Parker to have Tommy John surgery

"The Arizona Diamondbacks' top pitching prospect, Jarrod Parker, will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow next week. The D-backs officially announced their 2007 first-round pick will have the surgery, performed by Dr. James Andrews, on Wednesday, Oct. 28."

[Front paged, with a bit more info added and a more informative link!]

3 months ago damdrs1717 13 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Before the ritualistic suicide...

OK, this sucks, no doubt. But will somone explain to me that this might not be that bad? That getting TJ surgery out of the way young sometimes benefits the player and the team, since he will not have to undergo the proceedure after his major league clock starts. And anyway, we really couldn’t count on him for much next year anyway.

Please, someone tell me that this isnt too bad.

by Counsellmember on Oct 22, 2009 9:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This isn't too bad

Well, you asked. ;-)

The new link for the piece has him saying “I couldn’t ask to be in the hands of a better doctor. The organization is going to work with me rehabbing, and we’re going to bust our butts to get back, get healthy and mature a little bit more.” He should be fully back by Spring Training 2011, and given he’ll only be 22 by that point, it’s not like we’re losing his prime years.

"Win, or die" -- Marquise de Merteuil

by Jim McLennan on Oct 22, 2009 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The problem

is the Tommy John surgery essentially requires disassembling the arm, then reconstructing it from tendons taken from elsewhere in the body. It’s a radical surgery, even though it’s conducted numerous times the last two decades. Its not good to be disassembled, them put back together. It’s not natural, and there are no guarantees that the surgery will work, never mind the ever present although unlikely scenario of complications, including infection, et cetera.

It’s a tough break for a young man, and we can only hope and pray that he recovers fully, and can pitch again.

by NASCARbernet on Oct 23, 2009 1:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Isn’t it cutting out a tendon, drilling holes in two bones and attaching the other tendon. If so, the only arm disassembly is removal of the bad tendon.

by ol Pete on Oct 23, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it's a little more complicated than that. . .

I’m not a Orthopaedic surgeon, so if you are, please enlighten us. But I think it requires removing at least one tendon (depending on how extensive the damage is) from the arm, and then removing another from a leg to replace the damaged tendon in the arm, thus leaving the pitcher minus a tendon somewhere in the leg. Given that pitching is largely based on leg strength and balance, that deficit has to be made up somewhere, probably by some small loss of balance.

Doesn’t sound altogether healthy to me, even though we all know it has extended the careers of a number of pitchers now.

Now, while I’m not a surgeon, I do know a bit about pitching. Very slight differences in balance, for example can make the difference between a pitch hitting it’s spot, or being hit 400 feet into the right field stands. Consequently, there are a lot of risks and variables involved in any kind of surgery for a pitcher, and a lot of rehabilitation is a given with no guarantees.

I don’t think we’re going to see many controversies regarding ‘performance enhancing surgical procedures’ anytime soon.

by NASCARbernet on Oct 23, 2009 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tommy John is a bit controversial for young people

It sometimes allows a player to throw harder so some kids want to get it, even though they don’t need it. I’m not an expert, but I’ve never heard a thing about balance problems from the tendon loss.

There is actually a surgical procedure to sever a tendon that holds your little buddy in place and sometimes allows him to reach out a bit further. A recent tendon story is Favre’s right arm. I believe he had one of the two tendons that attach the biceps to the shoulder severed. He’s doing okay. But again, I don’t know and I’ve never heard of whatever tendon they use causing instability. Interestingly, they sometimes use a tendon from a cadaver. There’s your Halloween word of the day.

by ol Pete on Oct 24, 2009 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's pretty interesting

I didn’t know about the use of cadaver tendons. I wonder how effective such parts can be?

As far as balance is concerned, there’s more to it than just being able to stand in one place for a given period of time. Pitching is a dynamic process, and anything that is out of what should be considered optimal affects control. Since the act of pitching requires incredible precision to properly and accurately throw a pitch, it follows that the loss of a tendon, or perhaps even more than one, would force subtle, but nonetheless important changes in delivery.

For me though the bottom line here is that it’s a really tough break for Mr. Parker, and I hope that he can recover fully and have a wonderful career.

by NASCARbernet on Oct 24, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The thing that bugs me

Is why they’ve waited so long since July to do this. He was shut down in July and saw the doctor shortly thereafter yet now the surgery is gonna happen Oct 28th? Obviously he wouldn’t be ready for next year or mid next year but still why the hold up???

by dbacksbj on Oct 22, 2009 10:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I believe

They were waiting to see whether rest would be enough to allow things to heal. Guess it wasn’t. See also Brandon Webb, who took months after hitting the DL before he finally had his surgery.

"Win, or die" -- Marquise de Merteuil

by Jim McLennan on Oct 22, 2009 10:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yea no kidding

Yet another blunder for our pitching staff. If memory serves me correct they actually waited twice with Webb this year. Actually no they did. Jeeezzzzzz. Hopefully they get Lackey….

by dbacksbj on Oct 23, 2009 12:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why?

So we can get our money’s worth for three years than have him eating salary for 4-5 more? I’ll pass when we’re not going to be winning a pennant next season, and hence don’t have to panic.

Most Depressing Math Question Ever courtesy of Probability class: "Clark and Anthony are two old friends. Let A be the event that Clark will attend Anthony's funeral. Let B be the event that Anthony will attend Clark's funeral. Are A and B independent? Why or why not?"

by IHateSouthBend on Oct 24, 2009 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I had been waiting for this

There was too much quiet going on. Disappointing for sure, but frankly this was inevitable. It was either now or maybe a year or two from now when he was going to be counted on for pennant runs. Better now when he’s not in his prime and we’re not competing. The timing is right, as much as we wanted to have him around for the rotation next season. It’s scary, yes, but the possible rewards are too significant to ignore. He’ll get a year after this rehab in AAA, then maybe to the majors at 23. We’ll get closer to his prime years this way, which is a nice benefit if this kid ends up being as good as we hear.

by IHateSouthBend on Oct 24, 2009 12:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs