Let’s hop to it!
Buffalo 6, Lehigh Valley 4 (10 innings)
First, let’s address the big news this weekend that everyone will be talking about for a long time*: Jenry Mejia tore the MCL in his elbow and is likely to undergo Tommy John surgery. As such, he is probably out until this time next year. While very disappointing, he is only 21 – meaning if he were an American college kid he would just be drafted this year. He’s still young and TJ surgery has a high success rate. Let’s face it, this season and next are probably washes for the Mets, so he will likely to be back when they are ready to compete.
Oh, as for the game. Lucas Duda was 3 for 4 with a homer and three RBI. After a real slow start he is hitting .257. Reuben Tejada went 2 for 5, while Mike Nickeas has yet to get a hit since returning to the minors.
Binghamton 5, Erie 2
Brad Holt’s job this year was to get his command back, and thus his career. So far things have been going well. Last night he had a line of 7IP, 2 runs, 5 hits, 1BB, and 4K’s. This is quite a nice bounce back after getting shellacked in his last start. I wouldn’t expect to see him in Buffalo next week, but positive steps are positive steps. Jordanny Valdespin went 3 for 5, and Josh Satin had two hits and an RBI
Jupiter 7, St. Lucie 5 (12 innings)
Ouch. St Lucie had a 5-3 lead going into the 9th, but Jeffrey Kaplan gave up two in the 9th to allow Jupiter to tie, and Brandon Sage took the loss in extras. The PSL pitchers gave up 17 hits on the evening. On the flip side, the hitters pounded out 15 of their own. Caesar Puello went 3 for 6, while Matt den Dekker went 2 for 5 with an RBI to raise his average to .373 and Jefry Marte went 2 for 6 with an RBI. Marte is hitting .323
Savannah 3, Lakewood 1
Eric Goeddel had quite the game, throwing six shutout innings, surrendering just three hits and one walk while striking out 9 (that’s a career high). Catcher Blake Forsythe went 2 for 4 with an RBI, while Cory Vaughn went 1 for 4. Vaughn is hitting .310 on the season.
*- other than, you know, the good news (note: not the royal wedding).
3 comments
metsfan4decades
5/3/2011-10:10am at 10:10 am (UTC -4)
I spent 2 hours last night doing some online research on pitchers with TJ surgery, pitchers blowing out their shoulder and the ‘inverted W’ theory.
Came across a few articles that predicted Strasburg would go down sooner rather than later (this was before he was injured) and a couple of articles that had Mejia’s mechanics in the category of following right behind Strasburg.
Good guess? Total bunk? Right on the money?
I have absolutely no training nor knowledge in mechanics, physiology, strength training, etc., but many of these articles were hard to ignore. They used Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddox, Glavine and others as examples of pitchers with good mechanics whose durability held up. They used Smoltz, Prior, Strasburg and others as pitchers with poor mechanics – namely the inverted W, release point, etc. as those who either dealt with elbow/shoulder problems their whole career or those who likely would.
One article mentioned one of the 30 FOs that absolutely refused to draft or trade for any pitcher that exhibited this inverted W type pitching style. The guess in that article was the NY Mets. If that’s correct, this must have been before they got Mejia – who does seem to put undue strain on the upper body (shoulder/elbow torque) as opposed to better mechanics that use the ‘body’ core for strength – namely the leg and back muscles.
Sometimes, they said it’s only a matter of a slight timing issue that can make all the difference. They also talked in length about pitchers that don’t have that type of ‘inverted W’ mechanics that wind up injured b/c they’ve got a sore back or injured knee and continue to pitch through it compensating for that pain, thereby putting more strain on the shoulder/elbow than they previously had.
Johan came to mind pitching with that torn miniscus and Pelf came to mind pitching with cortisone shots last year.
Apparently, there are 3 or 4 ML teams that secretly have scientists on their payroll to study pitching, timing, mechanics and give analysis for pitchers and their development. No mention of who those teams are though.
Don’t know where I’m going with all this but I just thought it fascinating reading. And with the amount of injuries piling up to pitchers around the league – especially young pitchers – it’s a wonder more teams don’t start paying some attention to this. Or maybe they already are and maybe we’ll see these type of injuries to young pitchers drastically reduce.
stickguy
5/3/2011-10:43am at 10:43 am (UTC -4)
pitching is a real unnatural action for the human body. If you want to throw the way the body designed, it should be underhand like a softball player!
The MCL also is a wear item. On of the studies I saw said the biggest correlation is IP. Basically, when you pitch it stretches and tears at the ligament. Eventually it just frays too much and lets go.
poor mechanics probably don’t help either of course!
maybe when he gets back they will look to rework him mechanics to take some strain off?
Also, the whole issue of him being too “small” to last as a SP (besides being a corck of crap) had more to do with stamina and his shoulder. Those little guys don’t tend to have more elbow problems.
metsfan4decades
5/3/2011-11:59am at 11:59 am (UTC -4)
Yes, I’m not convinced the ‘small’ argument has as much to do with it as mechanics either.
If that’s the only argument for turning him into a BP/closer, that’s just plain dumb, IMO.