Mesoraco expects to feel 'brand new catching-wise' after hip surgery
CINCINNATI -- When Devin Mesoraco recovers from his impending hip surgery he can put on the pads and become a National Hockey League goalie.
"No, I can't," he said. "I can't even skate.
So even though Dr. Bryan Kelly has performed successful hip surgery on 10 to 12 NHL goalies, Mesoraco will stick to catching for the Cincinnati Reds next season.
After much delay, Mesoraco will undergo hip impingement surgery Monday in New York and he will rely on what former major league catcher Matt Treanor told him. Treanor underwent the same procedure from Dr. Kelly and quickly returned to squatting behind home plate.
"No doubt that I expect to start my off-season workouts when I always do, in mid-November," he said. "And I'll start my catching stuff at the same time, the beginning of January. This hasn't messed up the timing for next year at all."
The hip impingement, which struck Mesoraco in April, prevented him from squatting because of the pain caused by bone rubbing together. It did not hinder his batting or his running.
So the Reds hoped to utilize Mesoraco as a pinch-hitter and a designated hitter during interleague games, postponing surgery. And he was told treatment and medication might allevitate the problem.
In the meantime, the Reds decided that Mesoraco might be able to play left field and sent him to Class AAA Louisville to learn the intricacies of the outfield.
During his second game there Mesoraco left the game. Too much discomfort. And that's when surgery was scheduled.
"I was hoping it would get better so I could help out this year, but it hasn't happened," said the 26-year-old native of Punxsutawney, Pa., a guy who had a breakout season in 2014 with 25 home runs and 90 RBI.
Asked if he wishes he had undergone surgery sooner, Mesoraco said, "Absolutely not. Looking back, the only thing I wish we had done differently was when I was going to DH in Kansas City (in late May)."
He did DH in Kansas City but he felt so good that he went to the bullpen and did some catching, squatting to see how it felt.
"I was feeling fine, the medication was working," he said. "I didn't expect it to be so painful. Now I wish we had waited longer to do the catching stuff. I didn't expect to aggravate it because with all the shots I got I was feeling really good.
"I didn't wait until after I DHed because I was really anxious to try it out," he said. "That limited me in what I was able to do DH-wise. Other than that we did everything the way we were supposed to do it."
"Of the 'Louisville Left Field Experiment,' Mesoraco said, "It just didn't feel good. I'm not going to be able to help out if I'm in the outfield not feeling good. It would be wrong to say it wouldn't affect me. Can I play? I could, yeah. But I wasn't 100 percent, either. I felt good the first day but it quickly got to the point where I knew it wasn't going to work out. So there is nothing else we can do.
"It's time. We've tried this and we've tried that," he said. "For me to be 100 percent for next year, this is the time to get it done."
Mesoraco said he talked to Matt Treanor and he said it is not easy thing, but once he gets it done, he will be fine, "And you'll feel brand new catching-wise."
A catcher takes a severe beating and pounding behind the plate and for Mesoeraco, "To feel brand new," will be like hitting a grand slam off Max Scherzer.
