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11/17/17

DAVID RUBIN: TRAINER? TRAINER? BUELLER?



How many of us remember the first time we had to look for a new doctor, whether because of changing health plans or moving to a new town? I had to do it first when my original adult doctor retired; again, when I moved to California 25 years ago; and, recently, when my long-time doctor decided that he couldn't make enough money anymore seeing patients under new health plans and methods of payment and so he became a high-paid medical consultant for a hospital group in Arizona. Thankfully, I was able to find an even better replacement, but sadly that's not always the way it happens. In fact, I have been through multiple chiropractors, urologists, Gastroenterologists, orthopedists, eye doctors, etc...and even with that amazing invention they call the "internet" it's still a major crap-shoot when you start seeing a doctor, much like going on a blind-date. Doctor care in general has changed completely from the days when a physical consisted of a full 30-45 minute full body examination, as today it's more of a cough, listen to your breathing, how are you feeling, quick diagnosis and prescribe pills, creams and the like, then wash, rinse and repeat. If you're lucky, like I am right now, you find a doctor who is incredibly caring, thorough and follows through, but that's more often not the case any longer. In fact, I have a friend who told me recently that he's been through NINE GP's in the last 5 years because he just cannot find someone who meets all of his needs, including being on his current (new) healthcare plan! 

By now, you're asking, "David- what in Hera's name does this have to do with the New York Mets- the team you are writing about?!"



Well, it came as a pleasant surprise at the end of the season to a very angry fan-base when GM Sandy Alderson announced that the team's entire training staff was being let go (save for consultant Mike Barwis- UGH!!!) and that Sandy would bring the team's training and physical fitness methods up to speed with the methodologies of other clubs who have been far more successful in keeping their players on the field.

Now, of course, there are no "magic bullets" to be purchased here that will ensure that we won't have another outbreak of catastrophic injuries next year, but the odds, seemingly, MUST be in our favor, at the very LEAST having only HALF as many injuries (although of course I'm praying, as all of us are, for a complete return to health for the entirety of our injured and under-performing starting staff). It's reassuring to know that Sandy is FINALLY going to bring the team's training methods and staff up to the standards that teams like the Red Sox, Dodgers and Indians have set (or at least one hopes), but the biggest questions I have from the aftermath of the announcement that he was making the change were:

1.) How long has Sandy been working on this change, was it an all year process, has he consulted with fellow GM's who have been more successful with their training/medical processes and has he already interviewed replacements? 

and

2.) How many hires will it take until he finds the right combo of training teams and methodologies before true change not only happens but brings the team to the cutting edge of methods and procedures? Will they purchase advanced medical equipment (like MRI and Cat-Scan eq to have on-site at their Port St Lucie and Queens compounds)? Will they make the right choice from the get-go, and if not, are they going to be willing to move on quickly until they DO find that right combo of trainers and methods?

At one point, my favorite doctor was only working out of a less-than-favorite hospital, and due to outcry from his patients he ended up applying to and be accepted at a far more high quality hospital, It was a combo of listening to his "constituency" and convincing the appropriate people that he could bring added value to the newly chosen hospital. It worked out well for the 15 years he remained there, and those of us who actually had to spend any time in the new hospital were VERY happy that the change had been made and benefited all of us. 

I can only hope that Sandy will make the right selection right out of the gate; that the team will spend the money necessary to update their training and evaluation methods to those of the more successful organizations in the league; and that the end result will be that the team's health will be the beneficiary, which then, of course, trickles out to the fan-base in spades!!!!

Fingers crossed- oh, and by the way- can one of our more tech-savy readers block the team's internet from being able to access WebMD???? Just in case...

19 comments:

  1. There's an area here in South Carolina, along Interstate I95, between Ridgeland, SC and the state line of Georgia, that over 25 people have been killed when either their truck or car ran off the road and crashed into the tall, thick truck trees in the divider between the highway.

    They are cars up to 18 wheelers...and every drive has died without a tire skid mark, a brake mark, or a survivor witness.

    So...

    The State of South Carolina is now cutting down all those trees after countless local stories have bee written about the possibility that the area is... haunted... and ghosts are pulling the cars and trucks into head on crashes with the trees.

    Point being made...

    Cut the tress down!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How is the lighting Mack? Blaming the trees is a shame.

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  2. Mack- The real reason they cut down those trees? They couldn't see the forest for them!!!😂😂😂 - rimshot! Tip your waitresses everyone- two shows nightly- try the veal!

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  3. David, Sandy just called me and asked for the name of your doctor. He's the one this team really needs!

    If somehow this org could cut its injury time in half thru truly professional health regimens, it could make all the difference, majors and minors.

    I am still astonished that their laissez-faire approach to Dom Smith's weight and conditioning ended up with an unsuccessful debut and probable diminished value. I think had he come to the Mets 20 pounds lighter, the results would have been different. Carrying around that extra sack of potatoes has to be detrimental to a guy's success almost every time.

    Mack, drive safely :)

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    Replies
    1. I can name many fat successful players. Let’s not all be experts on anatomy.

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  4. I'd be impressed if they went to WebMD. I am thinking in the past they were more of the late night infomercial kind of health cures that might involve the handling of serpents or magic blessed water in a bottle.

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  5. the RosterResource.com site as DL Tracker. Mets topped the list with a "Roster Effect Rating" of 9.64 (from a total of 28 DL stints).

    Not surprising but are the Dodgers, #2 at 8.58 (38), and the Red Sox #4 at 7.65 (27) our role models? The Indians did seem healthier at #20 (4.62/22) and the Cubs were downright Spartan at #28 (2.37 in 12 DL stints)... or lucky.

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  6. Reese-😂😂😂😂😂- Brings me back to the old Big Audio Dynamite song Medicine Show! Whatever you got it will cure your ills!

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  7. Hobie- those ratings penalized teams like the Dodgers and Red Sox for carrying a lot of older players on the roster who were barely used like Sandoval, Ethier, Gonzalez, etc. Dodgers KNEW that they were filling their pitching staff with injury prone arms which is why they had so many of them.

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  8. When I say barely used I'm not talking about sitting on the bench, I'm talking about being barely used because they're on the disabled list just for clarification.

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  9. Tom -

    I write all the time about people like Dom Smith, that are tagged as a 'can't miss' prospect.

    Just finished writing something on today's Hot Stove post about 'can't miss' prospect RHP Deck McGuire, who duded out after the A+ level.

    Every 'can't miss' prospect doesn't 'can't miss'.

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  10. Give these bums a couple of aspirin and tell them to get back on the field! LOL

    Mack, I still think Smith could be quite good IF he can keep himself trimmed down and in tip top shape and IF he can get more of a play-ball mean streak. Nice guys finish last.

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  11. Tom -

    Sit Dom down and tell him he gets 500 at-bats in 2018.

    Take the pressure off and give the kid his chance.

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  12. Mack, Smith's problem in 2018 is that the Mets may really want to minimize uncertainties and really push for the playoffs in 2018 - and Smith's results were laden with uncertainty. If we expected to win 70 next year, playing Smith 500 ABs would be a no-brainer. But if he hits .220, it could well cost them the playoffs.

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  13. Repeat after me...Mike Schmidt hit .196 as a rookie. A-Rod hit .204 as a rookie. 2 months does not a career make.

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  14. Replies
    1. Prince Fielder?
      Tony Gwynn?
      John Kruk?

      Those come to mind immediately. Good MLB players, right? Let's not forget that Smith has hit everywhere and is ranked in the top 100 MLB prospects. Give him two months, he bombs, put Flores there and get someone else. How hard would it be to find a first baseman, the easiest position to fill? There seems to be a oversaturation of the market with them.

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  15. Great article by John Harper today about how the Mets are addressing the injury situation and other tidbits:
    http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/mickey-callaway-leading-charge-mets-injury-prevention-methods-article-1.3642915

    ReplyDelete