Mike Minor surgery the latest in rich history of baseball junk catastrophes

The Braves’ ace needed some extra time for recuperation after a very personal surgery.

Feb 24, 2014, 8:06 PM UTC

Kevin C. Cox

Braves lefty Mike Minor is a little behind in getting ready for the season because he had to rest for a month after a procedure to repair scarring in his urethra, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman.

Mike Minor is a few weeks behind because he had to rest for a month after undergoing a 12/31 procedure to repair scarring around his urethra
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) February 24, 2014

Wow, that sounds awful. Get well soon, Mike. And now, great moments in baseball groin injury history:

Sympathy: Carlton Fisk took a shot to the testicles while catching against the Cardinals in spring training, 1974. His ex-teammate Reggie Smith, with whom Fisk did not have a good relationship, stood up in the dugout and screamed, “I hope you die, motherfucker!” until his teammates told him that just wasn’t cool.

1997: Seattle pitcher Josias Manzanillo wasn’t wearing a cup when he was hit with a Manny Ramirez line drive. Incredibly, Manzanillo picked up the baseball and threw out a runner at the plate, then ran off the field under his own power. But Manzanillo would require surgery as a result of the incident; he’d suffered tears in both testicles, and one of them would have to be removed.

Oh no!

2008: On a painful day in the desert, the Arizona Diamondbacks put left fielder Eric Byrnes and catcher Chris Snyder on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday. Byrnes is out with a strained left hamstring, Snyder with a left testicular fracture. Snyder left Monday night's game after being hit in the groin area by a foul tip and underwent an MRI on Tuesday.

FRACTURE!?!?

2010: Carl Crawford was on the basepaths at Oriole Park when he was hit by a pickoff throw from Baltimore’s starter Jake Arrieta. He was taken to a nearby hospital and diagnosed with a testicular contusion — but later said he still wouldn’t begin wearing a cup. "I don't wear a cup," said Crawford, via MLB.com. "Never wore a cup. I do too many moves to wear a cup. ... I'm still not going to wear a cup."

CARL!