Brewers receive Dick Martin Award

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Brewers' medical staff honored
Dick Martin Award illustrates progress

A big part of showing improvement as an organization is keeping your players healthy and on the field.

"The first thing you have to have is talent," Milwaukee Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash said. "The second thing you need is health."

As an indication that the Brewers are making great strides in that area, they were awarded the 2005 Dick Martin Award for Best Medical Staff by Baseball Prospectus on Friday.

The award is based on a number of factors, such as days lost by players on the disabled list, percentage of payroll lost to the DL and year-to-year improvements. It is awarded annually by Baseball Prospectus, the game's biggest analysis resource, in honor of Martin, a longtime trainer with the Minnesota Twins.

The Brewers' medical staff is led by trainer Roger Caplinger and team physician William Raasch. Caplinger was assisted by assistant trainers Dan Wright and Paul Anderson, the latter of whom left the club after the season.

"Roger and his staff, and Dr. Raasch and his staff deserve a lot of credit," said Ash, who oversees the organization's medical and training program. "In past years, the Brewers had the reputation of not having the best health and our medical team has worked long and hard to change that."

In ending their string of 12 consecutive losing seasons with an 81-81 record in 2005, the Brewers lost only two players to significant time on the disabled list. Ben Sheets missed five weeks early in the season with an inner ear disorder and the final six weeks with a torn muscle behind his pitching shoulder. Reserve infielder Jeff Cirillo missed two months after suffering a broken bone in his left hand when he was hit by a pitch.

The Brewers lost a total of 252 player days to injury last season, the third-lowest total in the majors. Each player's season consists of 180 days. The Brewers succeeded Tampa Bay, which finished second this year, in winning the award.

Ash conducts a medical symposium each January, and attributes the Brewers' overall improvement on the injury front to having everyone in the organization on the same page.

"It begins with attention to detail in the minor leagues and having a medical coordinator there," Ash said. "Now, the challenge is to stay ahead of the curve."

Will Carroll, an author of Baseball Prospectus, will present the award to the Brewers on Monday at baseball's winter meetings in Dallas.

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Brewers receive Dick Martin Award
Medical, athletic training staff honored as baseball's best

MILWAUKEE -- Baseball Prospectus honored the Brewers on Friday with the Dick Martin Award, presented annually to baseball's top medical and athletic training staff.
The award, named for the longtime Minnesota Twins trainer, is based on a three-year study of factors, such as days lost to the disabled list, percentage of payroll lost to the DL and year-over-year improvements and trends regarding these numbers.

"It's not a mainstream public-type award, but it's significant because it comes from the people who really pay attention to the details," assistant general manager Gord Ash said during the final weekend of the regular season, when the Brewers learned they would win the award.

The Brewers' medical team is led by head physician Dr. William Raasch, head athletic trainer Roger Caplinger and assistant athletic trainer Dan Wright. The award will be presented at the 2005 Major League Baseball Winter Meetings next week in Dallas.

According to Baseball Prospectus, when Caplinger took over as head trainer in 2002, Brewers players combined for about 1,100 days on the DL. That number was down to 800 in 2003, the first year under general manager Doug Melvin and Ash, 330 in 2004 and 252 days in 2005, the third lowest in the Majors. Most of that time belonged to injured ace Ben Sheets, the only Brewers player to finish the season on the DL.

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Brewers honored with 2005 Dick Martin Award

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Head Trainer Roger Caplinger and the Milwaukee Brewers are the recipients of the 2005 Dick Martin Award, it was announced today by Baseball Prospectus. The award is given annually to the top medical staff in baseball as selected by Baseball Prospectus and is named after Dick Martin, the longtime trainer of the Minnesota Twins. The award will be presented at the 2005 Major League Baseball Winter meetings next week in Dallas.
"The efforts of Roger and the rest of our sports medicine staff have paid dividends in the health and performance of our players throughout the system," said Gord Ash, assistant general manager for the Brewers. "This award is reflective of our entire medical team: Roger, (Assistant Trainer) Dan Wright, (Head Team Physician) Dr. William Raasch and everyone they work with at the Major and Minor League levels."

The criteria for the award is based on several categories, including the number of days, total payroll dollars and percentage of payroll lost to the disabled list, and the impact of injuries on a team's performance. The Brewers lost 252 player days to injury last season, which was the third lowest in the Majors.

The 2004 Dick Martin Award was given to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Brewers also excelled in 2004, finishing second to the Devil Rays in fewest days lost to injury.

Baseball Prospectus is the largest baseball analysis resource available, with a best-selling annual book, a website and radio show. Its writers cover all aspects of the game, from statistical analysis to their groundbreaking coverage of sports medicine.