Jose Bautista’s Injury: The View From 25 Feet Away
I haven’t witnessed something like this before. I haven’t even seen something like it live on television since Moises Alou cracked his ankle doing nothing more risky than rounding the bag at first.
Jose Bautista of the Jays took a mammoth swing and put a ball – foul – into the furthest reaches of left field at Yankee Stadium tonight, 400 feet away, easily. And then he crumpled over in pain.
At first this looked to be a hamate bone break in the wrist. The Jays have since indicated there is no fracture and the injury seems to be a tendon. It isn’t necessarily that much better news for the battered Jays but psychologically it’s better than a break. We’ll see what the MRI says tomorrow
It does, however, bring invoke anew the endless accusations that Bautista is/was on Performance Enhancing Drugs. I’ve addressed this twice before with some first-hand recollections of the day a really knowledgable baseball man forecast all of Joey Bats’ success.
I’d like to re-post here what I wrote in May of last year, with a slight update on the whereabouts of the source. There are a lot of reasons a guy’s tendon might be strained or stretched or torn, but I think there’s something akin to “provenance” for Bautista that merits re-telling.
And while pausing only to thank you for again making this blog Top 10 in the MLB.Com “pro” division despite its spotty schedule, here’s what I wrote a season ago:
MICKEY MANTO FORESAW BAUTISTA’S SUCCESS:
I first told this story in the fall of 2010 as Jose Bautista crossed the 50-home run plateau and was victimized by assumptions about PED’s or corked bats or, I don’t know, deals with the devils. With the Jays’ slugger now having crossed the 20-home run plateau before the first of June (2011) I think I should tell it again.
I used to run into Jeff “Mickey” Manto all the time when he was the journeyman infielder (he played in 11 major league seasons and changed teams 10 times; he once went from Boston to Seattle and back to Boston in one season; he played for 15 minor league teams). Manto averaged 26 games per stint in his big league career, so whenever I’d see him on a field somewhere one of us would say “uh-oh – about to change uniforms again.”
So on March 3, 2007, I stepped off a flight from New York and went directly to the Pirates-Yankees exhibition game in Tampa and who’s the first person I see? Pirates batting coach Jeff Manto (naturally, it was his last year on the job). I asked him what he could tell me about his Pirate hitters that I didn’t know; who I should watch for; who might surprise me.
He pointed at the guy in the batting cage. “If we can get him to replicate his swing three days in a row, Jose Bautista could hit 25 homers a year. In fact, I think he could hit 40. He is just so easily frustrated when it doesn’t go right that he blames himself and forgets what he’s learned. Or ignores it. But of all these guys I have, if you want one of them who will eventually do something special in this game, I’d pick him. I wouldn’t be very surprised.”
With Jeff Manto, White Sox hitting coach and Bautista Prognosticator, last month at Yankee Stadium
Bautista had 569 at bats last year in Toronto and ended at 54-124-.260. If you took his rates of production during his first four full seasons and gave him 569 at bats each year, he’d have averaged 20-73-.238 – so the power was there; this was not Brady Anderson coming out of nowhere. As I noted last year, until George Foster suddenly hit 52 homers for the 1977 Reds, his career high for blasts was 29 – and he was already in his seventh season in the National League. Cecil Fielder spent four years unable to crack the line-up of the Blue Jays, topped out at 14 homers, went to Japan for one year, and came back to hit 51 for the 1990 Tigers.
It is a rare thing to see a slugger grow from good to great – but it’s not impossible. So lay off Bautista. And if you see Jeff Manto (the 2011 minor league hitting instructor for the White Sox) say hi for me, and congratulate him on his prescience (oh and the other kid he really liked back when he was his first manager in the minors, some guy named Ryan Howard), and tell him the Pirates shouldn’t have dumped him as battng coach, nor should they have dealt Bautista for catcher Robinzon Diaz.
Update: Manto was promoted, this year, to batting coach for the White Sox. You may have noticed he helped Adam Dunn re-find his mojo. The man knows his batters.
mlblogskeitholbermann1
KO great writing as usually, you really show why you are this generations Murrow and a great baseball expert. I saw your twitter avitar with the ice cream I hope that you are going to be ready for people to ask you were that ring on your finger came from. I really do not care, because I love you for who you are, just know that people are already asking. Sorry again that you got abused by Current but on to bigger and better things. Continue to be yourself and you will always have a fan in me, love you faults and all.
Wow History, I hope you wear kneepads….
Adrain
I do not need knee pads. Also Adrain what does me compliementing on KO on his post and saying that he a great guy and saying that he got unjustily fired which he did at Current have to do with knee pads. Do you love to post stuff that make absoutely no sense. It no wonder you have no idea who KO is and who his fans are. Keep showing that all you care about is name calling, again your actions are showing that you would rather insult people and the person that writes this blogs than comment on what is written. Keep showing me why KO was unjustily and always will be unjustily fired at Current and why I and his others of millions of fans will be pissed if he does not get the justice he so rightly deserves. Also show why KO has no idea how to burn his last bridge and why he can easily come back if he wants too. Again I wish he would just start a you channel and website and stay on the internet, I think that he a magnet for incomptent mangement aka Current and mangement that enjoy being hypocrites and showing that they do not praitce what they say they do, and do not say different unless you can answer why MSNBC/NBC are okay with Geogary doing a event for a Republican group and Shultz speaking at the Wisconsin Democratic Convention, and Scarbough donating money and not getting in trouble until after KO is restated, but KO gets punished for donating his own money to candidates who safety he is afraid is in danger, which one is actually shot aka Gabby Gibson, showing that he had to quit MSNBC. So KO will follow you anywhere but still think you need to stay on internet even though you can get back on TV easily if you want to. I and your others of millions of fans only care that you are happy and healthy. Keep showing Adrain why you are this generations Murrow and why you will be around for years to come. Keep being yourself and you will always have a fan in me, love you faults and all.
Why would you suspect a Hamate fracture……Please stick to what you know
I felt badly for Jose Bautista, he appeared to be in great pain. I don’t like to see athletes get hurt during a game. I watched the re-post from MLB.com and I can see the way his wrist was twisted with his follow-through. There was such a strange motion about it when I watched the bat in his hand. I’m glad he didn’t break any bones but muscle and tendon take a longer time to heal. This is not what the Jays need right now. First it was their pitching staff and now it’s their batters. Jeff Manto and some other individuals know instinctively when they are in the presence of greatness. Those are the people to trust with their judgment in spotting talent on the ball field. I congratulate Mr. Manto on his promotion and wish him all the best. I must apologize for causing a stir tonight when I made note of you wearing a ring in your new avatar pic. I had never seen you wear any jewelry on set except for a watch and it was out of the norm. I’m just a stickler for details and I made note in a tweet. Then the hailstorm of tweets followed suit. I hope your timeline wasn’t clogged too badly. Maybe next time I’ll just stay mum and let my head explode in private angst. Again I’m really very sorry for that. LyK
Mary
I I was reading twitter feeds and Mary I do not think you were the only one that noticed that and was wondering. It why in the post that I wrote above you I said that KO may have to start thinking about answering questions when it comes to that. So you really do not need to apologize for that one. It pretty obivous to anyone including me that watches Countdown that the only jewerly KO wears is a watch.
Sorry about the two the double I’s
KO keep being yourself and you will always have a fan in me, sorry that Josa Bautisa was injuried. Being hurt is no fun. Also sorry that you were unjustily fired again while be pissed if you do not get the justice so rightly deserves. Keep being yourself and you will always have a fan in me. Love you faults and all.
All things connected. (Except maybe for bat and ball on that particularly hard swing.) No tendon pun intended.
I saw Keith briefly on YES. Looking good!
Another great article. I really with you and DP would collaborate on a project together…until then i’ll have to settle for his show and your sporadic blog posts…I’ll deal with it. Knowing you are at a lot of yankee games i’ve got a question that isn’t necessarily baseball “pure” but something that bugs the hell out of me…I’ve noticed Cano goes to his back pocket and grabs a handful of seeds and throws them in his mouth alot at the plate? Does he not use pine tar? The fact he would be basically eating the tar is puzzling enough, but don’t the seeds get stuck to his batting glove? Seems it would mess up his grip…thanks for your time.
Ask most doctors. There is a LOOK to the way steroids make people bulk up… and Jose fits the profile. It’s not proof, and it’s not ‘evidence’. But it’s still suggestive.
KO loved you on dick hystrust. Sorry that a twitter wants to put up a article how Strautan and Big journalim again expoliting rape and showing how sexist they are, with thier bashing of the vicitms of rape in the Occupy movement. Wish he can tell me why does he just put up the same list that you debunked with the stories that show that Occupy was the vicitim of rape and try to pass it off as truth. He really thinks that a story about eviction is proof that you got debunked. He really shows why you are this generations Murrow and why you are going to be around for years to come. You really show that you have no idea how to be sexist and that you love to defend rape victims which just makes me love and respect you more. Keep being yourself and you will always have a fan in me. Sorry that Current abused you and unjustily fired you, again will be pissed if you do not get the justice that you deserve. Love you faults and all.
Yeah, history. Bathtub Boy was ‘unjustly’ fired by EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYER he has EVER had.
Nick
Wow you also seem to want to lie about KO’s career. KO was not fired from ESPN or MSNBC. I want you to explain to me why was KO able to a last show at ESPN, I did not realize Nick that people that were fired could do that. Nick what happened at ESPN is that they could not find a agreement when it came to reneogationating his contract. He wanted to be in New York, because he was single and cannot drive and had family there. ESPN wanted him to stay in Bristol, so they left on mutal agreement. At MSNBC the first time he quit because he did not want to talk other things beside Lewensky scandal. He was then traded to Fox, he got fired from Fox for reporting the truth about Murdouch selling the LA Dodgers. Which at Fox is not allowed. He was than hired back from MSNBC, and when he left in January of 2011 he was again allowed to do a last show and mangement even said that KO left on his own aka mutal agreement and he got paid the rest of his contract, that shows pacfically that KO was not fired from MSNBC just like ESPN. Also KO was rehired by ESPN to work with Dan Patrick before he left ESPN. Nick keep lying about KO’s career history.
Nick also I want you to explain when has a professional responsible business ever put out a letter that is a personal attack on the person that they letting go, so again explain Nick how this ego and KO’s fault. Also KO keeps his fans up to date on twitter about his abences and what is going on and when the subs are going to on and letting the subs like Press tweet when he going to be on. He also saying who on the show and his staff doing twitter saying who on when Shuster is on, while Current will not take responsible for thier mistakes like the tenichal problems which is business which in the couter-suit they claim is thier job. Nick why did Current want KO to do a commerical for a corporation and have a corporate sponser, when they advertised that they were corporate free, also giving corporation his website, wow trying to make KO a hypocrite to his audience and people like me who are fans, and love that he stands on principle. Why did Current leak the primary story to the press, and KO and his lawyer only confirm that lawyers that were involved that Current said were saying, Nick how is that sabtoging them, when they were putting out email and letters and putting out qutos about KO, and all KO does is defend them and confirm that lawyers involved, along with making KO go against his principles and make them go again what they stood for by being corporate free. Wow Nick that shows that Current is sabtoging themselves and unjustily fired KO.
Nick KO was unjustily fired and that is the truth and thier is nothing that going to change that. Also nick explain why when articles about KO come out he or his team aka lawyer and manger always quoted, but with Current it sources, and that Hollywood story says sources and they say that KO was the one responsible why not deny when KO said they had told him it was his manger. Who is it the manger or KO. and they cannot deny that they blackmaiel and threaten to fire staff, all showing that they not KO realeased the salary. They also never reprimended KO for saying that he was on a preplanned vacation to fans on twitter, showing that they had approved it. So again I would be pissed if KO does not get the justice he deserved for being unjustily fired.
Nick keep making me love KO and respecting him more and more and showing why KO will be aroud for year to come. KO keep being yourself and showing why you are this generations Murrow and you will always have a fan in me. Lov eyou faults and all.
Also nick
That was a story that John Gibson made up, KO at the time was doing what all the journalist should have been doing and that saying that we need to stop corvering this one story aka Lewensky, and cover other stuff that is more important than a president getting unjustily impeached. So keep lying and showing why KO again is this generations Murrow. KO keep being yourself and you will always be perment on my ipod, ipad and life and will follow you anywhere, love you faults and all. Again sorry that you got unjustily fired at Current and will be pissed if you do not get the justice you rightly deserve.
I used to live in Bucks County, Pa., where Jeff Manto grew up (his father was a local magistrate), and he was a capable journeyman (his first MLB homer was in Yankee Stadium, when he played for Cleveland). Glad to see him doing well as a batting instructor, and it would be fun to see the Chisox and Nats meet in the World Series this October.
Yeah, he’s the equivalent of Edward R. Murrow. -_-
Nick
These tapes just prove that KO is this generations Murrow, keep lying about who KO is, I saw all those episodes of Coutndown and I have to laugh that you think edited tapes that even people that are not KO fans can see are editied show that KO is not a jouranlist. Keep showing Nick that you do not know what joruanlism is. You do not know what a edited tape looks like. Let go point by point and show you why you just proved that KO is this generations Murrow, number one KO was having fun with the fact that Odonell was saying that she was a witch, so KO and his guests are calling her out on it. Also Nick you and Ow do not seem to understand that even Murrow had to do a entirtainment type show, aka he had to do one that interviewed celebrites, so you and OW just showed in that segment that you have zero clue who Murrow is. Also Murrow would calling out Odonell on her stupidity. The one with Prejain KO kept calling her out on her hypocricracy, Nick I want you and OW to explain why is that only prejan was allowed to bash gays, but when a private organization was calling her out and removing her, she complains that her free speech was violated. Excuse me, the constitution aka free speech does not protect you in private settings only the government, again this is something that Mcarthy would call out. Also she lied that she never had nude photos taken of her and other stuff and used the fact that she was christain to get away with it. Wow another explain of what Murrow would call out, it called Nick hypocricracy. Palin just always says lies and made up crap like Obama going along with terroist because Obama and the former leader of the weather underground served on a board with each other, exucse me, not realizing that Obama was eight when all this was happening. Also she gets facts wrong. Levi was telling the truth about her, and again this is something that Murrow would be calling out. Murrow would be calling you and OW for posting editied tapes and trying to push that off as KO not telling the truth. Nick do you realize that people that watch this have no idea what the story that is being reported on is. This is how non-sense your post is and why you just showed me why I am right to call KO this generations Murrow.
Nick you just showed me again why I do not listen and why no one should listen to OW and just how made up and lying that website is when it comes to KO and what Countdown is.
I want Olbermann Watch and you to explain why is KO always calling out conservatives when they screw up like Bush and Iraq and the fear they use aka 911. I want you and OW to explain why KO calls Obama out when it came to his constently compromising of republicans. I want you to explain why KO was the first to talk about Occupy Wall Street and sorry do not put up that made up crap that KO already debunked about Occupy and rape. Strutan was never able to refute KO on that one, he only showed that KO was right in saying that Occupy was the victim of rape, and showing just how much of a rape apologist and expoliter of rape Strautan and big journalism are. Once again showing that he this generations Murrow. He calls out Limbuagh on his sexism and hatred, and Oreilly on his hate, and shows just how bad Fox is. Again showing Nick that he is a journalist and this generations Murrow. He talked about the war on women that conservatives have been waging again showing what real journalism is.
Nick I do not listen to website that puts out edited tapes as legit source when it comes to KO and who he is, all they do is prove my point and make me love and respect KO more. Also I do not listen to a site that takes gossip stories aka the made up stalking of women that makes no sense, because it happened after KO had made it big, meaning that he would have been all over the news at the time and KO would have a record because this is illegal, and KO has no record. This is how uncredible this site is. They spin stories that make no sense either, KO has a hard time with tranfering tax returns over state lines, aka California to New York and OW makes a big deal and even puts out stuff that any reasonable person knows makes no sense, like stuff that KO did not have to pay or got a extension on showing that he will within the law and shows zero cheating and they spin it as the opposite. OW shows they have no idea what racism is. They defend racist qutos, but they think that KO meationing that Richardson and Clinton having gracumole on the super bowl is racist. Exucse garcumole is American not Mexican like nachos is American not Mexican, and it always eaten on the day of the Super Bowel. Thier is a restrurant and even the travel channel has shown it called Chicken and waffles, KO meations it and somehow that racist. Wow OW thinks it okay for Limbuagh to call Barack the n word.
So Nick thanks for making me love and respect KO and showing that you would not know journalism if it bit you. You think that edited tapes from a discredit website is suppose to show that KO is bad. No all it shows is that KO has no idea how to lie and that you have no idea what honesty is. Thanks for showing me why KO is this generations Murrow, KO calling out stupidity aka Palin and Odonell and hypocricracy aka Prejan that is what Murrow did and that is what the fourth estate and journalism is about and why I became a fan of his. KO again I am sorry that Current treated you like crap, and will be upset if you do not get the justice you deserve for being wrongfully fired. Keep being yourself like calling out Prejan, Palin, Odonell and OW watch and showing how hateful and uncredible they are and you will always have a fan and viewer in me and show why you will always be this generations Murrow. Love you faults and all. Nick thanks for showing that you have no idea who KO is and would rather bash him with uncredible sites and editied tapes, just again showing why I will always and KO will always be this generations Murrow. Sorry you just showed how dishonesty you are and how much intergity KO has. OW is a hate site that just loves to edit tapes and show why KO is a journalist and always will be remember as this generations Murrow and just makes me love and respect him more.
Sorry meant on the tax that judges that have told him he did not have to pay, to extensions that happen all the time that gave KO more time to pay, showing that KO always follows the law when it comes to his taxes. It really made me laugh because I know that I am bad at math and I could read that stuff that OW was putting out and see that KO was paying his taxes and that he was just doing what normal people do all the time, stuff that my dad who is a account has helped people out with, including the story that OW was making a deal about. That is how dishonest this website is. Also they never have sources to back stuff up that is said, or it from other uncredible websites like newsbusters with alot of gossip sites. They only show that KO has no idea how to lie and be hateful, and all that webiste can do is hateful and dishonest. So Nick sorry but if it from OW I know that it is a lie and not to believe it, they always show why KO is this generations Murrow and just how principled he is. Keep bashing Nick that is all you know how to do.
Or I should say that gave KO the more time that he needed like other people do to pay, in all the incidents that they meation they never got that KO taxes always got paid, and that he dealt with the same issues on that everyone does, so Nick sorry OW and you just proved that KO has no idea how to be dishonest and that you have no earthly clue what journalism is. KO keep being yourself and you will always have a fan in me. Sorry that Current abused you, will be upset if you do not get the justice you so rightly deserve.
Also Nick
I call KO this generations Murrow because he tells truth to power, which he doing in these segments, but with some like the puppet hand in a funny and entertaining way, aka this generations Murrow. He also has the serious segments aka his special comments those really show why he will always be this generations Murrow, because they speak truth and also shows how principled he is and how great of a jouranlist he is. The same can be said of his worst person segment only again with a sense of humor. So again Nick I really have to laugh that you and OW think that those videos show that KO is bad, when all they do is show why KO will always be this generations Murrow, he even treated badly by mangement aka MSNBC and Current like Murrow was. Truth be told Nick you and OW would be bashing Murrow if he were alive today, espically OW because they protective the people that want to take us backwards like the teaparty and Fox, and no I do not need KO to see that, all I have to do is look at what my state aka Texas is doing to see that, and be into history to see the re-writing that is being done. I love that KO calls it out and puts out the warning just like Murrow did. So again keep proving why KO is this generations Murrow that is all those videos do.
So Nick
Keep bashing KO and putting up discredinble sites and debunk stories and spin that just show that KO is this generations Murrow and that he was unjustily fired at Current. You only make me love and respect him more.
Also sorry for all the people that are coming here to talk baseball, I enjoy reading what you write when it comes to KO and his thoughts on the sport, I really just want to come say that I enjoy KO and what he wrote and read, but the trolls that come here that just want to bash just annoy me to death.
“Al Qaeda really hurt us, but not as much as Rupert Murdoch has hurt us, particularly in the case of Fox News. Fox News is worse than Al Qaeda — worse for our society. It’s as dangerous as the Ku Klux Klan ever was.”
I’m sure (D-Klansman) Robert Byrd, AKA the former “Conscience of the Senate”, would agree with that Keith.
T on
First, I am not KO, KO always uses his name when blogging or twitting, and I am a women. I just a fan, second Byrd apologized long ago for liking the Klux Klax Klan, Thrud Strom never did, also Bryd never was a former senator. So you keep showing your dishonesty on that one. Also again that was KO telling the truth. It Fox being dishonest and playing on people’s fears, this is excatly both what the KKK and the Al qudea does. What makes it worse To n is that the pretend that they are news and also that they support a party aka conservatives going against the what the fourth esate is. Playing on hate and fear is what KKK and terroist are about, that is what FOx is about also, expect they try to disguse it as a news chanel. Why should I believe that they are a honest when they had Bush cousin working for them. When they were the biggest cheer leaders in getting us to go into a unecessary war, adverting going after Al QUeda. When the would break stories about stuff that were not even terroist attacks or had been already known and handled by authorties, basically scaring the AMerican people. So keep lying about who KO is. To n you just keep making me love KO more and more, and showing why he this generations Murrow. KO had to debunk a lot of what Fox says and tell people that they need not be fearful. To n the biggest way that you can help a terroist is being okay with taking away the freedom’s that you cherish aka the constitution and Fox was more than willing to help with that meaning that they were doing Al QUeda’s job for them. The supporting of waterboarding and other strips of the constitution that BUsh did.
They say just much hateful crap about women, blacks and other ethic groups as KKK, they were defending conservatives on thier War on Women. I have seen a lot of racist crap coming out of that station, aka the support of racial profilling when it came to Treyon case, bashing of the president. With the untrue stories of the black panthers and Acorn that was helping minorties get the the polls sorry voter fraud was never a problem and Accorn never praticed it that turned out to be lie. That thier to cover up preventing on minorties to vote, I could go on and on and they try to justify it all by calling themselves a news channel. Sorry that is worst than those two because they at least admit out front that they are about hate and fear.
So again you are showing why KO is this generations Murrow, because he not a afraid to call a spad a spad. You really again make me love and respect him more. Keep being yourself KO and you will always have a fan in me, sorry that Current abused you hope you get the justice you so rightly deserve. love you faults and all.
Keith, are you going to rename your seats “Jose Bautista’s wrist seats” instead of “Derek Jeter’s ass seats”?
Keith Obermann Sucks. He sucked at ESPN, MSNBC and his new job cleaning toilets at Yankee Stadium.
Wow Rich
Thanks for showing that you like all the other trolls here have zero clue who KO is. I do not have to be a fan to know that KO is not going to be cleaning tolliets at Yankee Staduim. This is a guy who is not in a desperate need for a job, just like he said he has all the money that he needs and can easily retire if he wanted too, the sky is the limit for KO, he can easily get another gig on TV if he wanted too, or do what I think he should do for having a mangement in getting bad bosses or like at Current incompt ones. He should just start a YOu tube channel and website and podcasts for his millions of growing viewers and fans. Keep making me love and respect KO more and more with that bashing you just did. You once again like all the other trolls here just prove my point that he will always be remebered as this generations Murrow, and why he on to bigger and better things. KO you just made me love and respect you more by saying that we should not be making Auroa political just like you did when you called out violent rheotric when it came to the shooting in Tuscion, sorry you have trolls on twitter that would rather spin and instreput what you said, because people in thier party can never be called to the mat and be held accountable for what comes out of there mouth. You do not have to be a fan to know that condoning and asking parties like the republicans to condone and force Palin and others for what they said like the bullet eyes on Palin’s website that was being used to show where republicans can gain seats, that should have been condone by the party is has nothing to do with blame. I wish that troll and that site that troll put up could please explain to me when did condone start to me blame, I thought it meant that we not praise but critize a person actions. This what KO was calling upon for republicans to condone this people in thier party for using lanuage that sounds like they are praising violence and asking them to apologize to the American people for it. He even codone and apologized for any lanuage he might have used that suggested violence and even got on Fox case for not conding in lanuage that was used like Oreilly’s Tiller the babykiller quto and have Oreilly apologize for saying that. He saying that thier a conquences when it comes to free speech and we should not using it to out qutos and other stuff that soulnds like we are praising violence anyone with logic and common sense can see that and they should be appluading it on matter where your political strips are because as Americans we should be condoning this type of lanuage from being used by anyone. He even got on and said that liberals and democrats should condone and make people apologize for any violent rheotric that they might have said. KO again I am sorry that you got unjustily fired at Current and mistreated there and I will be pissed if you do not get the justice you desrve for that. Keep being yourself and you will always have a fan in me, love you faults and all.
Congrats on the Yankees getting Ichiro.
Ouch, get well soon Jose.