Comments on: Dr. Frank Jobe: ‘It could have been Sandy Koufax surgery’

By: professor59

professor59 — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 21:06:49 +0000

Eh, Johnny Unitas did as much with more damage.

Basically, the economics of the game did not allow for that surgery to be used yet. Once the pitchers started getting paid millions, experimental surgeries became worthwhile options.

By: jolt12

jolt12 — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 21:08:55 +0000

That’s an good & interesting speculation. I, too, (all of us–it’s been the official story) had believed it was an arthritic condition. I have an occasion/chronic joint flare up and the cortisone shot is the single most painful thing I’ve endured. But it’s effective. The choice of skipping the shot and enduring the joint pain or enduring the shot pain for relief from the inflammation is a tough one every time.

By: gloccamorra

gloccamorra — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 18:49:36 +0000

I have a hard time believing Koufax could have put up those numbers with a torn UCL like Tommy John’s, and throwing 100 mph. Koufax was reported to have severe arthritis in his elbow causing inflammation, and he got tired of having a cortisone injection in the elbow every four days, 41 times his last season. Now I’m beginning to believe UCL damage is being over-diagnosed today and too many TJ surgeries might be being performed. If there’s a tear in the UCL, yes; if a partial tear, maybe; if there’s no tear but fraying/wear/another condition, hold on a minute.

By: 1historian

1historian — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 14:10:19 +0000

27-9, 1.73 E.R.A, 317 strikeouts in 323 innings.

Talk about going out on top.

By: jolt12

jolt12 — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 12:55:50 +0000

That’s one of the most momentous “what if”s I’ve had in a while.
Every time I google up Koufax stats to refresh my memory before going off to bore some young ‘uns with stories about his amazing career I get stopped in my tracks with the reminder of how in-his-prime he was when he walked away.
I’d never known that his condition was of the TJ kind.

By: cogitobaseballergosum

cogitobaseballergosum — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 07:21:23 +0000

This is especially ironic given Tommy John’s quote that he asked the doctor to put in a Koufax fastball, but unfortunately it turned out to be Mrs. Koufax’s.

By: Kevin S.

Kevin S. — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 04:40:53 +0000

Maybe it’s a good thing he didn’t figure it out sooner. We tend to take it for granted now, but there’s no way of knowing if somebody else would have come back from it as successfully as John did, and if it was seen as something that didn’t work, maybe the procedure never takes off and we never get to see all the careers saved by it. Even with a DeLorean, I don’t think I’d explain it to 1965 Frank Jobe. Doesn’t seem like it’d be worth the risk.

By: aceshigh11

aceshigh11 — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 02:32:01 +0000

Fascinating story, and I agree 100% with yahmule’s comments.

By: yahmule

yahmule — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 02:19:56 +0000

Obviously, more seasons of the great Sandy Koufax would have been wonderful, but this amazing medical pioneer should have no regrets.