Key reliever Fernando Rodney has pain in shoulder

Ominous spring? Key reliever Fernando Rodney has pain in shoulder

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Right-hander Fernando Rodney, counted on for a crucial role in the Tigers' bullpen, has had pain in his throwing shoulder this week.
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Is this ominous news for the regular season? Or is it a minor spring-training health issue that will be forgotten by Opening Day?

That will be impossible to say until Rodney shows whether he can pitch without any problems in the upcoming monthlong exhibition season.

Rodney said Wednesday the shoulder pain is similar to the pain he had last season that forced him onto the disabled list.

Instead of trying to pitch through the pain, as he did last season, he is being cautious and has ceased pitching, at least for a few days.

Rodney said Wednesday he felt "very close" to regaining full strength in the shoulder. He hopes to throw a full session off a bullpen mound by next week.

Rodney is ticketed to get lead-preserving outs in the seventh and eighth innings. His importance is heightened by the absence of Joel Zumaya, expected to be out at least the first half of the season following shoulder surgery.

Zumaya and Rodney shared the lead-protecting role in the seventh and eighth innings in 2006, when the Tigers won the pennant. In spring training, the Tigers must decide on someone to take Zumaya's spot and team with Rodney in the seventh and eighth innings. This decision -- on a team that has its rotation and lineup set -- looms as the most important decision of camp.

DANG IT ALL!

Not good news!

TIGERS SPRING TRAINING
Reliever Rodney's shoulder pain isn't bothering Jim Leyland
Reliever is pegged as key to hot bullpen

By JOHN LOWE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • February 21, 2008

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Tigers manager Jim Leyland sounded unconcerned this morning that reliever Fernando Rodney has stopped throwing off the mound for now because of pain in his pitching shoulder.

Rodney, who went on the disabled last season with an injury to the same shoulder, is expected to play a huge role in this season’s bullpen.

“Rodney was a little tender,” Leyland said this morning. “We’re kind of going slow with Rodney. Not because we’re that concerned, but because we know what went on last year.”

Leyland added in regard to Rodney’s progress this spring: “We’ll monitor it close.”

Later this morning, Rodney played catch for eight minutes. Rodney and catcher Vance Wilson tossed the ball at first over a distance of about 60 feet. They gradually lengthened the distance between them to about 90 feet.

Rodney wasn’t throwing the ball anywhere nearly as hard as he does on the mound.

It is undetermined when he will resume throwing off a mound.

The ultimate test for Rodney will be how well and how often he can pitch in the upcoming exhibition season and regular season. Only then we will know for sure if he has put the shoulder trouble behind him.

Rodney is ticketed this season to get lead-preserving outs in the seventh and eighth innings. His importance is heightened by the absence of Joel Zumaya, expected to be out at least the first half of the season following shoulder surgery. If healthy, Zumaya would have shared the seventh- and eighth-inning responsibility with Rodney, as they did successfully in the pennant year of 2006.

Leyland said today of Rodney: “He’s a big key for us.”

Rodney said Wednesday he’s had pain in his throwing shoulder this week. He said it’s similar to the pain he had last season that forced him onto the disabled list for more than a month.

Instead of trying to pitch through the pain, as he did last season, Rodney is now being cautious and thus has ceased throwing off the mound for now. At this stage of spring training, pitchers typically throw off the mound every other day.

AND no Air Hero!

Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Tigers reliever Rodney throws without pain
Tom Gage / The Detroit News

LAKELAND, Florida -- Relief pitcher Fernando Rodney has taken the first encouraging step toward overcoming his shoulder tendonitis and being ready for the start of the regular season.

Rodney was able to make 15 throws in a 60-foot game of catch without discomfort Tuesday morning. After the session, Rodney said his arm felt good and that he was ready for a longer distance.

There's no indication yet on when Rodney will be able to throw in a game. His guess is two weeks, but there's nothing official about that. Trainer Kevin Rand said Rodney will have another 60-foot session, followed by 80 feet, and will be evaluated after that.

Manager Jim Leyland has been concerned about Rodney, but also has emphasized more than once that he won't be rushed back. If anything, the Tigers will err on the side of caution with him this spring to make absolutely sure he fully recovers.

Nothing like rushing your way into more injuries!