The long road back

The long road back is beginning in a few weeks and we will see what the big kid is made of....marshmallow or steel.

As he began the process in October, he learned that the body as wonderful as it is, can be fickle. A person has to take care of the machine or suffer consequences as seen with obesity and tooth decay. Returning from an injury for the average person is tough, but for an elite athlete, it can be tougher.

To review, the big leftie had discomfort in the left shoulder that was diagnosed as tendonitis from overuse. An athlete who is being trained by professionals should not develop tendonitis because the trainer is supposed to be watching for strain or technique flaws. Sadly, this was not the case and therefore, the southpaw began to experience pain.

Naturally, he threw through the pain which is not a good idea on any level. Coach T said that he always has pain, but I don't think that Buddy should at his age except for some aches post work out.

And so, he was gradually diagnosed with a capsule and ligament problem and had surgery which so far seems successful. He is still unable to throw, but we are not to be concerned until late summer. The surgeon felt that with the tightening of the ligament, he will add velocity to his fast ball. This is great since I never understood why a guy with his size,training, and work ethic would be losing velocity rather than gaining it. Yet, once the diagnosis was made, it make perfect sense.

The semester is winding down and physical therapy is going to begin. Dad wants to hire a personal trainer to help the kid return to form. As Buddy pointed out during his last visit, his left arm and stomach muscles are not what they had once been. Dang, I have pointed this out on myself for a number of years, but never hired a personal trainer...maybe we can get a two for one deal....although I am not a fan of sit ups, push ups, or squats with Spider-man balls between the knees.

This summer will be eye opening as we watch how dedicated the kid is to getting back to the mound. As his pitching coach pointed out, many guys just throw in the towel after surgery. But he also said that he feels Buddy will be back because of his commitment to the game. Now, if I can only get him to commit to making his bed each morning, cleaning his dirty dishes, walking the dog, closing the house at night, and putting gas in the car, I would name him to the BP mom All Star team.

Have a great day!