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Season in Jeopardy
On Friday, April 19th, just six weeks before opening day, MLW Commissioner
Shaun Breen suffered a knee injury while playing third base in a co-ed
softball practice. The left-handed Breen dove to his right for a ground ball and felt a tear in his left knee.
While there won't be an official report until Monday at the earliest, Breen thinks the injury will bring an end
to his softball season, and could cause him to miss a portion, if not all of the 2002 MLW season.
Breen was able to leave the field under his own power, and even went back out onto the field where he joined
the outfielders catching fly balls, but it was obvious that he was in pain. He walked slowly, with a
noticeable limp, and only caught balls that were hit directly at him.
When asked if he thought he'd be able to play wiffleball this year, Breen responded by saying, "Maybe. I hope
so. But if I need surgery, probably not."
After resting for a day, walking hasn't been much of a problem for Breen, but his knee has a limited range of
motion. It will not bend or extend as far as a healthy knee should. Breen also said that there's a numbing
feeling around the knee, and that the worst pain comes from tightness on both sides of the knee.
Breen decided to take on softball in addition to wiffleball this year. He was scheduled to play in two
softball leagues, but now it's doubtful he'll play in either.
In May 1998, Breen suffered a similar injury while playing first base in a softball tournament at St.
Bonaventure University, the alma mater of MLW players
Eric Coons and
Paul Wheeler. In that game, a ground ball was hit to the shortstop. When he fired it over to first
base, Breen stretched out for the ball as far as he could, but unfortunately the runner was safe. When
straightening out to throw the ball back to the pitcher, Breen's left knee popped. Breen had to be carried off
the field. There was no ice on the field, but he kept the swelling down with full beer cans and the
remainder of a Slush Puppie given to him willingly by an attractive female that attended SBU. Breen kept the pain to a
minimum by drinking 18 beers over the next several hours. He did not drink the Slush Puppie.
Breen was told by the muddled St. Bonaventure EMT staff
that he hyper-extended his knee. After seeing his doctor and having X-rays taken and an MRI performed, Breen
learned that he broke off a one inch piece of bone and cartilage from his knee, dislocated his knee, and tore
several tendons by stretching them twice as far as they're supposed to stretch. A few weeks later, Breen had arthroscopic
surgery to repair the knee. The chip of bone and cartilage was removed, the knee was reset, and the tendons were cut in half and
reattached. He followed this up with seven weeks of physical therapy. He was walking normal again by
late-July, but was never back to 100%.
While he's not a doctor, Breen is guessing that this time he also suffered tendon damage. He also pointed out
that his knee is pushed out slightly further than before, and is about the size of a wiffleball, so it may be
dislocated again, too, but the damage isn't as bad as the last time.
There will be more to come on this story in the next several days, but for now, Breen
is listed as questionable for opening day (June 2nd).
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