Yesterday’s revelations that Ryan Church experiencing migrane headaches understandably gives pause. Denials to the contrary, I believe Church’s migranes are related to his concussions - of which there is some question as to when they started.

A March 10, 2008 article in the NY Times revealed that a injury that Church sustained in 2005 may have been his first.

Last year Church batted .272 with 15 home runs and 43 doubles in his first full season in the majors. In 2005, Church made the Nationals’ roster out of spring training only to land on the disabled list twice. One of the injuries, a broken clavicle, came when he made a game-saving catch against the left-field wall in Pittsburgh; he said the play left him feeling concussion-like symptoms. In 2006, he arrived in spring training assuming he would be the opening day center fielder, but the Nationals were not pleased with his terrible spring or his attitude and sent him to the minors.

The collision in Pittsburg where Church broke his clavicle (collar bone) lead to “concussion-like symptoms.” This admission by Church is important as it is evidence that Church has had problems with concussions prior to his acquisition from the Nationals.

Its understandable why he would have suffered more of them as the sports medicine community realize that once sustained they have a tendency to reoccur. What Church is experiencing now is referred to as post concussion syndrome or second impact syndrome.

Its likely the Nationals medical staff knew of Church’s medical history. Thus it’s likely that the Nationals front officials knew as well. Did the Nationals convey this information to the Mets when discussing the trade which brought Church along Brian Schneider to the Mets for Lastings Milledge? Or did the Mets do a physical on Church prior to the trade? Did the Mets make the trade without knowing Church’s medical history?

These are the questions the Mets should be asking internally. I can find no reasons to be critical of the care the Mets have provided Church during the year as with any patient who has sustained a concussion, they are largely dependant on what the patient is telling them.

Nonetheless, the important question is what the Mets knew at the time of the trade. Its also worth wondering whether or not the Nationals were completely forthcoming about Church’s health prior to the trade.
This raises the possibility that the Mets sent one of their assets to the Nationals for damaged goods.