Riske begins rehab assignment; LATEST: Tommy John surgery June 2nd (replies 24 & 32)

[joepepsi]

Well, this is too bad. Riske was actually one of those rare relievers who was consistently good throughout his career. What looked like a nice, safe signing 18 months ago now appears a total loss.

[JJHardy7]

Since when did TJ surgury come with a 16 month recovery time? Brewers prospects Mike Jones and Amaury Rivas had TJ surgery in late July of 2007, and both made it back for opening day 2008, and Rivas had a breakout season. Riske's likely return would be next June, and earlier is a possibility.

 

I agree X. I also think though he might be 'back' next year around June, but that doesn't mean he'll be effective. Your example of Jones kind of indicates he might be healthy (like Jones was last year), but still struggle for awhile.

 

Any word on Cappy? Wasn't his surgery around a year ago?

[jjkoestler]

Per TH

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/46714707.html

[lcbj68c]

That would mean moving Riske to the 60-day DL? If we move Riske to the 60-Day DL...does that open a roster spot on the 40-man roster for a move from AAA? Can a roster spot be made here by involving Riske? I dont want to lose any of our hitters to bring up a pitcher, as I dont think they are going to do anything with Julio, stubborn as they have been with veteran relievers in the past.

[trwi7]

Any word on Cappy? Wasn't his surgery around a year ago?

 

From McCalvy a few days ago.

 

I hadn't heard much about Capuano, either, so I gave him a call after the Brewers fell to the Cardinals on Wednesday afternoon. There's good news, and there's bad news.

First, the bad news. Capuano, who is attempting the rare comeback from a second Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery, had a relatively major setback just after the Brewers broke camp in early April when he tried to throw his first live batting practice. He was forced to shut down for 3 1/2 weeks, then started over again from playing catch on flat ground to rebuild arm strength.

"When I turned up to game-speed level, I got really bad stiffness and pain in that elbow," he said. "Maybe I was trying to get back too quick. I had to step back and say, 'No more timetables.' Let that arm heal up."

Frustration set in. One day last month, a discouraged Capuano called Dr. James Andrews, the orthopedist who performed both of Capuano's surgeries and countless others. Andrews, Capuano said, helped put things in perspective.

Which brings him to the good news. Capuano is back to 105 feet in his throwing program, and if all goes well, he will step on a mound for the first time since his setback on June 5. He'll need at least three weeks of bullpens before trying once again to throw live BP to hitters.

"I've stopped putting dates on when I'm coming back, but realistically, it will be five weeks before I can reasonably expect to get in a game," he said. "The good thing is it's night and day right now from how I felt at the end of Spring Training. I'm able to let it go right now with no inhibitions."

He will remain in Phoenix to rehab with Brewers physical therapist Kenny Patterson.

 

Link

[1992casey]

That would mean moving Riske to the 60-day DL? If we move Riske to the 60-Day DL...does that open a roster spot on the 40-man roster for a move from AAA? Can a roster spot be made here by involving Riske?

 

Yes, a 40-man roster spot is opened up. Players on the 60-day DL don't have to be reinstated until some point after the season ends.

 

Also, moves to the 60-day DL are retroactive to the date a player is placed on the 15-day DL. We had a panic attack here a couple of years ago when a player was placed on the 60-day DL a week or so before he was supposed to come back. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[DocLuna7]

Does anyone on the board have any insight into what (if any) percentage of Riske's contract would be covered by insurance? I am guessing that it would cover a decent amount of money which hopefully we could recoup and put into other aspects of our player payroll down the road.

[Invader3K]

Just got a tweet from Gord Ash that Riske indeed underwent Tommy John surgery and is out for the rest of the year.

[ewizabeff]

To bad he just didn't shut it down when he first was questionable, we'd at least be able to maybe get a year use of him.

[rluzinski]

Riske was actually one of those rare relievers who was consistently good throughout his career. What looked like a nice, safe signing 18 months ago now appears a total loss.

 

That contract never really gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. $4+ mil a year for 70 innings of a good but nothing special reliever? And we get him at 31, 32 and 33 years old? I'm not saying it was necessarily a bad signing but just unnecessary.

[DHonks]

When we got him, his numbers were very good. I became concerned when I first read reports that he was a 1 pitch pitcher. Yuck

[JJHardy7]

That contract never really gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. $4+ mil a year for 70 innings of a good but nothing special reliever? And we get him at 31, 32 and 33 years old? I'm not saying it was necessarily a bad signing but just unnecessary.

 

That could be worth something though. They paid $900k this year for Julio to pitch two bad months. Pitchers do get paid in this league who put up numbers -- that doesn't mean it's not luck and such though. I guess I really wonder how his injuries were handled in his time in Milwaukee. IMO he looked like a better pitcher before and the first few months in Milwaukee than he has since. I think he's been hurt awhile. I do agree with you that it didn't have to be a multi-year deal. For a guy like Riske or most relievers I'm fine with a 2 year deal. I think if it's a deal longer than that the pitcher should be special

[joepepsi]

Riske was actually one of those rare relievers who was consistently good throughout his career. What looked like a nice, safe signing 18 months ago now appears a total loss.

 

That contract never really gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. $4+ mil a year for 70 innings of a good but nothing special reliever? And we get him at 31, 32 and 33 years old? I'm not saying it was necessarily a bad signing but just unnecessary.

I'm never one to invest too heavily in a reliever, unless it's a premium closer type and you expect the team to compete for a playoff spot. But I think you are forgetting the context at the time of Riske's contract. Right or wrong, the feeling from Yost and Melvin was the 2007 bullpen lacked durable, rubber armed types who could pitch multiple innings or back to back days. And they didn't have the classic "set up" guy. Shouse was a one batter pitcher, Wise couldn't pitch every day, Turnbow wildly unpredictable, you never wanted Spurling in a game that mattered, Cordero was a free agent, and Villy was penciled for the rotation. The bullpen had gaping holes with only unproven McClung and Stetter around to vie for spots.

 

The bullpen was a pressing need. Sometimes you have to overpay to get someone's attention or to quickly address weaknesses on the roster.

[Invader3K]

Yeah, I think the signing made sense at the time. It's too bad it's going to go down as a complete waste of money. I hope the Brewers had insurance on his contract to cover at least some of the amount they threw away.