raptorsfan29
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« on: April 22, 2006, 09:13:43 pm » |
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just felt like posting this
Burnett goes on 15-day DL
Jays don't believe elbow injury serious
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher A.J. Burnett reacts as Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz rounds the bases during third inning AL action in Toronto on Friday, April 21, 2006. (CP PHOTO/Frank Gunn)
TORONTO (CP) - The Toronto Blue Jays placed starter A.J. Burnett on the 15-day disabled list Saturday confident that his latest bout of elbow soreness is just another flareup of scar tissue and nothing more serious.
The hard-throwing right-hander, signed to a $55-million-US, five-year deal as a free agent during the off-season, left Friday's 7-6, 12-inning win over the Boston Red Sox after just four innings and 78 pitches because of pain.
Burnett pulled out of a March 18 spring start when some scar tissue broke off in the elbow and preliminary tests Friday suggest it's the same thing this time. The Jays believe specialist Dr. James Andrews will confirm that when he sees Burnett on Monday in Birmingham, Ala.
"We're doing everything we're supposed to do," said general manager J.P. Ricciardi. "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."
The Blue Jays called up Shaun Marcum from triple-A Syracuse to pitch out of the bullpen and another move will have to be made to cover Burnett's next scheduled start on Thursday.
Ricciardi wasn't tipping his hand but said relieve
r Scott Downs, who has been used as a spot-starter, won't be in the mix. Triple-A starters Josh Banks, Casey Janssen and Ty Taubenheim are possibilities.
The Blue Jays were able to at least breathe a sigh of relief when ace Roy Halladay threw five strong innings in an 8-1 over the Red Sox. He had been out with tightness in his right forearm.
Burnett opened the season on the disabled list and he was making just his second start Friday. The Blue Jays are hoping his examination Monday will put to rest his concerns about the elbow. Andrews performed Burnett's ligament-replacement surgery in 2003.
The breaking or tearing of scar tissue often isn't considered serious, although it can be extremely painful. Burnett said it feels like a ligament tearing.
After ligament-replacement surgery scar tissue forms over the area and can break apart in ensuing years. Burnett last had problems with scar tissue in the spring of 2004.
"They're going to take care of me. I'm in good hands, I'm not worried about that," Burnett said after his start Friday. "I come back and it's just a scar tissue thing again, I would expect to maybe take a few extra days as opposed to being on the same schedule as last time.
"If I waited five days last time, why not wait 10 or 15 days, make sure we get it out of there for good, whatever it is. There's a shark floating around in there and we got to get it out."
The Blue Jays plan to give him as long as he needs, but there are some suggestions that he might just have to learn to throw with pain.
"There might come a point where he has to pitch with it, I don't know," said manager John Gibbons. "He'll go see the guy who did the surgery. Hopefully, he'll get some reassurance from him. Until he sees him we won't know."
Scar tissue can be more problematic if it stretches, distends or becomes malformed during the healing process. In those cases, the person can become more prone to injury, or they tear, heal and re-tear the tissue over and over, leaving the person alternating between periods of comfort and pain.
There are no indications that's the case with Burnett at this point.
"MRIs, doctors, everybody's saying the same thing," said Burnett. "They took an MRI the last time and there was nothing at all wrong with the ligament. It was exactly the same thing I felt in the spring. I'm pretty positive about that."
Burnett was throwing in the high 90s during his outing, hitting 98 a couple of times before the trouble began. His velocity dropped to 91 by the fourth inning.
"His mechanics eased up. It didn't look like the violent, airing it out type (motion). That's when I knew something wasn't right," said pitching coach Brad Arnsberg. "You're not stepping on it at sixes and sevens and pitching at 91 two innings later. It's very odd."
The Blue Jays have about $2 million US in payroll available if they needed to make a move.
But they're not thinking that way right now.
"It's disappointing," said centre-fielder Vernon Wells. "Obviously you want him right there behind Doc (Roy Halladay) pitching. You've got to live with injuries, everybody's just hoping it's not too bad.
"We just need him to comeback, take as long as he needs and get healthy. We'll need him down the stretch."
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