TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Ex-Ray Baldelli More Hopeful About Career After New Diagnosis

ADVERTISEMENT

By MARC LANCASTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 17, 2008

Updated: 12/17/2008 02:23 pm

An updated diagnosis of the elusive malady that kept Rocco Baldelli off the field much of the last two seasons has the former Rays outfielder feeling better than he has in recent memory about his chances of resuming a productive baseball career.

Generally reluctant to discuss the health problems that have plagued him in recent years, Baldelli felt moved to clarify his situation Wednesday after television reports in his home state of Rhode Island Tuesday evening said he had been "misdiagnosed" with a mitochondrial disorder.

In fact, a recent visit to the Cleveland Clinic led Baldelli's doctor there to conclude that his symptoms were more related to a set of diseases known as channelopathies than the more serious mitochondrial problems that Baldelli on Wednesday described as "the best diagnosis at the time."

"Basically, the situation has been clarified a little bit better because of further tests," Baldelli said by phone from Rhode Island. "It's positive news for my baseball career and my health."

Baldelli described channelopathy as "less severe and more treatable" than the mitochondrial disorder. According to MedicineNet.com, a channelopathy is a disease involving dysfunction of an ion channel for elements such as potassium, sodium, chloride and calcium.

From the day he stepped before reporters in March and announced he had been diagnosed with an energy-sapping mitochondrial disorder, Baldelli had acknowledged that his ailment was something of a moving target.

It took numerous tests and consultations with several doctors just to reach that point, and those machinations have continued as Baldelli attempts to find a workable solution. He expects an adjustment in the medication he had been taking to allow him to make significant strides in playing more regularly.

"It's definitely a good thing," Baldelli said.

The latest revelation no doubt will be of interest to the half-dozen or so teams that have expressed interest in signing Baldelli as a free agent – the Rays among them. Baldelli has also drawn interest from the Red Sox, to the point that he recently met with team officials in person, and the Reds have said the 27-year-old is among their potential offseason targets.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT