As for the worst-case scenario, Santana throws on Sunday, still feels the elbow and the Mets finally decide to send him back to New York for tests. Santana said minutes ago that the elbow still is tight -- he's been told it's the triceps tendon behind the elbow -- and he is considering the possibility that Opening Day might now be questionable for him."We have 162 games," Santana said. "What we have to accomplish takes 162 games. Everything starts April 6, if it's going to be me or somebody else. It's tough to say right now."
I've been shaking off the pushed back starts, but now there is cause for concern. The ace just got out of an almost hour long meeting with the GM and manager regarding a plan of action, and is indicating that he may not start opening day. Yikes.
According to a few sports journals I've been reading this morning since finding the spot of the injury, the triceps tendon can become inflamed by overdoing weights or falling abruptly on your hands. When the tendon becomes ruptured it needs to be surgically reinserted to the elbow. From that point the elbow needs to remain immobilized for 3-4 weeks. Only then can rehab resume.
If this is a distinct possibility, I think it's in the best interest of the organization to get him to New York for some MRI's now. Injuries such as this are better treated when caught and acted upon swiftly.
Update: 10:50am
Found a great article regarding the surgical procedure and more for a ruptured triceps tendon on a USC blog Conquest Chronicles, a SB Nation site. You can read it here.
Image by Daily News photographer Howard Simmons
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