Matt Holliday to Undergo AppendectomyArchived Message
Posted by sleuth on April 1, 2011, 1:48 pm
Matt Holliday to undergo appendectomy
BY JOE STRAUSS | Posted: Friday, April 1, 2011 12:42 pm
Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday will undergo an appendectomy today.
Holliday, who hit a solo home run in the opener, went home after the 5-3 extra-inning loss to the Padres and began feeling pain.
General manager John Mozeliak said the club will not make any roster moves in the next 24 hours, preferring to hear first from doctors about how the surgery went and the extent of the procedure necessary.
"We'll make a determination. It could be something like six or seven days, it could be more," Mozeliak said. "We don't know at this point. We certainly will know more later."
The procedure will be performed this afternoon by Dr. Chris Eagon of the Washington University medical staff.
Mozeliak did not hear anything about Holliday's discomfort until Friday morning. Holliday experience some soreness on Thursday night but it was only after it persisted through Friday morning that he was taken for examination by a doctor. Mozeliak said doctors saw Holliday before the organ ruptured.
"They got it early, which is good," Mozeliak said.
The team did not set out a timetable for Holliday's return. The extent of the surgery will determine the length of recovery and a return to "strenuous activity." The fact that the appendix did not burst is a factor in determining his return, the club confirmed.
In 2010, Holliday was the only National League outfielder to finish in the top 10 in batting average (.312), on-base percentage (.390) and slugging percentage (.532).
This spring, Holliday hit .345 and got off to a strong start in Thursday's opener, going 3 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs.
Without Holliday, the Cardinals have four outfielders on the current roster: Colby Rasmus, Lance Berkman, John Jay and Allen Craig.
No decision has been made on a roster move.
STLtoday.com will have more on this story as it develops.
on April 1, 2011, 1:48 pm