Kirby with elbow issue? Latest: Likely to have Tommy John surgery

[SoCalBrewfan]

Alt title: Kirby and the elbow curse?

 

Gulp.

 

http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/145321176

[trwi7]

This has been known for a while. They had an overslot deal with him until they discovered the elbow issue which made the Brewers lower their offer to an underslot deal, which Kirby took.

 

I just hope Tommy John or something that would cause him to miss a bunch of time isn't needed.

 

Edit: I see that all the things in my post above was put in that story.

[wildcat2237]

Here we go. Jed Bradley part deaux.

[FVBrewerFan]

Juan Nieves part 28. Simply amazing how many Brewer pitchers have gone down with injuries over the years- most before they ever made it to MLB. TJ or not, at least there's hope these days.

[And That]

Not great news, but as trwi alluded to, also extremely not surprising. Sucks we'll probably be without one of our top pitching prospects until 2017, but hopefully they'll actually diagnose and treat (surgery if need be) in a timely manner, rather than trying to wait it out as they did with Taylor Williams.

 

Will be a nice re-infusion of talent in 2017, though, assuming surgery for both goes well.

[gregmag]

The Brewers have actually gotten a lot better at getting their pitching prospects through the system. Having two major pitching prospects hurt is bad, but we have a good number of healthy ones.

 

This falls into the category of accepted risks. The Brewers knew what they were getting, and they decided the promise was worth the pain. I hope they're right.

[torts]

Wasnt it stated before that the brewers have had the fewest elbow procedures systemwide in the majors?

[torts]

http://www.brewcrewball.com/2015/3/16/8224841/brewers-tommy-john-surgery-zack-wheeler

[TheCrew07]

Written of course before the season was complete and largely meaningless especially considering losing Taylor Williams for 2 years is downright awful.

[trwi7]

Likely to have TJ surgery.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/323329531.html

[homer]

Written of course before the season was complete and largely meaningless especially considering losing Taylor Williams for 2 years is downright awful.

 

 

"The Brewers have had the fewest major league pitchers need the procedure over the last ten years."

[TheCrew07]

And how many of those guys were home grown? Or acquired after having TJ surgery? Or had TJ immediately after leaving the Brewers? Or had TJ in minors prior to be acquired?

 

The team has done a marvelous job spinning the data to support their conclusion, but a wider view of the facts doesn't support any of that nonsense.

 

The Brewers have fewer TJ surgeries in the low minors because of the tandem system which they've had in place in forever. That's why most of the arm issues occur in A+ and beyond.

 

Players from the past:

Sheets - multitude of injuries with the Brewers, TJ after leaving

Capuano - Trade - TJ before and with the Brewers

Wolf - FA - TJ immediately after leaving the Brewers

Marcum - Trade - TJ prior to Brewers, shoulder surgery in the year after he left

Greinke - Trade - Healthy aside from basketball injury

Estrada - Waivers - multitude of other injuries, no TJ

Galardo - ACL, no TJ

Bush - Trade - Hit by batted ball tearing muscle in throwing arm, no TJ

Suppan - FA - No TJ

 

MLB players from the Brewers system:

Peralta - TJ before getting to A ball, appears to have something wrong with him again as his velocity is way down.

Garza - FA - Has avoided TJ over the course of his career but struggles to stay healthy regardless

Jungmann - Has been healthy

Nelson - Has been healthy

Lohse - FA - Has been healthy

Cravy - No TJ, currently on the DL

Thornburg - Narrowly avoided TJ with injection, velocity way and currently ineffective

Goforth - Has been healthy

Kintzler - All kinds of arm problems, stress fracture requiring a pin to be inserted into arm, rotator cuff, knee...

Wooten - TJ surgery

Fiers - Broken Arm, no TJ

Henderson - Shoulder surgery

 

Minor Leagues, mostly focusing on players outside of tandems and top prospects, excluding 2015 draftees:

RHP:

Davies - Just acquired

Gagnon - Healthy but ineffective

Wagner - Healthy

Lopez - Healthy

Taylor Williams - Lost 2 seasons to TJ

Burgos - a couple of seasons of shoulder issues, don't recall TJ

Houser - Just acquired

Hellweg - TJ

Woodruff - 1st full season - Healthy

Ortega - 1st full season - Healthy

Salas - 1st full season - Healthy

Victor Diaz - arm issues all season, WI tandem

Cy Sneed - 1st full season - Healthy

Devin Williams - WI tandem - Healthy

Angel Ventura - WI tandem - Healthy

Miguel Diaz - AZ - Missed most of season with stress fracture in elbow

Burkhalter - WI tandem - Healthy

 

LHP:

Suter - Healthy

Johnson - Healthy

Hader - Just acquired

Wei-Chung Wang - TJ prior to be acquired

Hirsch - WI tandem - Missed time with unspecified elbow problem, now in BC

Medeiros - WI tandem

 

Other notables:

Austin Ross - TJ

Josh Uhen - TJ (prior to being drafted)

Nathan Kirby - TJ (known elbow problems prior to signing)

Mike Jones - 3 different surgeries including TJ

Mark Rogers - Shoulder and hand issues

Chris Saenz - TJ

Jed Bradley - Arm issues, no TJ

 

The Brewers have lost a handful of players to TJ surgery every year with more serious shoulder issues mixed in. By limiting the discussion to TJ surgeries on the MLB roster they can put a positive spin on it because of most the players the Brewers have acquired to pitch for them had TJ prior or immediately after leaving the Brewers. With very few home grown pitchers over the years they can mask the issues behind of the facade of MLB health based purely on the timing of when the surgeries occurred and if they were TJ related or not. Most of our guys are pretty early in their careers so we'll have to see how it plays out over time but the only significant measure that's been taken is the tandem system at all levels below A+.

 

Very few home grown pitchers + Sheets, Wolf, and Marcum having surgeries post Brewer career though clearly injured in their last season allows for that spin.

[LouisEly]

The question isn't if Brewers pitching prospects have had injuries - they certainly have.

 

The question is how that compares to other teams.

[TigerUppercut]

The question isn't if Brewers pitching prospects have had injuries - they certainly have.

 

The question is how that compares to other teams.

 

+1000

[jwill535]

I know hindsight, but with them knowing he had some arm/shoulder issues this year at UVA, maybe they would have been better off giving him the rest of the year and starting fresh next year.

[clancyphile]

I know hindsight, but with them knowing he had some arm/shoulder issues this year at UVA, maybe they would have been better off giving him the rest of the year and starting fresh next year.

 

Or maybe to have seen them draft 3B Austin Riley - taken one pick later by the Atlanta Braves - instead?

[torts]

The question isn't if Brewers pitching prospects have had injuries - they certainly have.

 

The question is how that compares to other teams.

 

thank you.