The 2012 MLB playoffs are well underway. Even though the division series just ended, this postseason is shaping up to be a very exciting one. Unfortunately the Chicago White Sox, who fell short of the postseason, are watching from home this year as the final four teams (Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants) battle it out in what baseball fans call the best month of the year.
The Captain underwent successful wrist surgery
Last week, the White Sox announced that first baseman Paul Konerko underwent successful surgery on his left wrist. The procedure was done to remove a loose fragment from his wrist that had been bothering him since 2008. Over the last few years, Konerko has missed a few games here and there to have the fragment flushed to a less painful spot. Last year, he decided to not have surgery because he felt that the situation was under control. When the fragment in his wrist started to bother him again this year he decided to have surgery immediately after the season was over.
The 36-year-old first baseman hit .298 with 26 home runs and 75 RBI in 144 games this season. According to MLB.com, the 14-year Sox veteran is one hit away from tying Frank Thomas for third place in franchise history with 2,136 hits. Konerko is expected to make a full recovery by the beginning of spring training.
Starting pitcher John Danks, another one of the South Side’s star players, is also recovering from his Aug. 6 shoulder surgery. After initially injuring his left shoulder against the Cubs in May, Danks went through extensive rehab up until August when the surgery was finally preformed. The successful arthroscopic surgery repaired a capsular tear and minor debridements of the rotator cuff and biceps.
Danks’ post-surgery rehab has become much easier than the three-month period after hurting his shoulder, where the rehab wasn’t helping his situation. In an interview with MLB.com, Danks said, “There was definitely a lot of soul searching and times where I hated baseball.”
“There were times where I couldn’t wait to get to the field to try to word hard at it. There were times I dreaded coming to the field.”
Since his August surgery, Danks has been feeling better and is rehabbing his shoulder. He hopes that by Nov. 1 he will be able to start throwing. If so, he should be back on the mound at the start of spring training.
It is still too early to tell where free agency will take some of the Sox’s key players. In a perfect world, the core of the Sox’s lineup would stay the same so they could make a strong comeback in 2013. Sadly, some of the players are bound to be split up. Fortunately, there is a lot of young talent on the South Side, especially in the bullpen. With one season already under their belts, rookie relief pitchers Nate Jones and Addison Reed are both looking forward to having even better sophomore seasons. They both will be back in the bullpen for the Sox in 2013.
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