When Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber suffered major damage to two of the four primary ligaments of his left knee this spring, his season was officially declared over.And yet, there was Schwarber in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series, back in uniform as a designated hitter, even notching two RBIs in Game 2.The Cubs organization had been pleasantly surprised when Dr. Daniel Cooper, the orthopedic surgeon who reconstructed Schwarbers ACL and repaired his LCL, gave clearance for Schwarber to participate in the Fall Classic as a DH. After all, multiligament knee reconstructions are complex; depending on the extent and location of the damage, the typical window for returning to play post-surgery starts at nine months. But, when Schwarber had his six-month checkup with Cooper, the surgeon was impressed by the stability of the knee and Schwarbers strength. Cooper gave the go-ahead for the outfielder to begin hitting and running the bases. Schwarber proved he could do both, and suddenly found himself in the lineup.After he exceeded expectations by not only returning for the start of the World Series but also by delivering at the plate, perhaps Cubs fans assumed it was only natural Schwarber would be cleared days later to play in the outfield.He was not.Team president Theo Epstein announced Thursday that Schwarber did not receive medical clearance to resume playing in the field. Just days after the social media world responded with admiration for Schwarbers work ethic and determination, there were some who expressed disappointment in the decision to keep Schwarber relegated to a potential pinch-hitting role as the series resumes at Wrigley Field.What could possibly keep someone out of the lineup when the World Series is at stake?Well, theres a reason medical decisions are left to the medical personnel familiar with the athlete and his injury. No one knows better than Cooper the detail of what was involved in reconstructing Schwarbers knee. And, since Cooper is considered one of the leading experts in multiligament knee reconstruction, his recommendations are probably worth following.For those looking for the rationale behind the decision to hold Schwarber out of playing the outfield, here are some things to consider:1. ACL grafts continue to strengthen over the first year. At six months, the ACL has not yet achieved its maximum strength.2. The ACL helps control deceleration and rotation at the knee; movements that combine the two are the most demanding on the ligament and therefore the riskiest (for example: planting and cutting laterally or jumping and landing while twisting).3. The addition of uncontrolled variables increases the level of difficulty for the athlete, thus increasing injury risk. Uneven terrain (from the outfield grass to the warning track), change-of-pace running (speeding up or slowing down while tracking a ball) and obstacles (the outfield wall or other outfielders, which is how Schwarber was originally injured) are all examples of uncontrolled variables in a game setting.4. Recent research shows that reinjury rates following ACL reconstruction decrease significantly when a return to full sports occurs at a minimum of nine months after surgery.5. A second injury would not only potentially cause Schwarber to miss another full season, but there is no guarantee his recovery would match what he has already accomplished. In other words, it could be career-threatening.Schwarber incurred some risk simply by returning to hit, run the bases and slide, but that risk was far less than what he would face playing the outfield. An athlete can practice hitting, running and sliding and can repeat the effort in virtually the same manner both when practicing and playing. There is no way to simulate every scenario an athlete would encounter in the outfield. Additional months of training -- and recovery -- are warranted before returning to the most complex activities.Decisions about returning to play following an injury are always informed by medical evidence, along with considerations of risk versus reward. Clearing Schwarber to do as much as he has already done did not come without these discussions. It is perfectly reasonable for him to have been cleared for hitting and not cleared for fielding.Schwarber is a competitive athlete. Of course he would love to be playing at full capacity in the ultimate competition. But he appears to have accepted his role and is, as he said, going to embrace it.If Schwarber and the Cubs can live with the decision, maybe everyone else should, too. Tim Brown Womens Jersey . 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Willie Brown Raiders Jersey . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Brandon Marshall knew very little about Ryan Fitzpatrick when they became teammates last offseason.The New York Jets wide receiver had heard of the quarterback, of course. But it was Fitzpatricks unusual choice to wear his wedding ring during games and practices that stood out to Marshall.I thought that was really weird and awkward, Marshall joked after practice Thursday.And then, he saw Fitzpatrick throw.He was terrible, Marshall recalled. He really was. I mean, he was coming off a broken leg. A 5-yard hitch route and hed throw it in the dirt.Fitzpatrick, who was acquired from Houston as a veteran backup to Geno Smith, came to the Jets still rehabilitating from a fractured left tibia suffered in a game in December 2014.During offseason workouts, the rust was still apparent and it concerned Marshall.Everybody felt that way, he said. We were like, `What the heck? If Geno goes down, were in trouble. Thats how everybody felt.On Aug. 11, 2015, Marshalls fear -- and everyone elses -- would be put to the test.Smith was slugged by then-teammate Ikemefuna Enemkpali and his jaw was broken. The Jets season was thrust into uncertainty with one punch.I was scared, Marshall said, smiling. It was over. Seasons over. Were done.Fitzpatrick hadnt worked much with Marshall, Eric Decker and the starters up to that point, so the process of gaining a rapport was gradual. Fitzpatricks leg had fully healed, though, so those lousy-looking throws were no longer an issue.Little could anyone have guessed at that time that the Jets would have one of the most productive offensive seasons in team history. Fitzpatrick galvanized the locker room with his leadership and play, tossing a franchise-record 31 touchdown passes while getting New York within a win of the playoffs.Marshall, acquired from Chicago a day before the Jets traded for Fitzpatrick in March 2015, also set Jets records with 109 catches for 1,502 yards while scoring 14 TDs. Decker had an impressive season, too, catching 80 passes for 1,027 yards and 12 scores.He proved us wrong, Marshall said. Hes pretty good.Thats why Marshall and Decker were among a handful of Jets players who openly campaigned for the team to bring Fitzpatrick back this season.The quarterback was an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but he and the team acknnowledged that they wanted a new deal to happen.dddddddddddd That process, however, wasnt easy. The sides were locked in a contract stalemate for months, creating concern on both sides and leaving the Jets quarterback situation unsettled. Fitzpatrick finally agreed to a one-year, $12 million deal the day before training camp started last month.So, with Fitzpatrick back in the fold, expectations are quite a bit higher than they were a year ago.I actually think hes better this year, Marshall said. Hes throwing the ball with more velocity. Hes throwing the ball deeper. Hes comfortable back there. Hes really good right now. Hes impressive.The starters havent exactly lit things up through two preseason games, with Fitzpatrick going 7 of 13 for 107 yards with no TDs or interceptions in limited action. The Jets game against the Giants on Saturday night should serve as a better barometer of where the offense stands, with first-teamers expected to play at least the entire first half.We game planned this one a little bit more, just in terms of having some plays that we put in that we want to go out and execute, Fitzpatrick said. Id love to see some of the stuff weve done in practice translate to the field.Despite Fitzpatrick missing all of the offseason workouts while waiting for his contract situation to be settled, Marshall insists the offense is light years ahead of where it was last summer.From a communication standpoint, all the guesswork is gone. Fitzpatrick and his receivers know what to expect from each other. And that helps the Jets feel confident that theyve got something special going on.It was hard to do what we did last year, Marshall said. We definitely came up short. We obviously didnt win it. But for us to have Ryan come in, get the ball late in training camp and me being new, having a new offensive coordinator, new head coach, new left guard, that definitely makes it hard for our offense to jell and bond the way you would want it to to be successful.It feels like it took us to seven or eight weeks to do that. And we just feel really good with where were at right now.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '