The problems just won't stop for Braves once-prospect Jordan Schafer. The center fielder was placed on the disabled list for the Mississippi Braves today with left hand inflammation. He had been demoted from triple-A to double-A a couple of weeks ago.
Schafer had surgery on the wrist this off-season, an injury that had plagued him since early in the 2009 season and eventually led to his demotion from the Majors to the Minors, and the Braves trade for Nate McLouth. This latest injury is truly of concern as it means that Schafer may miss another half year of development. Add to that the fact that if he was injured again this year, then we really can't get a good read on what his true talent level is.
Tough break for the kid (no pun intended).
0 recs | 44 comments
I really feel bad for the kid.
Hopefully he can come back and someday make a contribution in the big leagues. Just think if he hasn’t been hurt this whole time he could have filled our weakest position, center field
bravesforever16 - August 3, 2010
Get healthy Schafer.
Letting him rest for the remainder of this season would do him good. If he is completely healthy and starts playing to his capabilities next year, when might we see him in the majors?
Braves24 - August 3, 2010
Possibly never
if he can never recover from the injury, or he could recover and not be the same player again.
bravesforever16 - August 3, 2010
indeed
missing that much playing time he would basically have to start from scratch.
At this point I’d guess he would play in some sort of winter league. After that depending on how he does place him in the minors. Prob start at Myrtle
drumzalicious - August 3, 2010
I can see a Ryan Ludwick-esque scenario...
Get to the majors, struggle/get injured, recover for a significant time, get back to playing in the minors, another injury, recover, play well, finally make it back to the big leagues.
It’s one of those things you really can’t gauge or predict, and it makes for one hell of a road back to the majors. Most players won’t make it back.
The sad part about many of these career paths is that you eventually get shipped elsewhere as a project sometime during the ordeal.
I’d love to see Schafer back in an Atlanta uniform, but I don’t think it’s going to come anytime soon. When you have a promising player with recurring injuries, they eventually get blocked as the organization struggles to fill the spot that was originally reserved for them.
-C
cthabeerman - August 3, 2010
He still is young, only 23. I was hoping he would be ready next year to start but now he needs to get everything healthy. Two or three years from now to make it back to bigs would be great. Time is still on his side
Braves24 - August 3, 2010
I, too, hope he gets better. I would love to see what he could do if healthy.
DawgB - August 3, 2010
Refresh my memory
How did he originally break his wrist?
dutchschultz - August 3, 2010
originally
was just from hitting as usual i believe but it became serious when he played through it for 2 months.So what would have been something to sideline him for 2 months has now sidelined him for what looks to be 2 years because he didnt speak up.
drumzalicious - August 3, 2010
I seem to recall that he broke after he ran into the fence chasing down a long fly ball, and then played through it for two months.
JFP - August 3, 2010
No, it was from hitting
bravesforever16 - August 3, 2010
EFFF!!!
I really miss the kid. I feel a lot of people undervalue his offense. Before he got injured he was looking great. Hitting line drives to the outfield and a couple of homers. Even more valuable was his defense. He was catching everything in CF and basically LF as well since Anderson would just guard the line. Then he would actually throw out runners.
Man i miss him.
drumzalicious - August 3, 2010
this
Before he got hurt, I really thought he could become a 20/20 guy with great defense.
Braves24 - August 3, 2010
http://mlb.mlb.com/search/media.jsp?player_id=457788
Melky wouldn’t have come within twenty feet of some of these.
dutchschultz - August 3, 2010
thx
award6 - August 3, 2010
Wow
Those make it even sadder.
joshmaurer - August 3, 2010
Yeah, he looked AWESOME for that whole week.
Definitely the kind of thing that solidifies him as an All-Star player for his career.
MichaelProcton - August 6, 2010
this is a shame
but on the bright side it proves that it was not use of PEDs (or lack thereof) that have caused his numbers to dwindle…
get healthy and productive and hopefully well see you in a year or two kid
ChitownBravos - August 3, 2010
sadly
people still claim his production was because of PEDs. Forgetting that he broke his hand the 2nd weeks of the regular season.
drumzalicious - August 3, 2010
It doesn't really prove much of anything.
MichaelProcton - August 6, 2010
I hope Schafer gets better
I had high hopes for him last year and this year. I just want him to get healthy and start hitting again.
whodat? - August 3, 2010
Damn, more bad news
I’ve been the driver of the Schafer bandwagon for years now. I was so high on him after April last year (He had a better April than Heyward did), but its been all downhill from there.
He’s got the talent. I just hope he’s able to get everything pointed in the right direction to get back to Atlanta.
ATLandUNC - August 3, 2010
Better April than Heyward?
Debatable at best. Heyward beat him in OPS and run production.
MichaelProcton - August 6, 2010
I miss his throws from CF.
MBL1 - August 3, 2010 via mobile
I have invested far too much in Schafer cards to have him flame out like this.
Take your rest and get better Jordan!
10-4 - August 3, 2010
Well, I don’t buy card for profit, but I do know this: Diversify!
cbwilk - August 3, 2010
I was worried that his wrist problems might become chronic (which isn’t proven yet, but it doesn’t look good). Too bad really.
Andy Braves Fan - August 3, 2010
Echo that...
I hate being right on this, but I remember months back (I wanna say in May when he was complaining of discomfort) thnking, and posting those thoughts here, that his wrist may not be healed and could result in reinjury becoming a major problem. I hope that’s not the case and he can come back strong after a little rest, but it’s certainly starting to look like his wrist is going to be a long term detriment to a promising young player’s career.
Mr. Sanchez - August 3, 2010
I dont want to put any blame on anyone just yet….but isnt it partially the braves trainers who should be monitoring his status….should he be playing through this pain/discomfort on an injured wrist (specifically a wrist he injured by playing through pain)…It doesnt seem to make much sense to keep sending him out there. Obviously, Jordan takes some responsibility and should know when it is too much to keep trying to play through
Swo12bv - August 3, 2010
Maybe a little
but either way, wrist injuries in hitters are like that as I understand it. Basically among the worst kind of injuries for a hitter because they don’t heal fast and they can often re-occur.
Andy Braves Fan - August 3, 2010
Perhaps...
but if they ask him if i’s hurting and he says “no”, then what? Like last year, if his wrist is hurting, at some point he has to let the staff know. Without knowing exactly how things went down, we don’t know.
Mr. Sanchez - August 3, 2010
This.
MichaelProcton - August 6, 2010
I have been saying it for a while as well
The same thought crossed my mind. “hate to say I told you so”.
Andy Braves Fan - August 3, 2010
Schafer Hurt Again...
In related news, the sun rose today.
Thrashy Thrashy - August 3, 2010
speaking as a big fan of this player and one who wants to see him succeed and become a major asset for the Braves, I do not like your comment.
If you were trying to be funny, you failed.
fandave - August 3, 2010
THIS
Swo12bv - August 3, 2010
Booooo. Your post should say “Brett Favre retired again. In related news, the sun rose today.”
MBL1 - August 3, 2010 via mobile
+1
Now T – 1 month before he unretires because he “misses the game too much”
Pavy848 - August 3, 2010
That's about what it's become.
MichaelProcton - August 6, 2010
Ryan Howard to DL
Let’s call it even? Haha
Buffalo Braves - August 3, 2010
Kid needs a break to go his way
His age might be all he has going for him right now. Bad luck and a bad decision to try to play thru the injury seems to be haunting Schafer. I hope his luck turns before the Braves give up on him. A part of me is waiting for that press release. I hope it doesn’t come to that.
bighop - August 3, 2010
As much as I hate it for him, this is his own g— d—- fault. Play through a broken wrist for two months without telling anyone and it might, just MIGHT, bother you down the road.
I love Jordan Schafer’s tools, but the kid is so stupid. If he never makes it to MLB again he’s got nobody to blame but himself and his own stupidity. It’s a shame, too, because he could have been really, really good.
PWHjort - August 4, 2010
+1
MichaelProcton - August 6, 2010
This explains a lot about his struggles at the plate this year. Really hoping he’s able to pull things together next spring.
UMDBHIK - August 4, 2010
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