your thoughts on Hanley and Beltran? Thank you!

Stephania Bell

  (11:51 AM)

Hi Ralph in Chicago: I am not counting on Ramirez for tonight. His groin sounds like it is still pretty tight and it's the defensive aspect of his game that will be most problematic (and could potentially result in more serious injury) if he presses. Beltran seems to be responding to the cortisone injection he got and is expected to play today.

Joe (Iowa City)

How serious is the latest setback for Jason Schmidt? Are we talking days, weeks or months until he re-starts his rehab assignment?

Stephania Bell

  (11:53 AM)

Joe: No word - but I think you have to look at it in the context of the entire picture with his shoulder. He has just not been able to progress in a linear fashion - and I think the team is going to continue to work with him (they invested in him) but they are not counting on anything. He is very, very back burner.

Joe (Morris Plains, NJ)

Please take this one. I've tried a few times today. My prospect, Logan Morrison, has an "emulsion fracture". I never heard of that one. Please tell me what it is, how serious as fractures go, and what to expect with the recovery. Thanks.

Stephania Bell

  (11:57 AM)

Joe: thanks for hanging in. OK - I saw the quote. I think this is one of those cases where something gets lost in the translation from the medical staff to the person speaking for the team to the reporter. There is no such thing as far as I know. There are however "avulsion" fractures, where a small chip of bone peels away when the soft tissue attaching to it (tendon or ligament) pulls it away. Sometimes it is easier to chip the bone than to actually tear the soft tissue. By immobilizing it in a splint (like is the case with Morrison), the bone anchors down and heals.

Dan (Philadelphia)

Is there any chance of lingering injury with Bartlett?

Stephania Bell

  (12:00 PM)

Dan: Well, there's always a chance....but it doesn't look like it will be a problem with Bartlett at this point. He really didn't want to go on the DL. Team seems to feel it's not that serious, he's not having much pain - but I think this is one of those let's be practive moments where they don't want it to turn into chronic ankle instability which would be a big problem.

Dan (Detroit)

How does the hairline fracture effect Brandon Phillips? Can he play with it like he wants to?

Stephania Bell

  (12:02 PM)

Hi Dan: Well, it really depends on his pain. they obviously think the fracture line is so small and stable that he can play through it without worry that it will turn into a bigger problem. So it really comes down to whether he can grip the bat as he wants to without it bothering him. And that unfortunately is impossible to predict until we see how/what he does.

Rob (State College)

Stefania, one more please?? A guy in my league just offered me Braun for Hanley. Since this followed immediately Braun being hit on the wrist, I was concerned he knew something I didn't. Any reason to be concerned about Braun? Thanks as always!

Stephania Bell

  (12:05 PM)

Rob- Even though you spelled my name wrong, I'm giving you the last question...look, I think Braun has performed well, but I have been worried about that intercostal injury recurring during the season (left over from last year). On top of that he's been dinged by a couple pitches so it's forced him out here and there. I don't think there's any worry with the wrist - I think you can't count on his back to hold up for the remainder of the season. Just a risk vs reward assessment on your part...

Stephania Bell

  (12:06 PM)

OK gang - thanks so much for coming. Have a GREAT weekend. I am going to hope that it stops raining in Miami while I'm here this weekend. Hope you're having wonderful weather where you are - and good luck with your fantasy teams...