Reese Havens Reveals Offseason Rib Surgery

by Rob Castellano on Feb 14, 2011 12:39 PM EST

After arriving to camp this morning, Mets 2008 first rounder and top prospect 2B Reese Havens revealed to Adam Rubin that he underwent offseason surgery about eight weeks ago to relieve pressure on his oblique. The talented, yet oft-injured Havens missed the final three months of 2010 with a re-aggravation of an old oblique injury.

Specifically, Havens had an inch shaved off of one of his ribs after he was diagnosed with 'Rib-Tip Syndrome' where (you guessed it) the tip of the rib was causing irritation to the oblique. A specialist at the Birmingham, AL clinic of noted sports surgeon Dr. James Andrew performed the procedure.

This is interesting news since the last time we saw Havens, Mets officials had dismissed the idea of offseason surgery; although that was back surgery. Who knows if this will solve Havens' injury problems but at the very least Havens has stated that he feels great and has already begun hitting and other baseball activities. Slated to start back in Double-A Binghamton, Havens' health status bears watching as one of the biggest topics in the Mets farm system coming into 2011.

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Is this the same surgery Marilyn Manson had?

by pologroundling on Feb 14, 2011 12:41 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

haha

and Maynard James Keenan, supposedly

My 6-year old daughter even hates the Ravens.

by SundaysWithTroy on Feb 14, 2011 7:11 PM EST up reply actions

Tool and APC, both excellent bands

Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?

by KeithsMoustache on Feb 14, 2011 10:08 PM EST up reply actions

two of my favorite

My 6-year old daughter even hates the Ravens.

by SundaysWithTroy on Feb 15, 2011 12:59 AM EST up reply actions

Too bad Omar's not around to cause a big pseudocontroversey...

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

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by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 14, 2011 12:42 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Or Jerry -- "Rib Tip Syndrome"?

That’s poor, Reese.

My wife's name is Mrs. Coleman and she likes me, Bub.

by Ownbey4Mex on Feb 14, 2011 3:19 PM EST up reply actions

Reese's ribs

are in the least irritating shape of their life.

by Sokojoe on Feb 14, 2011 1:20 PM EST reply actions 5 recs

Is Havens sufficiently recovered from surgery?

Or will he miss the beginning of the season?

"The Mets are gonna be amazin'!" - Casey Stengel
"Bounding and astounding!" - Clyde Frazier

by Russ on Feb 14, 2011 1:27 PM EST reply actions

havens

he’s stated that he plans to be ready for spring training so i take that to mean he’ll be ready to start the season as well.

by Rob Castellano on Feb 14, 2011 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

Lets hope this keeps him healthy for a whole season

so he can develop properly.

Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?

by KeithsMoustache on Feb 14, 2011 1:37 PM EST reply actions

Info Control

Kudos to the new regime for keeping us wolves out of the loop on this. Would we fans and the media have made more out of this than is necessary had we known about it over the winter? I’m wagering “yes” as my answer. As it is, the guy is in ST and swinging a baseball bat. All is well.

by ng607 on Feb 14, 2011 2:55 PM EST via mobile reply actions 1 recs

Shaving ribs

is false hustle.

My wife's name is Mrs. Coleman and she likes me, Bub.

by Ownbey4Mex on Feb 14, 2011 3:18 PM EST reply actions

If he was a real man

He’d do it himself with a razor

Squeezed to Song and Bendtner and Song and Nasri oh lovely lovely lovely!
-Peter Drury, the one time his commentating has ever been acceptable.

by Aidan Gibson on Feb 14, 2011 5:29 PM EST up reply actions

A real man would play with his rib protruding out of his skin.

by EtSuKe on Feb 14, 2011 8:12 PM EST up reply actions

this is potentially pretty huge.

by ThnkGoodnessforHowieRose on Feb 14, 2011 5:10 PM EST reply actions

I'm hopeful

that this makes the recurring oblique injury a thing of the past. Very strange surgery, though. I’ve never heard anything like this before. I suppose it’s great that he’s already swinging a bat.

Is there a precedent for this kind of surgery in baseball?

by TheBigStapler on Feb 14, 2011 5:44 PM EST up reply actions

Is there any chance he makes it up to the bigs this season?

by fingertoes on Feb 14, 2011 6:18 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Yes, at least for a cup of coffee

If he starts is AA and rocks, Havens will probably get a mid-season promotion to AAA.

If Havens’ AA numbers are off the charts, he could get to Buffalo a bit earlier. If he destroys AAA, and no one in producing at 2B for the Mets, there is an outside shot that Havens will be in Flushing before the rosters expand to 40 men.

"The Mets are gonna be amazin'!" - Casey Stengel
"Bounding and astounding!" - Clyde Frazier

by Russ on Feb 14, 2011 6:43 PM EST up reply actions

Not to mention he's Rule V eligible after this season

so they have to add him to the 40 man regardless. Might as well get him some big league time in September if they’re going to add him anyway.

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by Steve Schreiber on Feb 14, 2011 7:10 PM EST up reply actions

I thought you got minor leaguers for 5 years before they had to be put on the 40 man?

and 6 years for guys under 18 I think?

by FrancoTAU on Feb 15, 2011 4:44 PM EST up reply actions

Nope...

players who were signed at age 19 or older and have been in the organization for four years are eligible for the Rule V draft. For players 18 and under, they get five years in the organization.

2011 will be his fourth season with the Mets.

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!

by Steve Schreiber on Feb 15, 2011 7:50 PM EST up reply actions

Ah wow, so what was the big change that nerfed Rule V drafts years ago?

I thought they bumped it up to 5 years service time in the minors which is why we don’t get Johan, Uggla, Victorino types anymore.

by FrancoTAU on Feb 15, 2011 10:46 PM EST up reply actions

did someone say rib tips?

griswolds in east st louis

HELLO HELLO MR WILPON... BUY THAT MANSION. WE DONT NEED A CONDO.

by kendynamo on Feb 14, 2011 6:24 PM EST reply actions

Don't forget

"The Mets are gonna be amazin'!" - Casey Stengel
"Bounding and astounding!" - Clyde Frazier

by Russ on Feb 14, 2011 6:47 PM EST up reply actions

I'd have to imagine that this place has good ribs...

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!

by Steve Schreiber on Feb 14, 2011 7:11 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

good ribs, real good ribs. They represent 10 of my 305 pounds.

by Sylow59 on Feb 14, 2011 8:59 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

haha

by Airfeet on Feb 14, 2011 9:27 PM EST up reply actions

Reese in AA

means the Buffalo infield might be Lutz at third, Rubes at short, Turner / Russ Adams at second and Duda / Stinson at first. Not sure where Valdespin winds up.

by CatchDog on Feb 15, 2011 11:03 AM EST reply actions

Supposedly I've heard that

Valdespin also goes to Binghamton and plays SS down there. He struggled in his short time in Binghamton even though he put up solid numbers in the AFL later on.

It’s really nice to have this problem for once…having to keep prospects down a level (or at the appropriate level) because there are too many quality prospects instead of having to push them up a level because there are too few good prospects and there aren’t any decent retreads available on the market.

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!

by Steve Schreiber on Feb 15, 2011 2:21 PM EST up reply actions