Astros' Berkman to have Knee Surgery, Could Miss Opener

[Guest GCMPats]

[size=12pt]Astros' Berkman to have knee surgery, could miss opener[/size]

By ZACHARY LEVINE
Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle
March 12, 2010, 1:44PM





KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Astros first baseman Lance Berkman will require surgery to remove loose particles from his left knee and could miss opening day.


Berkman was examined today by team physician Dr. David Lintner, who was making his scheduled trip to the Astros’ spring training complex.

“Dr. Lintner hopes to have the procedure done tomorrow in Kissimmee,” general manager Ed Wade said. “You’re probably looking at a two-to-four-week time frame.”

The 34-year-old Berkman suffered the contusion in a baserunning drill two weeks ago and was forced to miss the Grapefruit League opener.

“When the diagnosis was a contusion, the hope was that it would resolve non-surgically,” Wade said.

Berkman had the knee drained twice before the appointment, but it continued to swell.
“It’s not a sharp pain,” Berkman said before his mid-day appointment with Lintner at Osceola County Stadium. “It’s just an achy constant thing.”

Wade said that surgery could not have followed right away after the initial MRI because Berkman was still waiting for an external bruise to heal on that knee, and a surgical procedure would have presented an infection risk.

Berkman departed the Astros clubhouse after telling reporters in the early afternoon that he would learn more later in the day. An attempt to reach him after the revelation of planned surgery was not immediately successful.

In other Astros news, Alberto Arias saw Lintner and received no diagnosis other than some inflammation in his strained trapezius. Wade hopes he can begin throwing tomorrow.

The Astros' game at Toronto in Dunedin, Fla. was rained out, making the second consecutive cancellation.

[ForeverADog]

Looks to the start of another great Astros season..