Breaking News: Hamels To Get Elbow Examinated
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Mon, March 16, 2009 07:33 AM | Comments: 24
News, Posts
Todd Zolecki reports Cole Hamels is flying back to Philadelphia for an elbow examination.
General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said he’s still optimistic Hamels could make his opening night start April 5:
“We do not think it is serious, at least at this time. We thought it was important for Dr. Ciccotti to check him out and see if there is anything more serious than what we think it is. He’ll decide once he sees him tomorrow morning if he needs to do any testing or any further testing. … But he’s had a little persistent soreness and we want to be cautious about it and have him checked out.”
More to come.
Posts: 0 Don M
Including the playoffs, Hamels threw almost 270 innings last year.. they said so far his velocity is down (but that he normally doesn’t throw hard in Spring Training, instead working on his control)
Hopefully its nothing to worry about.. but that 35% increase in innings pitched last year is a lot of strain on the elbow
Posted: 07:38 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Maverick
If Hamels goes on the DL then we are in trouble with this starting 5
Myers
Blanton
Moyer
Park
Happ
Posted: 07:39 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Greg V.
Yeah, they never think anything is serious!
If Hamels goes on the DL, I’m not very worried about Myers-Blanton-Moyer-Park-Happ. They’re all good pitchers. Someone will step up. They always do.
Posted: 07:42 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Maverick
Thats positive thinking! I hope your right.
Posted: 07:44 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 CT
with the way Happ and Park have been pitching this Spring, i’m not too concerned. of course it would be nice to have a healthy Hamels on the mound every 5 days, but the guy’s pushed himself beyond normal human limits this past season. i’m predicting some time on the DL for him this season.
Posted: 07:54 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Griffin
If Hamels is out for an extended period of time, the Phillies will NOT be OK. Replacing Hamels with the loser of the Park/Happ battle is a HUGE step back.
Hopefully it’s nothing, but as Don M pointed out, there was a large increase in innings pitched for Hamels last year which increases his injury risk for this year. The Phils were very lucky in the health department last year.
Posted: 07:57 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Jason B.
One thing that seems to work in our favor is our off days in April. The way it stands, we could go down to a four man rotation for the first few weeks of the season, OR, go five man and give the starters an extra day of rest. If Cole starts the season, that extra rest would be greatly needed. As CT says, though, I do think King Cole will spend some time on the DL, might as well be early on.
Posted: 08:00 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
Yeah well, like I said the other day: If hamels or myers goes down theyre are F’d…I expect Moyer to return abck to earth this season, so I feel by the all star break Moyer will be replaced by Park or Carrasco. But If you lose one of your top 2 guys for a while, especially hamels, you dont even screw around, you have to go out and get somebody. I mean if something is wrong with that elblow you just go get the best guy you can get….
I wouldnt throw Hamels the rest of the Spring after this. I mean, no way. Rest him and hope he can make the Opening Day start and hope that hes healthy. I think Happ will do well, maybe blanton will doo. But Myers needs to step up and Moyer will not do well and he will not be in the rotation at the end of the season.
Posted: 08:13 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
I hope hes allright. But once you hear elbow soreness you rest him..period. If you screw the elbow up and need surgery at all then yorue going to have to give up a lot to trade for someone good because teams will know youre desperate…In their defense, the price for quality starting pitching in the offseason was completely outrageous. Burnett, Lowe, etc: this is well documented but the money they got was completely insane and even though the Phillies NEED more rotation depth, you cant blame them for that and I think in the end they did the right thing in avoiding those guys, but I still dont trust Moyer there to begin with and Hamels feeling soreness is just not a good thing to hear…
Posted: 08:17 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 NEPA
Saw this news coming a mile away. Hopefully they’re being overly cautious.
Posted: 08:21 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 nick
Update (10 a.m.): Hamels is currently participating in PFP (pitchers fielding practice) drills on the half-field just outside Bright House Field. It’s certainly strange, isn’t it? Phillies fans suddenly have a queasy feeling in their stomachs, but Hamels is running around, smiling, laughing and looking fine.
Posted: 08:22 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
How is Hamels rested – but not stretched out going to be ready for season though??
I’d rather have him get his work in, and get skipped, or placed on the DL to start the season than have him sit out, and not be ready or sharp when its his turn to go anyway..
We already have a much better rotation #2-5 than we did last year, and with each team’s Home Opener, you get the next day off..
They could go 4-man rotation, not skipping starters and Hamels make his debut on April 16th vs. Washington… he would miss two starts, but id rather have him do that than push himself too soon, after he took the baseball world by storm last season
Posted: 08:23 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Joe O'Phillie
Let’s save the panicking for when we need to. An extended trip on the DL for Hamels could be a time to panic.
Posted: 08:23 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Manny
Time to freak out.
Posted: 08:25 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Kev
At least Geoff didn’t completely overreact, and jump to a huge conclusion
Posted: 08:27 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Kev
Also, the same thing basically happened with Johan Santana, he got evaluated, took a step back, and now apparently is doing fine, calm the hell down
Posted: 08:28 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
I’m not really expecting him to start on the DL, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if he did.
Daily News article yesterday said that he threw (I think a simulated game, or minor league or something) and none of the “Big Cigars” in the organization were there to watch him… they all watched the game vs. the Reds.. and if something was really wrong, they would have all been over watching Hamels
im not worried
Posted: 08:29 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
It might make sense to start Hamels on the DL like with Lidge last year and spot start Happ for one or two starts (presuming Park wins the rotation battle). After Cole’s workload last year he clearly needs to be eased into the season and all were missing is the eyes on Philly opening day start.
Sure you pick up a game or two early and it could make the difference, but I want my core guys fresh and focused down the business end when the rooks and lesser guys are fading so this is just sensible preparation.
Posted: 08:30 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
Thats what they need to do though. Take a step back and rest him a bit. Maybe not for the WHOLE rest of the spring. But they did the right thing here. You dont play games. Yyou hear elbow soreness: BOOM! On a plane, MRI, X-Ray. Make sure nothings structurally wrong, then rest it.
Posted: 08:39 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
If he’s only hitting 81-82 on the gun… and he doesn’t throw more before the season starts.. you really want him pitching in games instead of Happ and Park at 100%
Lets wait and see what the Doctor says.. hopefully its just soreness, they’ll have him still throwing “bullpen sessions”.. and if he isn’t ready to go on opening day, you don’t force him.. but you need to have him continue to throw (if he can) because otherwise, he’s of no use once the games matter. .
Posted: 08:44 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Chutley
I believe Brett Myers started the season last year and how did that turn out?
Posted: 08:46 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
Yeah I know…but thats why flying him up here right away is correct. You cant have him ready if you dont know whats wrong…some teams cant even get that right.
Posted: 08:48 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 From Section 113
We can only specualte until we know more, but without Hamels this team ain’t going far.
Posted: 09:39 AM on March 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Chuck P
If Hamels spends an extended time on the DL, of course we’re in trouble… no matter how good Park and Happ look, they don’t have the Hamels changeup. They don’t have the tools.
I doubt that it’s anything serious; it’s probably a case where he woke up one morning feeling a bit more sore than he was accustomed to or feeling sore in a place that he didn’t remember feeling sore and decided to play it safe. Plus, some veterans don’t like overworking themselves in spring training… maybe Hamels feels like he has earned the right to take it easy. He has pretty good mechanics. We would all like to see him put some weight on his frame but I’m confident that he’ll be ok. As long as he doesn’t miss significant time, I’m not going to freak out.
Posted: 11:06 AM on March 16, 2009