Burnett leaves game with sore elbow

[RME JICO]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2417471

 

Burnett leaves game with sore elbow

 

TORONTO -- Toronto right-hander A.J. Burnett left the Blue Jays' game Friday night against Boston after four innings because of a sore elbow.

 

Burnett, who signed a five-year, $55 million deal with the Blue Jays in the offseason after spending seven seasons with the Florida Marlins, began the season on the DL after scar tissue broke off in his elbow March 18 during spring training.

 

Blue Jays spokesman Jay Stenhouse said it was "consistent with what he experienced in spring training.''

 

But Burnett will be examined by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. Burnett lost his first start of the season on Saturday, allowing four runs and seven hits in six innings of a 4-2 loss to Chicago on April 15.

 

He allowed three runs on five hits in four innings against Boston.

 

Burnett was a key piece of Toronto's offseason overhaul. The Blue Jays also added closer B.J. Ryan for $47 million over five years, signed catcher Bengie Molina and traded for slugger Troy Glaus and first baseman Lyle Overbay.

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

*Insert joke about simulated games and Prior/Wood here*

[iWiN4PreP]

so... anyway, anything new ?

[Steve9347]

I just find it funny that clubs keep shelling out millions to pitchers that cannot stay healthy. im just waiting to hear about josh beckett's next injury.

[bjm676]

Money well spent by the Jays. Who'd have guessed he'd get hurt?

[whitesoxfan101]

I just find it funny that clubs keep shelling out millions to pitchers that cannot stay healthy.  im just waiting to hear about josh beckett's next injury.

 

I wouldn't compare the 2 quite so directly. Burnett is a guy that has a history of major arm problems, being hurt all the time, being a bit soft, and is also a .500 pitcher in his career who is more a thrower than a pitcher. Beckett is a guy that has dominated and carried his team to a world title, has had more minor issues (blisters especially) than he has major, and has shown that he can pitch as well as throw.

 

Is Beckett a risk? Obviously, but not 1/10th the risk Burnett is healthwise.

[RME JICO]

Burnett lands on DL again

 

Right-hander will have his right elbow examined Monday

 

TORONTO -- Prior to Saturday's game, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons leaned back in his chair inside his office and offered a simple explanation for Toronto's quick roster decision.

"The game doesn't wait on you," Gibbons said.

 

The Blue Jays, who are in the midst of a long stretch of games against division rivals and playoff-caliber teams, couldn't afford to go forward short one pitcher on the roster, especially after Friday's 12-inning contest against Boston stretched the bullpen thin. So, after starter A.J. Burnett had his right elbow injury flare up in his start versus the Red Sox, Toronto wasted no time in placing the pitcher back on the 15-day disabled list for the second time this year.

 

Toronto called right-handed reliever Shaun Marcum up from Triple-A Syracuse and scheduled an appointment for Burnett to see Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday. Andrews is the same doctor that performed the Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery on Burnett's right arm in 2003.

 

Burnett said the pain that he experienced on Friday was the same as the pain he felt on March 18, when he had to cut a Spring Training start short and landed on the DL to start the season. The initial indications are that this second episode could be the same problem -- a case of scar tissue breaking off in his elbow. Many pitchers who undergo the Tommy John operation will have similar problems with scar tissue later on.

 

Having two instances where scar tissue breaks off during such a short period of time isn't usually normal, but the team is hoping Andrews can give Burnett some confidence that the pain isn't anything to get too worked up over. It could just be soreness that Burnett can pitch through, but the team won't know much more until he sees Andrews.

 

"They don't seem to think there's anything structurally wrong," Gibbons said. "So whatever it is -- maybe scar tissue -- it may be something where it comes to the point where he's just got to pitch with it. I don't know. If it's affecting his pitching, that's different."

 

Burnett has had three MRIs that show no damage to the ligament and the tests he had performed on him by a team doctor after his most recent start also indicated no problems in the joint.

 

"We're doing everything we're supposed to do medically," Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "If the guy tells you he's hurt, you have to respect that. You've got to go with it, but we're not alarmed. ... He had an X-ray that didn't show any separation in the joint. The doctor gave him strength tests, and everything was fine."

 

Why Marcum? Burnett's injury, coupled with three extra innings, forced the Blue Jays to use seven pitchers on Friday. Toronto used six relievers -- right-hander Pete Walker was the only pitcher not to see any work out of the bullpen. Those factors all helped the Jays' decision to call Marcum up from Syracuse.

 

"He's ready," Ricciardi said. "He can give us a couple innings. Our bullpen needs a little help."

 

Marcum has the ability to pitch multiple innings if needed, considering he has been used as a starter in the Minors in the past. This year, Marcum has been used as a reliever and he went 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in four games at Triple-A. In nine innings of work, Marcum struck out 13 and walked two.

 

"He's got four pitches and he throws them all for strikes," Gibbons said. "He can pitch. He came through the system fast and we liked him when we drafted him. He's very similar to Pete Walker's style of pitching."

 

Last year, Marcum made five appearances for the Blue Jays and gave up no runs in eight innings.

 

Another move coming: Marcum may just be a temporary solution to help out the bullpen. Gibbons and Ricciardi both said that they don't want to move left-handed reliever Scott Downs back into the rotation. Downs began the year as a starter during Burnett's first stint on the DL, but Toronto doesn't want to deplete its bullpen by doing the same thing twice in such a short period of time.

 

Toronto will probably call up a starter from Triple-A to fill in on either Thursday or Friday. Burnett was originally scheduled to pitch on Thursday, but the Jays could bring Halladay back after his usual four days of rest to start that game. The team was considering giving Halladay an extra day off, but the Burnett situation might force the issue.

 

The most likely candidates from Triple-A to join the rotation would be right-handers Casey Janssen and Josh Banks -- the two pitchers mentioned when starter Ted Lilly was dealing with a minor back injury earlier this year.

[RME JICO]

Burnett has ligament sprain; no timetable for return

 

TORONTO -- Blue Jays pitcher A.J. Burnett has no structural damage in his right elbow, but there is no timetable for his return to Toronto's rotation.

 

Burnett was examined Monday in Birmingham, Ala., by Dr. James Andrews, who said the right-hander has a mild ligament sprain and a straining of scar tissue.

 

Andrews performed ligament replacement surgery on Burnett's elbow in 2003.

 

"Everybody feels he'll be pain-free eventually. It's just something that needs a little rest," general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "The elbow is fine. The ligament is fine. The tendons are fine. He's got a strong elbow. He just has a little tweak in it."

 

Burnett was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday. He left his start against Boston on Friday after four innings with soreness in his elbow.

 

Burnett, who signed a $55 million, five-year deal with Toronto in the offseason after spending seven years with the Florida Marlins, began the season on the DL after scar tissue broke off in his elbow March 18 during spring training.

 

Ricciardi said Andrews confirmed the pitcher sustained the same injury he had in spring training.

 

"It's treatment and rest at this point and then we'll take it from there," Ricciardi said. "It's nothing to be alarmed about. It's another bump in the road. We've just got to get over it."

 

Burnett was alarmed by the pain and loss of velocity he experienced Friday. He said he'd be willing to miss a month to get it right.

 

Ricciardi said there are no plans for Burnett to throw in the next week or so. He has been on the DL seven times in the last six years.

 

The hard-throwing right-hander was a key piece of Toronto's offseason overhaul. The Blue Jays also added closer B.J. Ryan for $47 million over five years, signed catcher Bengie Molina and traded for slugger Troy Glaus and first baseman Lyle Overbay.

 

The Blue Jays haven't said who will replace Burnett in the rotation.

[AngelasDaddy0427]

At the Jays: HAHA!

[southsideirish71]

An orthopaedic surgeon interviewed by the Toronto Star painted a very bleak picture regarding A.J. Burnett's elbow injury.

"Scar tissue is not as strong as the original ligament," Dr. Darrell Ogilvie-Harris said. "When there is a tear of the ligament and scar tissue, this tells us that there is residual weakness from the previous surgical repair. This complicates recovery and increases the risk of re-injury. If he had to undergo surgery again, chances are it would be career-ending."

Good investment for the Jays. This guy makes Kerry Wood and Mark Prior seem like the healthiest people on earth.

[RockRaines]

An orthopaedic surgeon interviewed by the Toronto Star painted a very bleak picture regarding A.J. Burnett's elbow injury.

"Scar tissue is not as strong as the original ligament," Dr. Darrell Ogilvie-Harris said. "When there is a tear of the ligament and scar tissue, this tells us that there is residual weakness from the previous surgical repair. This complicates recovery and increases the risk of re-injury. If he had to undergo surgery again, chances are it would be career-ending."

Good investment for the Jays. This guy makes Kerry Wood and Mark Prior seem like the healthiest people on earth.

Holy s***, what if this s*** was career ending? OMFG that would go down as one of the worst deals ever made.

[Balta1701]

Holy s***, what if this s*** was career ending?  OMFG that would go down as one of the worst deals ever made.

Think they were smart enough to insure that deal? Edited April 26, 2006 by Balta1701

[southsider2k5]

 

Think they were smart enough to insure that deal?

 

There is a really good chance no one would insure them on this deal. More and more Lloyds of London is just flat out telling teams that they won't insure certian players or lengths of contracts anymore.

[Phuck the Cubs]

You'd think teams would learn not to give long contracts to pitchers after seeing Mike Hampton and Kevin Brown's injury problems and big contracts.

[Balta1701]

You'd think teams would learn not to give long contracts to pitchers after seeing Mike Hampton and Kevin Brown's injury problems and big contracts.

Sometimes you don't have a choice. Think about what we're about to give to Mark Buehrle, for example.

[Phuck the Cubs]

Sometimes you don't have a choice.  Think about what we're about to give to Mark Buehrle, for example.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess. But someone like Buerhle who has stayed healthy and productive his entire career is someone I would give a big deal. Someone like Brown or Park or Hampton or Burnett have either not had good seasons thru the contract year and/or haven't been healthy

[fathom]

I guess. But someone like Buerhle who has stayed healthy and productive his entire career is someone I would give a big deal. Someone like Brown or Park or Hampton or Burnett have either not had good seasons thru the contract year and/or haven't been healthy

 

Mike Hampton was a pretty damn good pitcher when he signed his FA year, as was Kevin Brown.

[Phuck the Cubs]

They were mediocore their entire careers and just played well the contract year

[Kyyle23]

They were mediocore their entire careers and just played well the contract year

 

Hampton and Brown were mediocre their entire careers? You need to do some more research before you make your stupid remarks. Most of the time you have no idea what you are talking about, this being one of those times.

[Kyyle23]

Just to prove how idiotic your remarks are, Cuck the Fubs, Im going to prove it to you

 

Kevin Brown

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/brownke01.shtml

 

Lets see, in 1996 Kevin Brown pitched 233 innings and ended up with a 1.89 ERA with a WHIP of 0.944

The next 4 years, he pitched 237 innings, 257 innings, 252 innings, and 230 innings. His ERAs in those years mentioned? 2.69, 2.38, 3.00, 2.58.

 

He was absolutely dominant for a 5 year stretch. His career ERA is 3.28, and before last year he NEVER had an ERA over 5. Considering he was injured last year, I wont hold it against him.

 

Hampton?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hamptmi01.shtml

 

Well before hampton went to Colorado, he never had an ERA over 3.83(not counting his rookie year with seattle), and he anchored a pretty damn good Houston.

 

 

Mediocre doesnt even come close to describing these guys careers.

 

 

Im sorry you cannot somehow compare this to the Cubs and something that they did, I know you want to really bad. Think before you type.

[Gregory Pratt]

I don't think the personal attacks are called for here.