AARON JUDGE FELT A “CRACK” AND “POP”

Source: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.

Casey said it Friday in AARON JUDGE OUT!

"...the bigger question for me is how in the world does it take this long to find this out? I mean, who's in charge in the Yankees medical office that can't diagnose this correctly until now?"

I am just as baffled as you as I read this line in Newsday on Saturday morning.  So, if Aaron Judge felt this "crack and pop" back in September, why did it take the Yankees medical staff six months to diagnose their star right-fielder's nagging injury.  Is this malpractice?  Negligence? Or are these doctors just not the best that the most storied franchise sports team can get?

Source: Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

"Judge knew there was damage back then, but he did what players do at that time of year on playoff-bound teams. He got whatever pain-dulling, anti-inflammatory shots he could get and gutted his way through the end of the ALCS," reported Newsday.  But when the Yankees didn't cross over to the World Series, Judge went home to "rest"?

“I think the consistent swinging and weightlifting throughout the whole offseason really didn’t give it the chance to [heal],” Judge said Friday. “If somebody breaks their leg and they’re in a cast, they’re immobilized for a couple of weeks or months .  .  .   You give the bone a chance to heal,” said Judge.

Source: CBS Sports

And you can't ignore the fact that if Judge did in fact get the correct diagnosis after experiencing the "crack and pop," he likely would have rested, recovered and he would not be sitting around waiting to see if he needs to have surgery or worse, sit out 2020.

Here's the question I have, is it a coincidence that three of the Yankees best are all down with injuries ahead of spring training?  I mean first it was James Paxton, then it was Luis Severino and now Aaron Judge?  Coincidence?  I don't think so.

Source: NJ.com

"Why not just do all these other super-tests from the jump, like back in November, when Judge and Severino still were hurting for unknown reasons? The winter is the time to get this stuff taken care of so you don’t have to sweat Opening Day or the first half or maybe wiping out an entire season. Instead, the Yankees let this stuff snowball right into spring training," reported Newsday.

Fans expect more from the Yankee medical staff but even beyond that, if something doesn't feel right, listen to your body.  Don't keep pushing yourself harder when in fact, your body is telling you it needs a break.  I get that everyone wants to be bigger and stronger than last season.  I want the same for my own running game, but the fact of the matter is that rest and recovery is just as important as hard work as the image above represents.  Let's hope the Yankees get that kind of medical counsel as well as pedigree this season so we can all avoid taking "crack and pop" for granted.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof