Morneau cautious about lingering concussion issues
Twins’ first baseman and feared cleanup hitter hasn’t been the same since being injured during a 2010 game in Toronto
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Justin Morneau arrived at spring training for the Minnesota Twins hopeful that his concussion issues are finally behind him. However, the former AL MVP isn’t making any guarantees because he knows he doesn’t have many more treatment and recovery periods left in him.
Morneau, a native of New Westminster, has missed 174 games over the past two seasons, mostly because of concussions. The slugging first baseman remains optimistic that he will return as a clubhouse leader and force in the middle of the lineup. But he is realistic about the ramifications if his concussion issues linger.
“I don’t think there will be a career if it’s something I’m dealing with ( for the long term),” Morneau said Friday before the Twins held their first full- squad workout of spring training. “That’s the reality of the whole thing. I’m obviously not going to continue to mess around with this if it continues to be a problem.
“There comes a point where you can only torture yourself for so long. It’s something I love to do but you keep preparing and you keep being left out. That’s something that nobody wants to go through.”
Morneau also missed games over the last two years with neck, back, right knee, left foot and left wrist injuries, but said he wasn’t worried about those holding him back. He’s still gaining some strength in his wrist after surgery and has some numbness in the index finger on his left hand from a neck procedure. But he expects both conditions to improve this spring.
He’s dropped some weight with a change in his diet, reducing the stress on his ankles and knees. Morneau said he feels strong enough to go through all of the workouts without limitations.
It’s the concussions that concern him. He was hit in the head while sliding into second base at Toronto on July 7, 2010, and missed almost all of the rest of that season while recovering. Then the symptoms resurfaced last season. He hit .227 with four homers and 30 RBIS in 69 games last season, and needed four surgeries — on his neck, wrist, foot and knee.
Coming off a 99- loss season, the Twins missed their franchise cornerstone, clubhouse leader and feared cleanup hitter. He was hitting .345 with 18 homers and 56 RBIS when he went down in Toronto, and he hasn’t been the same since.
“It is definitely good to see him here walking around,” centrefielder Denard Span said.
Morneau did say that he feels much better entering spring this season than he did last year. He’s got support from his wife and advice from athletes who’ve had concussions.
He prepared for the season with a full slate of baseball activities this winter.
“I feel like I was able to do enough this winter to be prepared. If something goes wrong or if something isn’t right it is not because I’m prepared or didn’t put the work in.”