Wouldn't a torn ligament in your thumb hurt a lot?

Red ponders Mike Lowell's thumb:

... My question is, how does something like this get uncovered by another team's medical staff? Did Scenic know his thumb was hurtin' but figured it to be no biggie--just a side effect of all those hours playing Halo? Did the Boston medical staff and/or Theo know Lowell was damaged goods, hence the willingness to pay most of his salary (hey, what do you want for 3 million bucks)? If there was prior knowledge of the tear, did Lowell or anyone else ever consider getting it fixed sooner rather than later so that he could be some kind of factor in 2010? Was this all part of some insidious front office plot to create the single most awkward spring training ever? ...