Dodgers knew of Ryu Hyun-jin’s labrum tear when Ryu signing with team

Dodgers knew of Ryu Hyun-jin’s labrum tear when Ryu signing with team. May. 25, 2015 07:07. moonsy1028@gmail.com.

“I knew about the tear when I was signing with the Dodgers two years ago. Sometimes I pitched without pain but many times I pitched through the injury (with slight pain),” said LA Dodgers pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin, 28, during a press conference at the Dodgers Stadium’s press room on May 23 after having underwent his shoulder surgery. It was an honest answer but the revelation sent shockwaves through the nation.

After the press conference, the U.S. media reported focusing on the fact that Ryu and the team knew of his labrum tear. Local daily LA Times’ baseball reporter Bill Shaikin highlighted, “Ryu knew that his labrum was torn when the first MRI was taken two years ago.” It means the initial MRI the team commissioned before Ryu’s signing.

LA Times and other local press are raising doubts over why Dodgers signed with a pitcher diagnosed with labrum torn for a six-year-long contract worth USD 62 million. .

Ned Colletti, current Senior Adviser to the President and former general manager of the Dodgers who led signing with Ryu, concluded a USD 47 million deal with Jason Schmidt who had a torn rotator cuff in December of 2006. Schmidt pitched 43 and one thirds innings and won only three games. LA Times made a comparison between the two, saying, “Schmidt won three games. Meanwhile, Ryu cost USD 62 million and the Dodgers in return have so far received 344 innings and 28 wins.”

In retrospect, Dodgers may have had confidence in Ryu’s condition at that time.

The time when Ryu felt pain in his left shoulder was 2011 when he was a pitcher of Hanwha. The MRI showed signs suspicious of labrum tear. But Ryu showed great performance during his last KBO season in 2012 having a 2.66 ERA in 182 2/3 innings with a win-loss record of 9-9.

“More or less, many pitchers have problems in their labrum. Some feel pain with minor damages, some still can pitch without pain even though the labrum is already torn. Ryu have been able to pitch through the injury as his arm was limber and he had decent muscle mass,” said Dr. Han Kyung-jin at Athelet’s Village Hospital.

Dodgers knew of this fact through the MRI taken two years ago. But the team judged that the labrum would not be a big issue if provided with adequate pain treatment and rehabilitation. The decision on shoulder surgery was made because fatigue on Ryu’s shoulder had been accumulated, making it hard to restore with remedial exercise.

“I tried to manage the condition carefully. In the beginning, I decided not to undergo a surgery. However, I come to have a thought that rehabilitation would not make it better and decided to have a surgery. I will do my best for rehabilitation and management, and prepare for the next year to prevent reoccurrence of such a case,” said the 28-year-old Dodgers starter.

Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly delivered a message of hope citing trainer Stan Conte’s words, “Ryu may recover to a condition better than before after the surgery.”