More progress for Zumaya, Rodney

laprimamirala wrote:

Stupid insomnia! was awake at 3:45, fairly normal now!

Wow that's early!
I always have to set my alarm clock when i want to get up for a game. No chance i would wake up at 3:45 without alarm!

also because you haven't just stopped working a night shift!

laprimamirala wrote:

also because you haven't just stopped working a night shift!

You're right of course. That shakes things up as i heard of others i know that worked during the night.

then I feel like a pensioner, having to take naps during the day!

GO ZOOMBA....GO RODNEY....GET YER BUTTS UP HERE!!!!!!!!!

laprimamirala wrote:

GO ZOOMBA....GO RODNEY....GET YER BUTTS UP HERE!!!!!!!!!

06/12/2008 3:13 PM ET
Long road back almost over for Zumaya
Reliever close to making return to bigs after shoulder surgery
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

DETROIT -- Joel Zumaya walked back into the Tigers' clubhouse Thursday morning for the first time since the final home series of last season and found his stall exactly where it had been. His big pickup truck had been almost instantly recognized on his way into the park. He had a delivery box with two baseball gloves waiting for him.

If he needed any more indication how close he is to the big leagues again, this was it.

"It feels good," he said. "I'm surprised I still have a locker."

Considering where he stood about seven months ago, fresh off of a rare surgery he wasn't sure he'd recover from in order to pitch again, he has more reason than that to be surprised.

As he drove home from Toledo with a friend following his most recent rehab outing with the Triple-A Mud Hens on Wednesday night, he was thinking about his rough second inning of work when it dawned on him where he is.

"I looked at him and I said, 'Hey, man, it's really, really crazy that I'm throwing triple digits again,'" Zumaya said. "The doctors did not know how my arm was going to heal. It was like a 50-50 chance."

When asked about his toughest time through this whole process, he points to the day when he actually had to make a final decision on whether to have the surgery that would repair the AC joint in his throwing shoulder. It was his only chance to play again, but it also a virtually unprecedented surgery for a pitcher.

There was no history of a comeback from this injury. And even after Zumaya had it, there wasn't always hope on his part, either.

"It'll change you a little bit," he said. "You have to realize that this game will humble you quick. Just to realize what I've done, it's changed me a lot, staying strong and believing. Because I did lose hope after my surgery, and I never thought I was going to be here again.

"I had thoughts of retiring and just giving it up, and I'm here again. I'm close. I'm knocking right on the door."

The change is noticeable. Zumaya was a little quieter as he talked with reporters Thursday morning. The smile is still on his face, but he talks with the voice of someone who has matured plenty over the past two years. Physically, he's also much slimmer, having lost about 30 pounds since Spring Training, thanks to his workout program.
From a pitching standpoint, he said, throwing 100 mph isn't important to him anymore. He thinks he could succeed throwing 95 if he had to. It's the symbolic importance, the fact that he can throw now as hard as he did before and answer questions. It proves a point to others, but it has also proven a point to himself.

"Some days, it felt like I had just come right back out of the operating room," Zumaya said. "I'd be like, 'Oh my god ... Is my arm fine?' And other than the first game I threw and a couple other games, it was just getting better and better. 'Is this really happening? Is it going to happen too fast? Am I pushing it too fast?' Every day, it just felt fine."

After his first game, he couldn't even play catch. On Thursday, after throwing Wednesday night, he felt like he could go out and pitch again. He was able to go out and play catch.

Those are good moments for him. It was one of those, he said, that led to one of his more infamous moments. After having a very good session in Lakeland, Fla., he said he decided to celebrate by having some friends over. He was startled to find pictures of that night show up on the Internet, which he didn't realize until the Tigers' front office contacted his agent about it.

The pictures suggested someone who was partying through his rehab. Zumaya said he was being an average 23-year-old.

"Those pictures look a lot crazier than it was," Zumaya said. "It looks like I'm holding myself up and hurting myself. I was not putting any stress on my arm, I can tell you guys that. I've had enough setbacks in my life already. I don't want to have any more.

"It was upsetting. But that teaches you that you have to really watch yourself everywhere. I was in my own house, and those pictures were taken and I get a phone call."

Zumaya's setbacks, he hopes, are behind him now. Now, he's not only on the brink of returning to the big leagues in virtually his old form, he could make his return in his hometown of San Diego next weekend.

"It feels good," he said. "It felt good just pitching in Toledo. Even when I did bad the second inning, they still applauded me. It felt really, really good that I have people supporting me still."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

He (Zoom) looked like he was doing GREAT when I saw him at the game today (Thursday)...He was throwing hard, throwing free and easy, and having fun with the guys!

06/14/2008 3:29 PM ET
Rodney could return Monday
Setup man outstanding in Triple-A rehab assignment
By Scott McNeish / MLB.com

DETROIT -- The Tigers almost have one of their rehabbing relievers back.

Setup man Fernando Rodney could join the Tigers for their series at San Francisco on Monday. He traveled to Detroit on Saturday for a health examination, and if all checks out, Rodney will rejoin the Tigers bullpen for their six-game West Coast trip next week.

"We'll see how he's feeling and all that kind of stuff," manager Jim Leyland said before Saturday's game against the Dodgers. "He should be going on the trip with us if he's right."

Whatever adjustments Rodney made with pitching coach Chuck Hernandez in this week's bullpen session, results came immediately in the injured right-hander's rehab game on Friday. After struggling to command his fastball in most of his other rehab outings, he threw strikes on his first 15 pitches Friday and finished with 22 of his 26 tosses going for strikes.
Rodney, out since Spring Training with shoulder tendinitis, pitched two scoreless, hitless innings against the Indianapolis Indians, the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate. His only baserunner reached on an error, and he struck out three.

"He threw very good," Leyland said. "He was at 93-95 [mph], had a good changeup. He did outstanding."

In his four rehab outings, Rodney has allowed four runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings, while walking five and striking out eight. He has consistently thrown in the mid-90's and has reported no pain in the shoulder.

Injured outfielder Clete Thomas (sprained ankle) started his rehab assignment at Toledo on Friday. He went 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts.

Right-handed reliever Joel Zumaya, Detroit's other rehabbing setup man, will pitch in Toledo on Saturday night. Zumaya requested more rehab games to build his endurance, so he will also throw an inning each on Monday and Tuesday.

Leyland said if no problems arise in Zumaya's next three outings, he will rejoin the Tigers next weekend at San Diego, his hometown.

Scott McNeish is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

06/15/2008 12:38 PM ET
Rodney ready to return from DL
Will be activated for Monday's series opener vs. Giants
By Scott McNeish / MLB.com

DETROIT -- The Tigers will activate reliever Fernando Rodney from the disabled list after Sunday's game against the Dodgers. He will join the bullpen for Monday's series opener at San Francisco.

"He'll be with us for the trip, and we'll make a [roster move] after the game," manager Jim Leyland said Sunday morning.

Rodney, who has battled right shoulder tendinitis since Spring Training, passed the health examination performed Saturday in Detroit. He remained in Detroit on Sunday, but the team will not activate him until the conclusion of its series finale with the Dodgers. He could see his first Major League action this season Monday.

The Tigers' setup man made four Minor League rehab appearances prior to his return. He pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on three hits and five walks. He struck out eight and opponents hit just .158 against him.

Leyland said last week that Rodney's health would allow him to rejoin the team, but the Tigers wanted to see better command of his fastball before he returned.

Rodney visited Comerica Park earlier this week for a bullpen session with pitching coach Chuck Hernandez, who made a few slight adjustments to Rodney's mechanics. The right-hander responded by throwing two scoreless, hitless innings Friday. Also, his first 15 pitches went for strikes, and he finished throwing strikes on 22 of his 26 pitches.

The team has made no announcement on how is plans to create roster room for Rodney, but young right-hander Freddy Dolsi is likely the prime candidate to return to the Minors.

Scott McNeish is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Head west young man

June 17th, 2008

Joel Zumaya’s rehab assignment is finished. He was to throw for the Mud Hens today so he could work in back to back games, but they opted for a bullpen session instead of the noon start. Following the 14 pitch session Zumaya was on his way to the airport to meet the team in San Diego.

Now San Diego is his hometown having grown up in Chula Vista. That means he’ll be home for 3 days with the team not playing the Padres until Friday. Here’s hoping that he avoids any manual labor and calls in professionals if need be.

He won’t be activated of course until the Friday game, which means someone needs to go down. There are 3 bullpen pitchers with options in Freddy Dolsi, Zach Miner, and Casey Fossum (nice sleuthing Eddie) who could be candidates.

06/17/2008 11:00 PM ET
Zumaya set to rejoin Tigers on Friday
Fireballer will return to setup role for San Diego opener
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

SAN FRANCISCO -- Joel Zumaya's final rehab outing came in a side session rather than a game. His next pitches will come not just in the Major Leagues, but in his hometown.

As expected, the Tigers confirmed Tuesday that they'll activate their hard-throwing setup man from the disabled list in time for this weekend's series at San Diego. He'll celebrate a personal and a professional homecoming at the same time, though the Tigers are more focused on the latter.

Zumaya was originally scheduled to make back-to-back outings Monday and Tuesday for Triple-A Toledo before the Tigers evaluated him. However, the Mud Hens had a noon ET start Tuesday after Zumaya pitched an inning of relief Monday night, a scheduling snafu for which Leyland blamed himself.

"Zumaya is fine," Leyland said. "Zumaya will join us in San Diego."

Zumaya allowed an unearned run on two hits Monday, but escaped further damage by retiring the side in order with the potential tying run on third after giving up a leadoff double and a single. His fastball ranged from 97 to 99 mph, Leyland said.

That was enough to convince the Tigers he was ready. Leyland, however, admitted he felt like Zumaya has been ready for a while. The fact that Zumaya is going to beat the original timetable for his return didn't shock him.

"I'm not surprised at all," Leyland said, "because Zumaya was throwing the heck out of the ball by the time we left Spring Training."

Zumaya will not do anything pitching-wise on Wedneday. That, combined with Thursday's off-day, should leave him ready to go when the Tigers open their series against the Padres on Friday night at PETCO Park.

Once he does return, he'll be back in the setup role he had when he last threw a big league pitch last September. With that, the Tigers' dynamic duo of setup relievers will be back intact.

"We've been waiting for months to have [Fernando] Rodney and Zumaya as our late-inning guys like we did [before]," Leyland said, "and that's what they're going to be. If they don't do it, then we won't win."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

No doing ANYTHING with the hands, Joel!
This guy needs 24-hour supervision!!

Quote :

"We've been waiting for months to have [Fernando] Rodney and Zumaya as our late-inning guys like we did [before]," Leyland said, "and that's what they're going to be. If they don't do it, then we won't win."

No JL....You proved that point Monday when you brought in Rodney with 2 on and 1 out.