Norris Breaks Left Hamate Bone

[NFA Brian]

Confirming something I heard yesterday, the Nationals released the following

C Derek Norris fractured his left hamate bone while working out in the Instructional League.

He will have surgery performed by Dr. Thomas Graham in Baltimore to remove the fractured hamate bone on Thursday, October 8.

He is expected to be able to resume baseball activities in December.

[blue911]

Glad to see they didn't screw around like they did with Desmond.

[PANatsFan]

Glad to see they didn't screw around like they did with Desmond.

Or Zim.

[DPMOmaha]

What is the Hamate Bone?

[The Chief]

What is the Hamate Bone?

It's the bone that you break and when it heals, you hit 50% more homers/AB the next year

[blue911]

What is the Hamate Bone?

[DPMOmaha]

It's the bone that you break and when it heals, you hit 50% more homers/AB the next year

Doesn't that mean he should break it every year then?

[Nathan]

Doesn't that mean he should break it every year then?

They remove it.

[DPMOmaha]

They remove it.

So it's like a hand tonsil.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

It's the bone that you break and when it heals, you hit 50% more homers/AB the next year

problem is, that while you can heal enough to particpate in baseball actvities relartivley quickly, it affects your power negatively for a year or so.  Like Zimmerman, who really did not hit for power until late '08 after his off-season surgery.  My guess is you see a power drop next year from Norris.

[hammondsnats]

wow could be a lot worse.  not gonna lie i opened this thread and my eyes were moving at the speed of light trying to skip past through the injury and see how long he is out for (almost like selection sunday when you are scanning for you school's name on the tv screen).

good to hear he'll be back in 2 months, but sucks he'll miss the AFL.

[Lintyfresh85]

wow could be a lot worse.  not gonna lie i opened this thread and my eyes were moving at the speed of light trying to skip past through the injury and see how long he is out for (almost like selection sunday when you are scanning for you school's name on the tv screen).

I'm a UVA fan. I don't know that feeling.

[PANatsFan]

By the way, Lodson's facebook update calls him "Morris"

[Minty Fresh]

So it's like a hand tonsil.

   

I actually broke that bone and had it removed when I was 11.

[PatsNats28]

By the way, Lodson's facebook update calls him "Morris"

I'm shocked Lodson has a Facebook

[blue911]

   

I actually broke that bone and had it removed when I was 11.

By inference does that mean Norris will never hit another home run?

[PANatsFan]

By inference does that mean Norris will never hit another home run?

He has a future as an elbow model.

[tomterp]

problem is, that while you can heal enough to particpate in baseball actvities relartivley quickly, it affects your power negatively for a year or so.  Like Zimmerman, who really did not hit for power until late '08 after his off-season surgery.  My guess is you see a power drop next year from Norris.

Agreed.  Also, file that "wrist sheath" thing that David Ortiz and Nick Johnson had, under the same power drop category.

[blue911]

I didn't notice any power drop in Zimmerman. He had his normal sucky April but was fine until he had the SLAP tear in June.

[DPMOmaha]

Are you talking about this year?  He definitely did not suck in April

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Here is a nice Wiki on the hamate.  The references under the discussion of baseball players are pretty good.  In particular, #2 is a John Manuel article from 2004 discussing the injuries significance.  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamate_bone
As for Zimmerman, Blue, I think the lack of an apparent power drop was more the effect of the hamate removal offsetting an increase in power due to his getting stronger at that age.  In other words, he would have / should have been even better last year but for the injury.  I think some of the projection systems had him as due for a step up in 2008 that did not happen in part due to the injury.

[Minty Fresh]

By inference does that mean Norris will never hit another home run?

He has a future as an elbow model.

[PANatsFan]

Here is a nice Wiki on the hamate.  The references under the discussion of baseball players are pretty good.  In particular, #2 is a John Manuel article from 2004 discussing the injuries significance. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamate_bone
As for Zimmerman, Blue, I think the lack of an apparent power drop was more the effect of the hamate removal offsetting an increase in power due to his getting stronger at that age.  In other words, he would have / should have been even better last year but for the injury.  I think some of the projection systems had him as due for a step up in 2008 that did not happen in part due to the injury.

Ugh, ulnar nerve pain is the worst.

[blue911]

Here is a nice Wiki on the hamate.  The references under the discussion of baseball players are pretty good.  In particular, #2 is a John Manuel article from 2004 discussing the injuries significance. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamate_bone
As for Zimmerman, Blue, I think the lack of an apparent power drop was more the effect of the hamate removal offsetting an increase in power due to his getting stronger at that age.  In other words, he would have / should have been even better last year but for the injury.  I think some of the projection systems had him as due for a step up in 2008 that did not happen in part due to the injury.

That's possible and it was his left wrist. But it's hard to quantify an expected power increase.

[houston-nat]

So it's like a hand tonsil.