Akinori Iwamura Could Return To Game Activity in 6-8 Weeks; Surgery A Success

by Tommy Rancel on Jun 22, 2009 5:18 PM EDT

Akinori Iwamura underwent surgery on his injured left knee today. The surgery performed by Rays team orthopedist Dr. Koko Eaton was a reported success. In fact, Dr. Eaton discovered that Iwamura only suffered a partial ACL tear. As a result of that finding, Aki did not need reconstructive knee surgery, and instead underwent an arthroscopic procedure to repair the ACL tear as well as repair the torn medial meniscus. The Rays are optimistic that Iwamura could return to "game activity" in 6 to 8 weeks.

After the initial reports of a torn ACL, I speculated on if we had seen the last of Iwamura in a Rays uniform. However, after this good news we could possibly see Iwamura on the field in September. I don't know if that is realistic or what level Iwamura would be able to play at, but it's just good to see that the injury was not as devastating as we feared.

Congrats to Aki.

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KEEEYA BITCH!

Seriously, this is nice to hear, but if it means that the current incarnation of Zobrist has to be removed from the lineup, I need to get a hold of Tonya Harding and see if she can do some contract work for me.

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on Jun 22, 2009 5:21 PM EDT reply actions

I doubt Iwamura could return to the level he was before by September

If he can contribute on the field, then great. However, I think it’s more of a hey look Aki’s back rah-rah thing.

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Jun 22, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Someone want to research strength recovery time from a partially torn ACL and this type of surgery?

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on Jun 22, 2009 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions

DH

Aki=Fun

We need Robots....The time is now Bud, Stern, and Goodell.
Seriously, Officiating Sucks in this Country

by 4QB on Jun 22, 2009 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Who are they kidding? 6-8 weels

Bartlett and Burrell were day to day and out a month

by Raymondo on Jun 22, 2009 5:25 PM EDT reply actions

Good for Aki.

Never want to see a player have a career-jeopardizing injury, sounds like it’s not as bad as originally thought.

I think Zobrist is our everyday second baseman now though.

by twenty5psi on Jun 22, 2009 5:39 PM EDT reply actions

Has Zobrist replaced him?

I’m fan of Aki, but does he really fit into the starting lineup now?

Zobrist has hit himself into a starting spot. He needs to play somewhere. Would you rather have Aki at 2nd, Zobrist in right, or Zobrist at 2nd and Gabes in right?

by tallyray on Jun 22, 2009 5:39 PM EDT reply actions

Let's be cautious of Zo

he’s never played everyday at this level

wait and see

by Raymondo on Jun 22, 2009 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Neither have Aki or the Gabes

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Jun 22, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Not to mention, have you seen his 2b UZR?

UZR/150 32.6 highest in Rays history

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Jun 22, 2009 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions

I would guess that isn't statistically significant

Or sustainable…

by tallyray on Jun 22, 2009 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Yea I was sorta kidding

but he has played very well

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Jun 22, 2009 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions

That's fair...

But he’d have a slump of Upton proportions to play himself out of a starting spot.

Just for fun, Zobrist could go 0-100 and still be slugging .422.

by tallyray on Jun 22, 2009 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Zo is more than a man

he is a God.

by Gator80 on Jun 22, 2009 5:51 PM EDT reply actions

I don't think Ben would approve of this message

Swav or Die
For the lulz

by SRQman on Jun 22, 2009 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Great news for Aki

I’d rather have Zobrist at second and probably Aybar, too, however.

Best case for Aki is that he returns later in the year and has full athletic abilities back. Best case for Rays is all of that, proving to other teams that he’s healthy so they can trade him headed into 2010.

Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.

by Sky Kalkman on Jun 22, 2009 6:14 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs

Yes.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 22, 2009 6:15 PM EDT up reply actions

rec'd.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 22, 2009 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions

That happening means we need to play him regularly

And in order to do so, either Zobrist needs to cool off or we need to end up out of the playoff race. I’d much rather not get to trade him than having either of those things happen. Considering his physical situation and the current state of the market, his option is probably over what a team would pay for him on the open market anyway.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jun 23, 2009 7:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Getting back Aki is great

Even if he comes back when rosters expand, you can’t exile a guy who helped your fravorite team get to the world series. All this negativity toward a player on YOUR team. Not his fault he was injured, so remember that (he didn’t pull a Rocco Baldelli football disaster)

I love Zobrist, but Iwamura back in September is awesome

"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey

by Gone Phishing on Jun 22, 2009 6:25 PM EDT reply actions

This is good.

We will need Aki when Zobrist snaps back to reality.

Swav or Die
For the lulz

by SRQman on Jun 22, 2009 6:29 PM EDT reply actions

Or you know....doesn't

Sign lady must die.

by EminenceFront on Jun 22, 2009 8:55 PM EDT up reply actions

This

.350 OBP middle infielders are hard good to have around.

And even if Zobrist doesn’t snap back to reality, I like the idea of Zobrist in RFand Aki playing 2B against righties.

by GomesSweetGomes on Jun 22, 2009 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm just happy for Aki

This means he probably has value next year either as trade-bait or as a utility middle-infielder. Friedman will figure it out. Plus Aki is just a good guy and certainly didn’t deserve to lose an entire year to surgery and rehab.

Maybe I’m just an old fashioned BJ suck-off-er. (Good call Sandy)

by Lurch's Lobbyists on Jun 22, 2009 6:31 PM EDT reply actions

I'm happy for Aki

if he can get back great, just don’t want to lose any chemistry that we may have right now with the lineup. He shouldn’t rush back though, he needs to have his full range.

by sofladude77 on Jun 22, 2009 7:06 PM EDT reply actions

Having his original ACL should allow him to get to the same amount of balls

Maybe I’m just an old fashioned BJ suck-off-er. (Good call Sandy)

by Lurch's Lobbyists on Jun 22, 2009 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Good for Aki

It would be good for the defense too. But I like Zobrist being able to get a god amount of at bats.

by Matt0611 on Jun 22, 2009 7:06 PM EDT reply actions

How much of an improvement is Aki over BenZo, defensively speaking?

by walkoffwalk on Jun 22, 2009 8:07 PM EDT reply actions

He's not.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 22, 2009 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Aki won't ever get close to taking Zobrists spot

If so we should just contract the team. Aki can still be an asset in numerous ways though

by matthan on Jun 22, 2009 8:34 PM EDT reply actions

A healthy Aki should start at second

Zobrist moves to right, and the Gabes are the odd men out. Akis’ defense and bat are way to good to not be in the lineup at second base, if he’s healthy. He makes this team better.

by J.P.'s my boy on Jun 22, 2009 8:53 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Aki's defense is average at second.

Zobrist’s (so far in his career) is above at second, and the Gabes are above average in right.
Aki’s bat at second is average, Zobrist’s is above, the Gabes are average.

Aki doesn’t make the team better if it means benching Gross.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 22, 2009 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Now this is unexpected

September call ups: Aki, Nando, Davis, Talbot, Thayer, porn

Rotation: 1. James Shields 2. Matt Garza 3. David Price 4. Jeff Niemann 5. Andy Sonnanstine...... Coming Soon: Wade Davis......Scott Kazmir?

by joeybw on Jun 22, 2009 9:24 PM EDT reply actions

and of course Joyce and Brignac and prob Jaso

Rotation: 1. James Shields 2. Matt Garza 3. David Price 4. Jeff Niemann 5. Andy Sonnanstine...... Coming Soon: Wade Davis......Scott Kazmir?

by joeybw on Jun 22, 2009 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions

speaking of knee injuries, looks like the Mets finally found a working MRI machine for Beltran...

by walkoffwalk on Jun 22, 2009 9:25 PM EDT reply actions

Looked fine when he robbed PTB

but man joining Reyes, Delgado, Putz and Oliver Perez’s mental state on the DL? ouch banks

Rotation: 1. James Shields 2. Matt Garza 3. David Price 4. Jeff Niemann 5. Andy Sonnanstine...... Coming Soon: Wade Davis......Scott Kazmir?

by joeybw on Jun 22, 2009 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions

oh and Maine

dayum

Rotation: 1. James Shields 2. Matt Garza 3. David Price 4. Jeff Niemann 5. Andy Sonnanstine...... Coming Soon: Wade Davis......Scott Kazmir?

by joeybw on Jun 22, 2009 9:29 PM EDT up reply actions

And Zorilla said.....

“Aki, ye shall walk again.” And it was so.

M.V.Z. Most Valuable Zorilla!

by SeanDubbs on Jun 22, 2009 10:17 PM EDT reply actions

So when Aki gets back

Goodbye Joe Dillionaire? If he even makes it that long. I think if you look at it from that point of view (replacing Dillon with Aki) then this could be pretty significant come August/September. Regardless, good to hear Aki is going to recover fully.

by BJ the Bossman on Jun 23, 2009 1:14 AM EDT reply actions

Actually I'd almost want Dillon ahead of Aki

Late in the race we won’t be playing our backups so both would be relegated to PH duties. I’d rather have the guy that crushes lefties.

Aki would probably be the last guy off the bench. Aybar and Gross would PH ahead of him against righties.

by matthan on Jun 23, 2009 8:44 AM EDT up reply actions

I like Iwamura.

My reasons are not entirely rational. I believe the various defensive ratings that he is no more than average at 2B, but liked watching him play there. I thought he had a strong arm for a second baseman and turned the DP well. I liked the fact that the transition to 2B went so smoothly.

More than that, Iwamura symbolized for me the commitment and talent appraisal of the new management. They targeted him and outbid two teams (Cleveland and San Diego according to reports) to get him. He became a solid contributor, not a star but productive, especially after moving to 2B. That was an early sign that the Rays knew what they were doing and meant a lot to me.

He was having a good season this year. I think I am right that he saw a lot of pitches, and while there were no home runs, 13 doubles in 155 ABs is pretty good. It is interesting that for his career his numbers are better against lefties than righties, and not just by a little. This year that reverse split is even more marked (.656-1.060 OPS).

I hope he does return and performs well in whatever capacity, although I can’t see him replacing Zobrist at 2B now. I still doubt that the Rays will pick up his option, and I think they shouldn’t given present conditions, but I will miss him and am grateful he was here. Snagging that final out in the playoffs last year is an image that is seared into my memory forever.

by bobr on Jun 23, 2009 7:26 AM EDT reply actions