SEE UPDATE/CORRECTION AFTER JUMP …
Yeah, this one has me speechless today. ABCActionNews.com is reporting this afternoon that doctors this week diagnosed Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli with “Mitochondrial Myopathy, a very rare genetic illness. It’s one of the 43 neuromuscular diseases recognized under MDA - the Muscular Dystrophy Association.”*
Dr. Allan Weiss is the presiding neurologist: “I’m optimistic. I don’t think this is his last year of baseball. I think he can play a number of years after this.”
That said, there is no cure for the condition, which primarily weakens the legs.
Baldelli: “Now that I know what it feels like to struggle with something like this, you kind of understand that people need support and they need help. I’m sure once I sit down this off season and start to deal with MDA more, I’ll probably understand a lot more.”
We’ve all followed Baldelli’s injury plight, and this confirms his courage in dealing with his now-confirmed illness. The Rays story this season is a great one. But Baldelli’s triumph over Muscular Dystrophy is much more compelling, at least in this corner.
Thanks to Jason’s idea/comment, I think we may have solved the Rays’ celebratory first-pitch dilemma for the playoffs.
*UPDATE: The ST. PETERSBURG TIMES reports that Baldelli doesn’t technically have Muscular Dystrophy, and Wendy Ryan’s report on WFTS was dead wrong.
Excerpt:
A so-called “exclusive” report by WFTS- Ch. 28 that OF Rocco Baldelli has muscular dystrophy is “erroneous,” according to Dr. Allan Weiss, who has been treating Baldelli.
“The report is erroneous,” Weiss said in comments relayed through the team. “It is incorrect terminology. He has mitochondrial myopathy, not muscular dystrophy.”
Asked directly before Friday’s game if he had muscular dystrophy, Baldelli said, “No.” And of the report, he said, “That’s awful.”
Thanks Wend! dumbass
5:56 pm on September 26th, 2008
Maybe Rocco should be the one to throw out the Rays' first postseason first pitch.
6:04 pm on September 26th, 2008
Or maybe Jerry Lewis should throw out the first pitch.
Too soon?
6:05 pm on September 26th, 2008
Rocco's kids!
7:11 pm on September 26th, 2008
we all love Rocco down here. He gets my vote….
where do I vote?
7:22 pm on September 26th, 2008
Now his doctor is saying that he does not in fact have MDA: http://blogs.tampabay.com/rays/2008/09/wfts-baldelli-r.html.
He should just refer to it as Epstein-Barr Syndrome and call it a day.
9:29 pm on September 26th, 2008
Guess this means it's back to Dickie V for the first pitch.
1:45 am on September 27th, 2008
Brooks, you insensitive cad. If you did any further research you would have found that Rocco does NOT have MD. People like you should be banned from the internet. Keyboard Rambo's who don't care what they say or how it will affect people. Could you say that to Rocco's face. I doubt it!
7:46 pm on October 20th, 2008
Lots of people with mitochondrial disease benefit from intense exercise. Too bad baseball isn't exercise.
11:38 pm on October 23rd, 2008
I am amazed how Rocco plays baseball. I suffer from very weak leg and arm muscles, but from a degenerating disc disease. I applaude Rocco!