Things went from bad to worse for the Philadelphia Phillies Saturday night with the news that star 1B Ryan Howard ruptured his left achilles tendon the team’s Game 5 ALDS loss October 7th. An MRI confirmed the Phillies worst fears and The slugging first baseman cannot have surgery until the swelling goes down. The team will not have a timetable for his return until after the procedure but they cannot guarantee Howard will be ready for Spring Training. It would not be a surprise if the 1B misses the first couple months of the 2012 season.
OTHER MEDICAL NEWS: RF Hunter Pence and 3B Placido Polanco will have MRIs on their sports hernias and then determine the best course of action. Polanco has battled his for most of the 2nd half and is expected to have surgery. Pence kept his injury quiet and will get a better idea whats next after the exam. Meanwhile, LHSP Cole Hamels will have a minor surgical procedure next Friday October 14th to remove loose bodies from his throwing elbow. He will also have an operation the following week to correct an inguinal hernia. Reserve 1B Ross Gload, a free agent in 2012, will have his right hip re-examined by a hip specialist. The veteran is a likely arthroscopic surgery candidate.
