Ben Sheets leaves game with injury; elbow issue lingering since August 26 (reply #29)

[jason21nl]

I don't think Pitching is one position that you could or should pitch with pain, especially on your throwing arm. I don't think he is a wuss at all. It does suck that this happens to him at least once a year. This one happened to be at one of the worst times possible.

[naivin]

Not too surprised, Yost abused him most of the season even though he probably should have been babied and this is what we get for it. Just glad that joke of a manager is gone. He did the same exact thing with Parra as well which is why it doesn't surprise me Parra is struggling.

Good Lord! In one thread it is completley out of bounds to question Sheets' status as an ace, and in another said ace needs to be babied, and his workload of 190+ innings and average PC of 100, is too much, which is the fault of his manager. How do you reconcile that with the claim that he injured himself swinging the bat? Can we blame Gallardo's injury on Ned as well?

[naivin]

I don't think Pitching is one position that you could or should pitch with pain, especially on your throwing arm.

I agree. If he did actually hurt himself swinging the bat, it clearly showed up the next half inning, where he was clearly ineffective and his velocity was down. If it was in fact just sore, it is entirely possible he'll be back out there in the next few days, after what amounted to a bullpen session tonight.

[JimH5]

Vince Young thinks Ben Sheets isn't a gamer.

[Tailgat0r76]

Wow, thrown for a loop here; Tom H's blog says that Sheets said after the game that it's elbow pains he's been fighting for a while, even had an MRI done a while back, he's just been pitching through it. Interesting...

 

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Mod note: actually, it's Anthony Witrado's blog entry.

--1992

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[rupskinnn]

Regardless of your personal opinion of Ben Sheets, the fact that he has been pitching through the pain and even has had an "injection" in the past has got to say something.... What that something is, is open for interpretation--is this a sign that he is tougher than some think, or a direct result of his contract year?

[trwi7]

So this started August 26th in St. Louis, he was taken out of his next start on September 1st and then Yost allowed him to pitch a complete game with 120 pitches and then 113 pitches in his next outing. What sense does that make? If you knew he was still having problems with his elbow why would you send him out for that many pitches?

[Oldcity]

Wow, that's pretty nuts.

 

Ennder is right. He was abused pretty bad in the first half of the season, so it's not shocking. I hope he's able to pitch again this season, but who knows. Awful news.

[Ennder]

Not too surprised, Yost abused him most of the season even though he probably should have been babied and this is what we get for it. Just glad that joke of a manager is gone. He did the same exact thing with Parra as well which is why it doesn't surprise me Parra is struggling.

Good Lord! In one thread it is completley out of bounds to question Sheets' status as an ace, and in another said ace needs to be babied, and his workload of 190+ innings and average PC of 100, is too much, which is the fault of his manager. How do you reconcile that with the claim that he injured himself swinging the bat? Can we blame Gallardo's injury on Ned as well?

 

Yes because criticizing a manager for overusing a pitcher who has thrown 156, 106 and 141 innnings in the past 3 years is out of bounds. The fact that Sheets is in the top 10 for pap this year shows that his manager is a moron, pure and simple. I said it multiple times with both Sheets and Parra but Yost abused them to hell for absolutely no reason (Sabathia as well for that matter) and should be lambasted for his poor management.

[GAME05]

i've never questioned Sheets' desire to pitch in any year or his dedication. to question it or say he doesn't have the desire i think is in large part to not understand the challenges and the precision it takes to be a quality pitcher. plus it puts him in a terrible spot, that either he sits out a few starts and gets questioned, or he tries to play through it and gets shelled.

[Ennder]

It stinks that Sheets has been hurt each of the last 3 years, I do not disagree with that in any way shape or form. I'll even agreet hat he is partially to blame because I dont' think he stays in the best of shape. However when you take that into account and realize that he is unlikely to last a full season with a heavy workload the fact that he is top 7 in all of MLB in PAP says all you need to know. Yost abused the hell out of him and the Brewers are paying for it now. Yost continually stuck him in there the extra inning or two and the team is paying for it right now. You want to blame someone for this and it squarely belongs on Yost as many have pointed out all season long.

[Marc Newfield of Dreams]

As someone who would have had Tommy John surgery had I been a ballplayer, I can tell you that the forearm thing might have had some legitimacy.

 

When I was in college I had a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in my elbow, which the doctor said would have probably needed surgery if I was a pro. Even for someone who was just throwing batting practice to little leaguers at the time, I was strictly forbidden to throw for 2 months, to give it time to heal.

 

With the injury, whenever I tried to throw, I would get tingling in my forearm all the way down my arm to the fingers, and would have some soreness on the under side of my forearm, just below the elbow.

 

The blog from Witrado said that they knew about it and it wasn't structural. If the forearm was a symptom, I have a hard time believing that there's absolutely nothing wrong structurally.

[dlk9s]

With the injury, whenever I tried to throw, I would get tingling in my forearm all the way down my arm to the fingers, and would have some soreness on the under side of my forearm, just below the elbow.

Wow. I had that exact same tingling one game I pitched in 7th or 8th grade. It felt like I hit my funny bone every time I threw. Somehow, I made it through the inning. I guess I got lucky, because it was nothing serious. The doctor thought it might have been a bone chip that hit my ulnar nerve, but it turned out to be strained tendons in my shoulder which somehow affected that nerve (I don't know how this works). I just had to rest it for a week or so and I was fine. Never had any problems with injuries in my several years of pitching after that.

 

Sounds like I was close to something bad. Phew.

[owbc]

How can anyone call Ben Sheets weak or a wuss after this revelation?

 

The man pitched a complete game shutout a few weeks ago with an ailing elbow! He's lost little to none of his effectiveness.

 

I fully expect him to return for the final home stand, even if it is bullpen duty.

[rluzinski]

Well, it's probably good news that this is a pre-existing injury. It's doubtful that a ligament popped or anything like that. Of course, pitchers can still be shut down for general elbow discomfort though, so we'll have to see how he feels. I'd like to think he'd at least be able to at least make one more start. Who knows, though.

 

And my gosh, 233 pitches over his last 2 starts, with Yost knowing about this? Give me a break!

 

Wow. I had that exact same tingling one game I pitched in 7th or 8th grade

 

Heck, I get that from softball when I'm trying to throw to the plate from the outfield. I think that can be a symptom of a lot of things.

[trwi7]

Heck, I get that from softball when I'm trying to throw to the plate from the outfield. I think that can be a symptom of a lot of things.

I have two (maybe three?) words for you. Cut-off man. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[1992casey]

Technically, he'd be looking for someone to relay rather than cut off. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[rluzinski]

From Sheets' post game comments, it doesn't sound like he's ruled out a fast recovery. Something to the effect it being hard to move his elbow one day and perfectly fine 2 days later. That's someone encouraging, considering the circumstances.

 

Beter than "out for season" at least.

[kramnoj]

I looked at the schedule to see the potential impact here. With the Monday off day, the Brewers could skip Sheets previously expected start next Tuesday against the Pirates and everyone can move up a day while still pitching on 4 days rest. That means we would have CC start the Chicago series and wouldn't need Sheets or a replacement until the 2nd to last day of the season. Just something to consider.

[holybannana]

I'm going to really miss his bat, that glorious thing!

 

Hope he's going to be OK.

[mkm13]

It is always easier to pitch through a little pain when it is a contract year and millions of dollars could be riding on being able to play. I expect him to come back. It amazes me how much a guy can get hurt, it really does.

[Invader3K]

I also suspect he'll pitch at least once more before the end of the season. How many innings that will be good for...who knows?

[Diskono]

How can anyone call Ben Sheets weak or a wuss after this revelation?

 

The man pitched a complete game shutout a few weeks ago with an ailing elbow! He's lost little to none of his effectiveness.

 

I fully expect him to return for the final home stand, even if it is bullpen duty.

Exactly. A lot of people seem to forget about him pitching through constant back pain in 2002 and 2003 as well. Geoff Jenkins was considered to be injury prone once, but he hasn't had any major problems in years. A lot of this is luck.

[Barbs4339]

Pretty sure Sheet's is the all-time leader in games started and leaving early due to injury. Hopefully he'll be back because we need him to make a run at this, but I'm not counting on it.

[JohnBriggs12]

Nobody's touched on the real story here. Questions galore in my mind.

 

Why was this covered up?

 

Where was the media on this?

 

Why did Yost let him complete a 1-0 game?

 

Who were Schroeder and Anderson trying to kid the day Sheets supposedly couldn't "get feeling" in his hand after hitting a ball off the end of the bat a start or two back?

 

Did this have anything to do with the attempt to get Gallardo back on the mound this year?

 

What effect does this have on A. Sheets value in the FA market and B. Does this mean it's more likely he'll sign with the Brewers or less likely?

 

First the coverup. I can see why Ben wouldn't want it out there, but is there some unwritten rule that you don't spill the beans and hurt a guy's value by revealing an injury?

 

The Media: Oh I forgot it's Tom Haudricourt

 

The complete game shutout: Maybe this is an underlying reason Yost is gone

 

Schroeder and Anderson sure offered a convenient excuse about why it took so long for Sheets to get ready that inning and had the trainer, manager and pitching coach on the mound. While we're at it, how about that "groin" issue in the Mets game. Yeah right.

 

I thought it was foolish to try to get Gallardo back. Now I'm convinced this is why.

 

I think Sheets blew his cover and it's going to cost him big time. He went from a 3-4 year $75 million neighborhood, to if he's lucky 2 year incentive laden deal at best. Personally I wouldn't guarantee him more than $8 million for one year with an extra million for ever 50 IP he pitches in 09, and a team option for say $12 million in 10.