The Torn Labrum

by Birdfan01 on Aug 2, 2008 10:54 AM EDT

I'm an Orioles fan who has seen two of the teams better young pitchers, and the two main components of the Miguel Tejada trade- Matt Albers and Troy Patton, suffer the dreaded torn labrum. I've heard that the torn labrum is a much tougher injury to overcome than most other arm injuries, and I was wondering what the chances are that Albers and Patton can come back strong in 2009. I understand to some degree it depends upon the pitcher, but I hoping people could talk about pitchers who they know have suffered the injury in the past and how they were able to comeback from the injury. Thanks

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Worst Arm Injury

I’ve frayed my rotator cuff and frayed my UCL and neither of those stopped me from pitching through college. When I tore my labrum I was done. The level of pain between the different injuries isn’t even close. The scar tissue from a minor rotator cuff or UCL is relatively easy to break up and regain range of motion. The labrum is deep in the joint making it nearly impossible to break it up. While some pitchers can come back and for a relatively short time (ala Carpenter) can regain their form, almost all develop an arthritic condition that becomes only a matter of time.

Baseball Instructor - www.frozenropes.com

by HuskerBob on Aug 2, 2008 12:24 PM EDT reply reply 0 recs

Pitchers, off the cuff

Made it back:

Jon Rauch
Gil Meche
Arthur Rhodes
Chris Carpenter
Adam Loewen
Sidney Ponson

Didn’t make it back:

Pedro (back sorta, but not PEDRO)
Robb Nen
Robert Person
Jim Parque
Mike Sirotka
Ryan Anderson
Shawn Hill
Tony Armas, Jr.
soon to be non-tendered Chad Cordero
Brian Lawrence
Kurt Ainsworth
JD Durbin
Kevin Gryboski
Scott Erikson
Beau Hale
Travis Blackley

by aCone419 on Aug 2, 2008 12:53 PM EDT reply reply 0 recs

don't forget

the immortal Rocky Biddle made it back too

by count sutton on Aug 2, 2008 2:23 PM EDT up reply reply 0 recs

Loewen?

Probably doesnt belong in the made it back column anymore…

by alskor on Aug 3, 2008 3:49 AM EDT up reply reply 0 recs

See below

He came back from his Labrum injury just fine, making the majors with his star intact; his elbow did him in.

by aCone419 on Aug 3, 2008 3:36 PM EDT up reply reply 0 recs

Pretty craptacular list

Too bad really.

My only argument would be Pedro. He hurt his shoulder long before he had surgery. 5 years even.

Baseball Instructor - www.frozenropes.com

by HuskerBob on Aug 3, 2008 4:30 AM EDT up reply reply 0 recs

not the only ones

A couple Astros that had the injury as well, both made it back: Taylor Buchholz, pitching nicely now. Mark McLemore, shelved with a non-labrum issue.
Both made it all the way back from shoulder, just takes a good 15-18 mos. before they were FULLY right. If all goes well, we will see your two guys next year circa this time but they won’t be 100% yet

The Giants need to sign Harry Doyle.

by jrose643 on Aug 2, 2008 2:08 PM EDT reply reply 0 recs

Anibal Sanchez

I’ve read conflicting reports on this kid. Was it torn rotator cuff or labrum?

I guess it’s hard to say he is back because it’s only been 1 start, but I am rooting for him. In 2006 he seemed well on his way to a bright future in the bigs as a starting pitcher.

Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!

by Dewey Finn on Aug 2, 2008 2:23 PM EDT reply reply 0 recs

I really really like

Anibal mechnically. He is “only” rotator cuff at this point as far as I know. I think he has a great shot of overcoming this.

Just goes to show regardless of mechanics, pitchers break down, that’s what they do.

Baseball Instructor - www.frozenropes.com

by HuskerBob on Aug 3, 2008 4:26 AM EDT up reply reply 0 recs

Oliver Perez

Not a Pirate or a Met fan so I am not sure, but wasn’t his injury a torn labrum as well a few years back.

Also, aCone419, I am not sure I would put Adam Loewen in that first group.

"My mom always taught me it's better to laugh at yourself than to laugh at others. She was so wrong. ;)" -Pedrophile

by Boxkutter on Aug 2, 2008 8:50 PM EDT reply reply 0 recs

Loewen

I had him in the other group initially, but he came back from the labrum injury early in his career to make the majors with his star fairly well intact. It was his elbow that did him in later.

by aCone419 on Aug 3, 2008 12:53 AM EDT up reply reply 0 recs

ive had this injury and i never came back from it

by buckfan6 on Aug 2, 2008 9:45 PM EDT reply reply 0 recs

A Buddy of Mine Tore His Labrum

Dave Pember, former pitcher for Milwaukee. He tried to rehab for almost 2 years and his arm strength never came back. I think some of the guys mentioned above had rotator cuff surgery and elbow problems like Loewen, but not a ton of pure torn labrum guys. Sirotka is the worst case that comes to mind when it comes to labrum. I do think that guys are having an easier time coming back than the did even 2-3 years ago because of better techniques, but that’s just my opinion and what I’ve seen/read.

Mike Newman
baseballhandyman.blogspot.com

by Baseball Handyman on Aug 2, 2008 10:03 PM EDT reply reply 0 recs

hard throwers

This is not a scientific comment, but I think many people would agree that one aspect is guys with average fastballs 89-91 have a harder time coming back since the labrum injury often saps velocity.

Parque, Sirotka are great examples.

Justin Duchsherer (sp?) is the only guy who comes to mind who can dominate at 87mph, and not many guys get a chance to show what they can do when you only throw 87.

Pedro came down from 96 to 86 after all his arm problems. Some guys can keep it like Meche, but I think the safe bet is if the pitcher throws in the mid 90’s, he might be back at 89-92 at which point he will have to re-learn how to pitch with his new “arsenal”. Very Difficult.

by davidsabin on Aug 3, 2008 12:31 AM EDT reply reply 0 recs

Schilling?

Didnt Schilling make it back from a labrum injury?

by rhd on Aug 3, 2008 4:04 AM EDT reply reply 0 recs

No

Schilling was everything but labrum. He has thermal capsular shrinkage while he was still with the Phils. Highly succesful in his case, but no doubt created an arthritic condition years later.

But then its like Smoltz, very obvious what his problems are mechanically but when the guy has 200+ wins and 200+ saves, you don’t mess with it.

Baseball Instructor - www.frozenropes.com

by HuskerBob on Aug 3, 2008 4:24 AM EDT up reply reply 0 recs