Given Mets History, Don’t Be Optimistic About J.D. Davis’ Shoulder Just Yet
On February 21, 2019, Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen told reporters the MRI on Jed Lowrie‘s knee revealed “no significant damage.” The following day, Lowrie’s injury was described as nothing more than “soreness behind his left knee,” and ultimately, the team gave no estimates for when Lowrie could return to play.
As we know that no significant damage would eventually be classified as a capsule strain. That capsule strain became the Mets know really knowing what was wrong with Lowrie, and by all accounts, the Mets still do not know what is wrong with Lowrie.
All we know at this point is he was limited to just eight pinch hitting attempts in 2019, and he showed up to Spring Training this year wearing a very large brace on his left leg. Realistically speaking, no one knows what, if anything, Lowrie can contribute in 2019. Really, no one knows if Lowrie will ever be able to play again.
Almost a year later, J.D.Yoe Davis dives for a ball at third, is taken out of the game, and he undergoes an MRI. When announcing the results of the MRI, Brodie Van Wagenen announced there was inflammation, a pre-existing labrum tear, and that they need to reassess Davis in a week.
J.D. Davis' MRI didn't reveal any new structural damage and will begin rehabbing today, according to Brodie Van Wagenen pic.twitter.com/lbqkVEHEgq
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 26, 2020
While some circles will paint that as good news, it is hard to calculate it as such, especially with what we knew heading into Van Wagenen’s statements. First and foremost, Mike Puma of the New York Post reported Tigers team doctors examined Davis and determined “there wasn’t labrum or rotator cuff damage.”
Davis, himself, was unaware he had an existing torn labrum. The Tigers doctors, without the benefit of an MRI, were unaware of it. In very short order, this went from nothing to a pre-existing injury, inflammation, unable to do baseball activities in a week, beginning rehab, and re-evaluation of the injury in a week or so.
However, Van Wagenen wants us to now believe the Mets were well aware of the injury, and that now, it is not going to be an issue.
While it is very possible that is the case, there is a certain element of Yoenis Cespedes to this. Supposedly, the Mets were always aware he had double heel issues, and yet, they initially expressed disbelief he would need the surgery before finally acquiescing.
No one is going to say Davis needs surgery. By the same token, no one is going to say Davis will be a complete non-factor in 202o like Lowrie and Cespedes were in 2019. However, what we have seen with Lowrie, Cespedes, and even David Wright (spinal stenosis initially ruled mild right hamstring strain), the Mets have a very poor history initially diagnosing significant injuries and setting forth a plan to get the players on the field.
The initial news for Davis isn’t as dire as many feared when he first went down and needed an MRI. There is hope he can come back in a week and be ready to resume baseball activities. However, with this being the Mets, no one should take anything out of this other than we won’t know if Davis can play until we see him active and playing in Queens.
February 20, 2019 – Mets note Lowrie has knee problem which began to bother him Feb 16th.
February 21, 2019 – MRI
February 23, 2019 – Mets announce Lowrie has left capsule knee sprain.
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JD Davis
February 25, 2020 – Left shoulder injury
February 26, 2020 – MRI reveals some inflammation but no structural damage. Also reveals old Labrum injury or tear that hasn’t caused Davis any prior symptoms. .
Anything other are your distortions, including that the unrelated Labrum tear is now the issue and that the Mets say the injury which occurred on February 25th, is nothing. They never said it was nothing. You don’t speak for the physicians and radiologist who read the MRI scans and provided the Mets and JD with their medical assessment and recommended course of action..
Based on the MRI finding as described by Brodie, a reasonable person can conclude JD probably needs a month and may or may not be ready for opening day. There are plenty athletes and every day people with wear and tear in their joints, and are asymptomatic. The treatment and rehab JD will get in recovering from hurting his shoulder will surely be comprehensive with or without a pre-existing, asymptomatic labral tear which is likely rather small and not in a crucial location that impacts the stability of his shoulder.
I distorted nothing, and I’ll again note the Mets have an extremely poor history in these situations.
Again, follow the timelines for Davis and what was actually said. Not the spin. What was said.
He went from jammed shoulder with no labrum tear to a labrum tear JD had no idea existed to stopping baseball activities with the Mets reassessing in a week or so.
There are no reasonable assumptions to make here because no one actually is quite sure what’s wrong, Davis isn’t doing baseball activities, and no one has set a timetable.
Overall, we have seen the Mets fall flat on their faces downplaying injuries much in the fashion they’re doing now. We can only hope Davis is an exception and not the next Lowrie, Nimmo, Cespedes, Wright, Walker, etc
Apples and oranges
The Mets have a lengthy history dealing poorly with injuries and attempting to downplay the severity of injuries, so I really have no idea why you’d say apples and oranges.