Uncertainty surrounds Logan Morrison

      Caught up with Logan Morrison this morning in Delray Beach, where the Marlins' designated first baseman was putting on his annual Camp for a Cure baseball camp for kids to benefit the American Lung Association. Because Morrison is only four months removed from knee surgery, he hasn't started running and says it's possible he might not be ready by Opening Day, though he says the knee feels better now than it did a year ago when he underwent a similar -- though less involved -- repair to the right patellar tendon.

       "I'm optimistic in the fact that it doesn't hurt like it did last year," said Morrison, who never fully recovered from the initial operation, never gained 100 percent strength in the knee, and had his season end in late July when he couldn't continue any longer. "There's no pain like there was last year. There is no aching like there was last year."

       Morrison described the 2011 procedure as a "debridement." The latest surgery, he said, was a "complete repair." Despite his cautious optimism, though, Morrison isn't entirely sure if the lingering damage is so great that he'll never be the player he was before. He said that unknown is what scares him more than anything.

        "There's always that, 'Am I ever going to be the same,' in the back of my mind, so it's a little scary," Morrison acknowledged. "I'll do everything I can to help it out, bust my (butt), and if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. But at least I'll know I left it all out. I'm not thinking about that. I'm not saying I'll never be the same again. But I hope not."

        Morrison said he plans to begin running in February in order to build knee and leg strength, but will not push it like he did last year when he rushed to get ready for the season. The knee never healed properly and the problem worsened. He has not started swinging a bat, either, but doesn't believe it will take him long to get his timing back.

        "As far as knowing exactly when I'll be ready, I don't think anybody knows," he said.

        Greg Dobbs and waiver claim Joe Mahoney are next on the depth chart if Morrison isn't ready for the start of the season.

        -- Morrison said he's spoken a few times with Giancarlo Stanton, who has openly expressed his displeasure with the Marlins' salary dump. "I think when you're told one thing and something else is done, it doesn't make anybody happy," Morrison said. "It's understandable. But i think he'll be fine, and he realizes he has a job to do. He'll be fine."

        -- When Morrison's caller ID lit up with Jeffrey Loria's name two months ago, his first thought was he was being traded like everyone else. But Loria was calling to thank Morrison for not taking shots at the organization in the wake of the sell-off. "It's not like I was doing it for him," said Morrison, who has never been one afraid to express his opinion. "I'm not going to talk about it. (Stanton) already said something about it. I hit .230 last year. What am I going to say?"

        "You can't control it so why worry about it?  I still have a job to do and it doesn't change my job description. They're going to do whatever they want to do, and I'm going to play. I have to play, so it really doesn't matter what I think."

Comments

[Flav C.]

Clark,

I guess Greg Cote called you out for not voting for Conine. It would have been his lone vote for the HOF.
Obviously, Cote was just joking around.

[play ball!]

Don't worry, in a couple of weeks they'll trade him along with Stnaton.

[Nacional]

Lomo is done. He won't play a major league game again. Get Gaby back.

[Lou]

Is there anybody out there with an orthopaedic background who could comment upon if this whole thing could have somehow been botched as far as diagnosis?

[REM]

not a chance

[Stan M]

Lou, according to Flav C, his info comes from sports surgeons. At this stage, all we can do is hope. What a damn shame.

[Flav C.]

Just to clarify: He is not done as a player. But he will clearly not be the same.

A second surgery had to be done and, for the little info we obtained through the media, his patellar tendon didn't look good at all. Therefore, a more aggressive procedure had to be done.

In order to continue having a professional career, if he continues playing 1B, it will be on a limited basis, with fewer games in the season. Maybe in 2-3 years he can move to the AL and start his stint as a DH.

[petey]

2-3 yrs???...next year he'll be in KC

[richiej]

as i recall, lomo injured himself while playing the unfamiliar left field position. he ran into a couple of walls. one time after falling over, bonifacio ran out from shortstop, and accidentally stepped on his knee. coghlan also injured himself playing in the outfield. some of those great catches he made might have been routine to an experienced outfielder who would have gotten a quicker break on the ball coming off the bat.

i think the marlins management and front office is to blame. maybe the agents should have taken action but i never heard anything about that.

[Marvin Gardens]

you're right...Lomo was just too much of a clumsy oaf to be playing anywhere else but 1st base...his agents have a case against the Marlins for mistaken athletic ability. Call it Lomo the Lummox vs. Loria the Leech.

[flagstaffishfan]

He definitely doesn't sound ultra confident regarding his health. Never a good sign. But who the hell really cares anymore?

[damonk]

Where's Carlos Lee? He'd our first baseman. He hits in the clutch, something nobody else does on the team.