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Monday, April 09, 2012

Storen to see Dr. Andrews after feeling more elbow tenderness

And Drew’s Andrews trip…what’s n’ store?

Drew Storen will be examined by renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews tomorrow after the Nationals closer felt some tenderness in his right elbow following a simulated game yesterday.

This is the second time that Storen has been shut down by elbow problems this spring, as the 24-year-old felt tightness in his throwing elbow midway through spring training. He’s been on the comeback trail recently, playing catch and then subsequently throwing off a mound, but after facing hitters for the first time since the initial elbow issues, Storen felt the same type of tightness that he encountered earlier in spring.

“I knew that alarm bells went up on him after he threw,” manager Davey Johnson said. “He’d been doing real good, and after he kind of let it out in that sim game, he had some fall-back pain. So we’re going to re-examine.

“Hopefully it’s nothing serious, but it doesn’t sound good to me.”

Repoz Posted: April 09, 2012 at 07:00 PM | 15 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: nationals

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1. flournoy Posted: April 09, 2012 at 07:47 PM (#4101827)

Elbow tightness and a visit to Dr. James Andrews means Tommy John Surgery 95% of the time. See you next year, Storen.

2. Tripon Posted: April 09, 2012 at 08:55 PM (#4102004)

Should Tommy John be admitted in the HOF because he was the first one to get a tommy john? Without him, scores of pitchers would not have the career that they had.

3. Chris Needham Posted: April 09, 2012 at 08:58 PM (#4102013)

The team keeps saying it's probably bone chips in his elbow.

Given their track record of injury prevention and diagnosis, I suspect bone cancer, and a full arm-ectomy.

I hope he's good with his other hand.

4. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: April 09, 2012 at 09:07 PM (#4102045)

Should Tommy John be admitted in the HOF because he was the first one to get a tommy john? Without him, scores of pitchers would not have the career that they had.

Sure they would. They would have had "Brent Strom" surgery.

5. BourbonSamurai, vassal of the Harpsburg Empire Posted: April 09, 2012 at 09:07 PM (#4102046)

#### damn it.

At least Rodriguez/Lidge/Clippard is still a very solid bullpen back end.

6. Bruce Markusen Posted: April 09, 2012 at 09:36 PM (#4102112)

So when will we start to see the rate of arm injuries decrease because of pitch counts and innings limits? The young guys--the Strasburgs and Storens--seem as vulnerable as the older guys who have thrown more innings.

7. Greg Pope thinks the Cubs are reeking havoc Posted: April 09, 2012 at 09:49 PM (#4102158)

Elbow tightness and a visit to Dr. James Andrews means Tommy John Surgery 95% of the time. See you next year, Storen.

Eh, I don't know. Usually you hear "forearm tightness" before Tommy John. Of course, each person may describe things differently, but forearm is usually how it's described, IME.

8. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: April 09, 2012 at 10:43 PM (#4102340)

So when will we start to see the rate of arm injuries decrease because of pitch counts and innings limits? The young guys--the Strasburgs and Storens--seem as vulnerable as the older guys who have thrown more innings.

I thought the young guys were supposed to be more vulnerable. That's why you put them on pitch counts and innings limits in the first place.

But of course, the problem is that you'll never know what you're not seeing. Maybe twenty or thirty young pitchers have been saved from TJS in the past five years. Or maybe some elbow ligaments are simply destined to blow up no matter what, and the kid gloves are just postponing the inevitable at best.

9. zachtoma Posted: April 09, 2012 at 11:29 PM (#4102378)

So when will we start to see the rate of arm injuries decrease because of pitch counts and innings limits? The young guys--the Strasburgs and Storens--seem as vulnerable as the older guys who have thrown more innings.

Yeah. I continue to believe that nobody anywhere knows jack #### about preventing arm injuries in pitchers. Seems like the providence of genetics is a much bigger factor than anything else.

10. A triple short of the cycle

Posted: April 09, 2012 at 11:32 PM (#4102382)

Should Tommy John be admitted in the HOF because he was the first one to get a tommy john?

Him, or Dr. Jobe.

11. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: April 10, 2012 at 01:03 AM (#4102410)

Yeah. I continue to believe that nobody anywhere knows jack #### about preventing arm injuries in pitchers. Seems like the providence of genetics is a much bigger factor than anything else.

I think the problem is that people throw out hypothesis and pronounce them as facts without doing much testing. There certainly are things that pitchers can do that can add stress to their ligaments, but it's a fair question whether making mechanical changes or limiting workload will do much to reduce the injury risk.

My opinion on pitch counts is that they're valid, but there is no one-size-fits-all pitch count. If you bring guys up in the minors never going over 95 pitches, then you'll develop pitchers who can only throw 95 pitches.

Stretch them out in the minors, a little at a time, and learn where they start to get tired and lose effectiveness. Keep track of that stuff, try to find their limit, and then in the majors, you'll have a good idea how long they can go. Some guys will be able to throw 130 pitches every five days, some will only be able to throw 85 pitches.

12. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: April 10, 2012 at 01:33 AM (#4102412)

Does anyone else feel like they are in an Abbott and Costello routine when they explain to a non baseball fan what Tommy John surgery is, and who Tommy John is?

13. Bhaakon Posted: April 10, 2012 at 02:09 AM (#4102414)

So when will we start to see the rate of arm injuries decrease because of pitch counts and innings limits? The young guys--the Strasburgs and Storens--seem as vulnerable as the older guys who have thrown more innings.

Maybe it already has, but in doing so has merely allowed more injury-prone pitchers to make the majors before throwing their arm out instead of getting weeded by a gauntlet of 140-pitch AA starts.

14. Don't want the truth; just wanna see some dingers Posted: April 10, 2012 at 09:07 AM (#4102479)

Fantasy teams want to know who is the closer-in-waiting!

15. SOLockwood Posted: April 10, 2012 at 09:13 AM (#4102483)

Fantasy teams want to know who is the closer-in-waiting!

Lidge and/or Henry Rodriguez

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Storen to see Dr. Andrews after feeling more elbow tenderness

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