The news about Ross Detwiler, first reported by fans-fueled blogger Mark Zuckerman upon his arrival in Viera, Fla., pretty much ruined what had been a great day.
I first saw Detwiler in Potomac two seasons ago and he grew on me with his September showing. He was penciled in to the very unofficial NationalsFanboyLooser rotation. Now they say he'll be out about three months but I'm going to guess he doesn't pitch competitively until after the All-Star break, if then. I fear he'll join Jordan Zimmermann on the season-long spectator list.
It could be fuel for a new poll (thanks for getting me over 100 votes, by the way): Do we see Detwiler or Wang first?
Disappointed as I am because I think the kid was ready to do good things, the Nats will find a body to fill the slot. There's no shortage of potential candidates out there, I just don't think any of them beyond the big two or maybe three (Marquis/Lannan, maybe Olsen) are as good. Detwiler excites me. The laundry list of Stammen, Martin, Mock, Martis, Balester, Chico (the pitcher), otherrandombody does not though Stammen could at least make me change my mind. Not listing Strasburg because I'm convinced he isn't part of the season-opening plans unless he is ridiculously lights out this spring. He excites me.
I also hope this doesn't make something think signing Kris Benson is suddenly a better idea. It's not.
My bigger concern is the continued injury hex that seems to hang over this team. Is it JimBow with a voodoo doll? Is it a clueless medical staff? Is it players being afraid to speak up? It's darn sure something.
Did Detwiler get hurt during a recent workout or has it been a problem for a year?
We all know the list, but here's a partial reminder: Zimmermann has a sore elbow, he'll be back in September (yeah? of what year?). Flores will be active in Philly (but on a MUCH later trip and we've signed Pudge, so who knows when Flores be back). Zimmerman is day to day with this shoulder thing (for a couple of months). It goes on and on and on and on to the point where the fanbase has a right to wonder what the heck and legitimate fear of what could be next?
All teams deal with injuries. With this team, it always seems to have a Keystone Kops feel to it, except it isn't at all funny.
Chien-Ming Wang's shoulder just started hurting again and he doesn't know why.
At least Zuckerman is down there telling us what's going on. Money well spent already for those fans who helped pay his way.
4 comments:
Those Wang jokes just aren't near as funny when they're written in Chinese.
Yeah, something gets lost in translation.
Wang and Ross will get plenty of bonding time in rehab.
And here's how you know it's a Wang joke:
逆援助
SEX
フェラチオ
I think the reason why these guys get hurt and stay hurt is the same reason all the old Caps teams got hurt and stayed hurt. They aren't good enough, talented enough, strong enough. They can't play within themselves and win. They get pushed around by bigger, stronger players. They lose, so they can't relax and recover. They worry and play tight. They aren't good enough to keep their jobs if they stop playing, so they aren't comfortable fessing up and saying they are hurt. So they don't get treatment. They "gut it out" and "play through pain" and do more and more damage until - crisis - they can't hide it any more, the illusion of health is stripped away and they are forced into surgery. It's not the fault of the med staff if the player doesn't ask for help.
I've wondered aloud in various forums if there is a way to structure incentives to reward early acknowledgment of injuries, but there really doesn't seem to be any way to do that. The players are in charge of their health.
What makes it worse is the losing. If we were coming off a World Series victory, we'd look at the injuries much less seriously.
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