What if Izzy doesn't pitch...
I have been hearing rumblings that Izzy's hip is alomost totally shot and may require a total replacement in the near future. This makes sense to me, and explains the jekyl/hyde month to month splits the lboros has pointed out a couple times. Basically he has been good after he has had injections to relieve the pain and bad as those means wear-off. So what do we do next year if Izzy retires and doesn't pitch after this season? Is Wainwright the heir apparent to the closer role in the circumstance?
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Hardball Times on izzy's condition
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St. Louis Cardinals closer ,Jason Isringhausen, has about three weeks left in his major league career. Izzy is leading the National League in blown saves and now we know why. He has an arthritic left hip that is in much worse condition than what was known by the public.
Isringhausen has inflammation in his hip along with an overall degrading of the hip joint, to the point that lubrication injections and every conceivable non-invasive type were used to help improve his hip malady. Some work, but only in the short term. Think of it as a band-aid approach to get him through the season.
Isringhausen is scheduled to get a cortisone injection and not pitch for about a week. The hope is the inflammation will quiet down enough for him to pitch the last couple of weeks of the season, and if the Cardinals are lucky, into the postseason.
Because the hip is unstable and Isringhausen struggles with mobility, the future is bleak. If there was a treatment that would mask or allow him to pitch more effectively, the Cardinals medical staff has likely tried it or considered it. The likely scenario after the season is for Isringhausen to visit a collection of specialists then have hip surgery to help ease the pain. He's likely to have the joint shaved, and it's believed he can lead a normal non-baseball life.
It has been a terrific career but sadly, Isringhausen is facing near impossible odds to pitch in the majors after this season.
by DCGreg on Sep 13, 2006 10:17 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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