OC Register: Angels’ Mike Trout dealing with rare back condition

[AngelsWin.com]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The timetable for Mike Trout’s return is not getting any clearer with each passing day.

Angels head athletic trainer Mike Frostad said Wednesday that Trout is improving, but he still has at least a week to go before feeling the full benefits of the cortisone injection he received last week. In the meantime, he will continue to work on core stability and do cardio workouts, without any baseball activity.

Trout’s injury was first diagnosed as back spasms when he left a game July 12. A week later, when the Angels placed him on the injured list, they announced it was rib cage inflammation. Frostad explained that the muscle spasms around the inflammation to protect it. Frostad said it’s technically a “costovertebral dysfunction at T5.”

“This is a pretty rare condition that he has right now in his back,” Frostad said. “(Dr. Robert Watkins), one of the most well-known spine surgeons in the country, if not the world, doesn’t see a lot of these. For it to happen in a baseball player, we just have to take into consideration what he puts himself through with hitting, swinging on a daily basis just to get prepared and then also playing in the outfield, diving for balls. Jumping into the wall, things like that. And there’s so many things that can aggravate it, but this doctor hasn’t seen a lot of it. And he’s one of the best in the country.”

Asked if Trout could miss the rest of the season, Frostad said: “We hope not. I don’t think we’re at a point where we’re going to make that decision. He’s going to have a follow-up here once we get back, and we’ll just kind of see what the doctor thinks at that point. But that really hasn’t been a discussion that we’ve had.”

Frostad added that the Angels will need to keep an eye on this indefinitely.

“Long-term, we do have to look at this as something that he has to manage not just through the rest of this season, but also through the rest of his career, probably,” Frostad said.

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Despite all of that, Frostad said Trout is improving.

“He’s a little bit more upbeat today,” Frostad said. “He’s starting to feel like he’s getting the benefits.”

Trout has been traveling with the team, but he has not spoken to the media since last week at the All-Star Game. He spent much of Tuesday in the indoor batting cage, watching his teammates hit.

“He’s been a great teammate,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “He’s been the dugout, helping out his teammates… He’s obviously a good sounding board for a lot of young players. For them to have him here and know that he’s supporting them is huge, I’m sure, for some younger guys.”

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[Revad]

Oh fuck

[T.G.]

This actually makes me sad, more than anything. Sad for him most of all.

[halonatic13]

If he has to retire, we save lots of $$$. I mean Arte saves alot of money.

Edited July 27, 2022 by halonatic13

[BTH]

I wonder if this changes the calculus on keeping Ohtani, mainly because Trout may need to DH a lot moving forward.

Add in Rendon also coming off a ton of IL time, and the Angels may not have an open DH spot for Ohtani long-term.

[Angelsfan1984]

4 minutes ago, Trendon said:

I wonder if this changes the calculus on keeping Ohtani, mainly because Trout may need to DH a lot moving forward.

Add in Rendon also coming off a ton of IL time, and the Angels may not have an open DH spot for Ohtani long-term.

The angels should be in the hall of fame for IL payroll. Its an impressive feat.

[AngelsFaninGA]

Classic Angels. At this point I'm just hoping this isn't some life threatening flesh eating alien lifeform.

[totdprods]

...the Aristocrats!

[Taylor]

[AngelsFaninGA]

Just now, Taylor said:

Trout just needs to live, laugh, and love

[Taylor]

Just now, AngelsFaninGA said:

Trout just needs to live, laugh, and love

And don't forget the most important ingredient:

Spoiler

 

[T.G.]

In the long run, Trout will be fine in that he's financially secure. 

The idea that this injury could lessen the chance for him to fulfill his potential fully is the sad thing.  He's so gifted, so special, and a "once-in-a-generation" talent. To see him potentially not fully capitalize on it all is disappointing. 

I think about Mark Prior who could have been great, possibly HOF worthy had it not been for injuries.  It's sad when players are unable to use their talents to their fullest because of injury.

Then again, life isn't fair.

Hopefully, this is manageable for Trout. 

[CaliAngel]

"Asked if Trout could miss the rest of the season, Frostad said: “We hope not. I don’t think we’re at a point where we’re going to make that decision. ""

Translation: Out for the season. 

"“He’s been a great teammate,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said.""

Yeah, that's all fine and good but that's not what he's being paid for and that's not going to help us win ballgames. 

"“Long-term, we do have to look at this as something that he has to manage not just through the rest of this season, but also through the rest of his career, probably,” Frostad said."

Bad news on top of bad news. 

This is not looking good for Trout. I wonder if this is something that lingered and he just played through or if it just suddenly popped up? 

[UndertheHalo]

Hahaha 

[UndertheHalo]

Angels baseball rocks.  I love this stupid fucking team.  

[Second Base]

Trout having a rare condition in his back that he has to manage for the rest of his career is the most Angels thing ever. 

[UndertheHalo]

[UndertheHalo]

[CaliAngel]

Stuff like this just keeps happening to Angel players, and I know it happened before the WS win with Mo Vaughn, but it really just seems like after the Morales injury in 2010 it's elevated to an unprecedented level no matter what the Angels do. Good prospects, big signings, the no-good-luck freak accidents and injuries continuously plague this team. 

If I was Ohtani or really any ballplayer right now I'd stay as far away from the Angels as possible. 

[UndertheHalo]

Ded. 

[Blarg]

1 hour ago, AngelsWin.com said:

"Long-term, we do have to look at this as something that he has to manage not just through the rest of this season, but also through the rest of his career, probably,” Frostad said.

[Angelsjunky]

The Angels truly are a tragi-comedy. 

It is really beyond belief, at this point, how "cursed" they seem. I know, curses are just superstition, but this is getting out of hand.

 

[bloodbrother]

Man this org is in hell. What more can you say. Sad for baseball if this is something that prevents Trout from either playing or playing at a high level the rest of the way

[AngelsFaninGA]

7 minutes ago, bloodbrother said:

Man this org is in hell. What more can you say. Sad for baseball if this is something that prevents Trout from either playing or playing at a high level the rest of the way

If Ohtani actually extends here the following year they'll probably find a disease so rare and degenerative that it'll be named after him

[CaliAngel]

13 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

The Angels truly are a tragi-comedy. 

It is really beyond belief, at this point, how "cursed" they seem. I know, curses are just superstition, but this is getting out of hand.

Someone in the Angels organization pissed off the baseball gods some time after 2002 and why do I have a feeling his name rhymes with fartie.