Report: Schmidt Recovering From Battle with Advanced Skin Cancer

According to an Associated Press report released today, legendary third baseman Mike Schmidt has been battling stage 3 melanoma, going through two operations, radiation and chemotherapy. The illness is what kept Schmidt out of Phillies camp as an instructor for the first time in 12 years.

According to the report, Schmidt got a  “‘crusty little thing’ on his hand checked out in August,” and a doctor found a mole on his back. The report also documented the following:

Along the way, his voice became raspy, he lost his taste buds and he had trouble concentrating. He said he also had surgery to remove 35 lymph nodes, wound up with an 8-inch scar and endured episodes of chills and restless leg syndrome.

The report states that Schmidt is “recovering”. All of us at Phillies Nation wish Schmidt the best. Schmidt will broadcast all 13 home Sunday games on Comcast SportsNet in 2014 for the Phillies.