The Associated Press reports that Ricky Gutierrez...

[Alex]

Gutierrez doing well after neck surgery

Friday, November 8, 2002

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Cleveland Indians second baseman Ricky Gutierrez, who underwent neck surgery to keep playing, is doing well but must wear a brace until late November, the team said Thursday.

Paddy Jarit, the Indians' director of medical services, said Gutierrez would begin physical therapy after the brace comes off. He had surgery Oct. 5 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Jarit said he was optimistic that Gutierrez would resume his career. Any limitation might involve a range of motion that Gutierrez might not even notice, Jarit said.

Gutierrez, 32, was hurt in the first week of the season while diving for a grounder but didn't reveal what doctors later diagnosed as a career-threatening injury until August. He spent the final 1? months on the disabled list.

On other injury updates, Jarit said:

-- Closer Bob Wickman is still scheduled to have elbow ligament replacement surgery in December. He's expected to miss next season.

-- Outfielder Matt Lawton, who had shoulder surgery Sept. 17, is "doing incredibly well" and should be throwing by spring training.

-- Outfielder Alex Escobar "looks very strong" after reconstructive surgery on his left knee in March. He spent months rehabilitating the knee in the weight room.

?2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

? Send This Page | ? Print This Page

[Alex]

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cle/ne..._cle&fext=.jsp

CLEVELAND -- Call it a state-of-the-injured-Indians talk, but whatever people decided to call what Paddy Jarit, the Indians director of medical services, gave Thursday night, they had to call it optimistic.

For Jarit described the off-season rehabs of several important Indians players as progressing well, saying no real surprises have cropped up. He has found nothing that might threaten the long-term recovery of these injured Indians.

He said he and his staff had been in touch with outfielder Matt Lawton, outfielder Alex Escobar, infielder Ricky Gutierrez, catcher Einar Diaz and closer Bob Wickman, and Jarit reported the following:


? Jarit on Lawton: "I just got off the phone with his physical therapist back in his hometown, and he's doing incredibly well." Jarit said Lawton should see his doctor soon and should be cleared to start throwing. Lawton, who had surgery on his right shoulder in September, has looked great, Jarit said. Lawton should be limited, though, in what he can do early in Spring Training. "Right now, we're very optimistic about Matt's return," he said.


? Jarit on Escobar: "I've personally be working with him, as well as Jim Mehalik, here in Cleveland," he said. "It's been a team effort. He's been doing exceptionally well also. He's scheduled to leave Cleveland next week to return and take care of some personal business before returning for winter ball at pretty much 100-percent effort. He looks very strong right now." Jarit said Escobar, who tore up his knee last spring, had no lingering effects from a hamstring he strained recently. The injury should not slow Escobar's preparation for Spring Training. "He should have no limitations in winter ball," Jarit said.


? Jarit on Gutierrez: "Ricky Gutierrez saw the doctor a couple of weeks ago, but really nothing has changed," Jarit said. "He's still in the neck brace." Jarit said Gutierrez, who had neck and spine surgery, will be in the brace until Nov. 20, and he will then begin therapy to strengthen his muscles around his neck and to regain his range of motion. Jarit said Gutierrez, whose type of surgery had no real track record to use as a gauge, should be able to start sports-related activity in early January. His participation in Spring Training is possible if things continue to progress. "We can't make that call at this early date," Jarit said. "But we're very optimistic."


? Jarit on Diaz: "Einar Diaz just completed a fall assignment out in Arizona, and the report back (Thursday) is that he looked 100 percent," Jarit said. "He actually worked out here with Alex on both doing some skill and position-specific activities at 100 percent, and that's how the reports came back to us." He said he didn't see Diaz, who saw a *******d elbow short-circuit his season, missing any time during Spring Training.


? Jarit on Wickman: Nothing new on Wickman, Jarit said. The veteran reliever is still scheduled to have "Tommy John" surgery in December, but no matter when Wickman had the surgery, he would have missed the 2003 season. "This is a yearlong process for the most part," Jarit said. "The timing of it will allow him back right during the time period when you'd want to see a guy back at 100 percent, plus give a guy leeway time to come in early for Spring Training for the 2004 season and be even stronger." It's a long and involved rehab for Wickman, so the delay in his surgery is not seen as an issue.

Justice B. Hill, a senior writer, covers the Indians for MLB.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.