Beck opts for surgery to address aneurysm
Pitcher expected to make a full recovery
Walking along the outfield concourse of Salt River Fields on Thursday, wearing a T-shirt and shorts with two hot dogs in hand, Tristan Beck did not look like a man who had recently been informed of a potentially serious medical condition.
Yes, the first thing the San Francisco Giants right-hander did after learning he had an aneurysm in his arm, that he wouldn't pitch again anytime soon, and that he would undergo surgery in the coming days, was attend a baseball game. He smiled as he strolled past a contingent of somewhat surprised reporters.
“It was wonderful,” Beck said Friday morning. “You start doing this long enough, you realize you just haven't been to a baseball game in a long time.”
Speaking from the Giants' clubhouse, Beck seemed at peace with the diagnosis and treatment plan. Dr. Jason Lee, the same vascular specialist at Stanford who identified the damage to his artery, will perform a localized procedure Monday, from which they expect Beck to make a full recovery.
While they will have a better idea of a rehab timeline following the operation, Beck said he expects to pitch again this season. The typical recovery from a similar surgical intervention, according to UCSF orthopedic surgeon Dr. Nirav Pandya, is usually about three months before accounting for the build-up required for a starter's workload.
“You hear that word, it certainly gets your attention,” manager Bob Melvin said. “But I think he's in a good place right now. …
“I think (after) reading about some of the guys that have had this too, there's probably some relief in knowing that if you get this taken care of right you can be as good if not better than ever.”
The Yankees' David Cone is one historical example of a pitcher who dealt with a similar issue and didn't experience any lasting effects. Cone missed four months in 1996, then pitched another six seasons, making two All-Star teams. Through his brother, a minorleaguer in the Yankees' system, Beck is also familiar with a more contemporary example, catcher Gregory Glass, who was also operated on by Lee and was back on the field in less than three months.
“Luckily we caught it pretty early,” Beck said, calling it “textbook” work by the Giants' medical staff.