WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg had to get through a few hours of anger, confusion and certainly a few more volatile emotions before he was ready to accept the sobering news expressed in three disheartening words.
Tommy John surgery.
The Washington Nationals' rookie sensation is done for the season — and maybe next season as well — after the team announced Friday that he has a torn ligament in his right elbow. He will travel Saturday to the West Coast for a second opinion, but the 22-year-old right-hander has accepted the fact that he will need the ligament-replacement operation that requires 12 to 18 months of rehabilitation.
"It's a new challenge," Strasburg said. "I want to be the best at everything, and right now, I want to be the best at rehabbing and getting back out here."
It's a blow to Strasburg, of course, and to a baseball world that has spent the summer gasping in awe at his 100 mph fastball, bending curves and wicked batter-freezing changeups.
But the biggest punch to the gut is to a Nationals franchise that had made the young phenom the centerpiece in their plans to climb out of perpetual last-place irrelevancy.
"There's no words that I can put in place here that would indicate we could possibly replace Stephen," manager Jim Riggleman said. "But we have to do it a different way; different names, different staff members who will go out there and fulfill the rotation until Stephen comes back."
Strasburg grimaced, grabbed and shook his wrist after throwing a 1-1 changeup to Domonic Brown in Philadelphia last Saturday. It turned out to be his last pitch of the year. The Nationals initially called the injury a strained flexor tendon in the forearm, but an MRI taken Sunday raised enough questions for the Nationals to order a more extensive MRI in which dye was injected into the prized right arm.
Strasburg had the exam on Thursday and was informed of the diagnosis later that night, but the Nationals chose not to announce the news until now because it would have upstaged the introductory news conference for 2010 No. 1 draft pick Bryce Harper.
Strasburg could hardly believe the bad news, especially because his arm has felt fine all week, certainly good enough to keep pitching.
"I didn't take a matter of minutes" to sink in, he said. "I took definitely a few hours. I've got great support all around me, and they reminded me of everything I should be thankful for, and they put everything in perspective for me. Bottom line, this is a game. I'm very blessed to play this game for a living. It's a minor setback, but in the grand scheme of things, it's just a blip on the radar screen.
Strasburg is an intense, competitive man. He wants the ball. He was disappointed when he had to start the season in the minors and wasn't exactly thrilled with the restrictions the Nationals have placed on him. Now he faces something he's never experienced in his baseball life: surgery on his arm, and the realistic prospect of not pitching again until 2012."It's a new challenge," he said. "It's going to be a learning experience. I feel like I'm going to be able to grow a lot as an individual and as a baseball player."
Strasburg said that on Friday he plans to write down on a piece of paper everything he's thinking and look at it again a year from now. He's said he's doing it he knows his mind might "get a little jumbled" as he goes through rehab and that he wants to remember everything he needs to focus on.
And as far as trying to figure out why this has happened to him? He's done with that question.
"If I keep looking for an explanation, it's just going to eat at me, and I've got to let it go," he said. "I've just got to move on, and that's what I'm doing. Everything happens for a reason, and this is obviously going to be a test for me."
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft out of San Diego State, Strasburg signed a record $15.1 million contract a year ago. He struck out 14 batters in an amazing major league debut in June and was quickly drawing huge crowds everywhere. He went 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 68 innings with the Nationals, who kept him on strict pitch counts and had planned to shut him down once he reached about 105 innings.But he has had medical setbacks despite the team's best efforts to be as cautious as possible. He was placed on the disabled list a month ago because of inflammation in the back of his right shoulder. He was making his third start since returning from the DL when he had to leave the game against Philadelphia.
"The player was developed and cared for in the correct way, and things like this happen," Rizzo said. "Pitchers break down, pitchers get hurt and we certainly are not second-guessing ourselves. ... Frustrated? Yes. But second-guessing ourselves? No."
Rizzo said doctors believe Strasburg tore the ligament on a particular pitch — perhaps the changeup to Brown — as opposed to a gradual deterioration over a long period of time. When Strasburg grimaced in game at Philadelphia, he told the team he had felt something similar at San Diego State and had continued to pitch through it. Doctors have decided that what happened in college was unrelated to the ligament tear.
The injury is the last thing the woebegone Nationals needed. The franchise is on pace for its fifth last-place finish in six years since relocating from Montreal. Attendance has been disappointing at Nationals Park since it opened in 2008, but Strasburg generated rare sellouts in his first few home starts.
Coincidentally, Thursday's game marked the return of Jordan Zimmermann, another promising Washington pitching prospect who had Tommy John surgery a year ago. Strasburg and Zimmermann are supposed to form two-fifths of a rotation that will lead the team to respectability.
"It's still going to happen," Riggleman said of the Strasburg-Zimmermann combo. "It's just going to be another year before it happens."
Strasburg has already received advice from Zimmermann and can draw inspiration from the dozens of major leaguers who have successfully returned from the surgery that was first performed by Dr. Frank Jobe on Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John in 1974.
"That's the modern miracle of what doctors can do to put people back together," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said recently after a game that featured Tommy John returnees Francisco Liriano and Tim Hudson. "We all know the arm takes a beating. Goodness gracious, we saw two guys who were both throwing the ball 90-plus mph with sliders and stuff. That's because some doctors did some really good jobs."RAMIREZ WAIVED; WHITE SOX WAITING: At Chicago, the "Manny Watch" is on for Chicago's South Side.
Manny Ramirez was placed on waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the White Sox were awarded the claim that gives them exclusive bargaining rights for the slugger, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Friday.
The White Sox and Dodgers have until 11:30 a.m. MDT on Tuesday to complete a trade, which Ramirez would have to approve. The Dodgers also could let him go — with his consent — in which case the White Sox would simply assume his salary.
Or, Los Angeles could keep Ramirez and try to make a run at the playoffs with him.Chicago general manager Kenny Williams refused to talk about Ramirez before the White Sox hosted the New York Yankees on Friday night in the opener of a weekend series.
"I can't," he said. "It's against the tampering rules. It's a large, large fine. Now, I know that a lot of others speak on such subjects and you guys may be cheated as a result of my unwillingness to go down that road. I prefer to abide by the major league rules, so I can't talk about it."
Ramirez's salary is $20 million in the final season of a two-year contract, but only $5 million is due this year, with the rest to be paid over the next three years. He also has a full no-trade clause that would allow him to veto a trade or waiver claim.
Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen deferred to Williams, but said Ramirez could help the team if the White Sox are able to acquire him. As long as the 12-time All-Star joins the White Sox by Aug. 31, he would be eligible to play for them in the postseason.
"Believe me, if this kid comes here, this kid, (it's) because he wants to," Guillen said. "That's a good thing. That's a good thing about it."
The enigmatic Ramirez, who has 554 career home runs, was not in Los Angeles' lineup at Colorado on Friday night — Dodgers manager Joe Torre said it was because of his numbers against Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez. Torre said Ramirez was available to pinch hit and he thinks the slugger will play today.
Coming off a three-game sweep of Milwaukee, the Dodgers began the day five games back in the NL wild-card race. The White Sox were 31/2 games behind the first-place Minnesota Twins in the AL Central.
"Ideally, if you are trying to get anything done, you want to add to your club as quickly as possible," Williams said. "But these things take time and you have to go through the process. This is more so for me, I care about 7 p.m. and the New York Yankees.
"Whatever happens in the next few days, that's the primary goal. I don't want any of these guys certainly thinking about who may or may not be walking through the door." The 38-year-old Ramirez likely would become the designated hitter in Chicago, especially considering his recent fragile history. Ramirez returned last Saturday from his third stint on the disabled list and has missed 59 games to injuries since last season, when he came back from a 50-game suspension following a failed drug test.
The former Indians and Red Sox outfielder joined the Dodgers in 2008 and instantly became a fan favorite, with a section of seats named in his honor at Chavez Ravine and wigs that mimicked his dreadlocks suddenly becoming fashionable. Ramirez performed so well down the stretch during his first season in Los Angeles that the Dodgers signed him to a two-year, $45 million contract.
The injuries and suspension have soured his stay, though, and Ramirez hasn't spoken to reporters since spring training, when he said this would be his final season with the Dodgers.Ramirez doubled twice in his last game, a 5-4 victory at Milwaukee on Wednesday. He is batting .313 with eight homers and 40 RBIs in 64 games this season.
"I really don't care. Either way, I don't. I don't because I think our ballclub is good," Guillen said. "Can Manny help? Yes he can, there's no doubt about it. But I cannot just bring him or don't bring him because like I said, it's not my thing."
TWINS BOLSTER BULLPEN: The first-place Minnesota Twins made their revamped bullpen more versatile for the pennant race by acquiring left-handed reliever and four-time All-Star Brian Fuentes from the Los Angeles Angels on Friday for a player to be named.
Manager Ron Gardenhire said before Friday's series opener at Seattle that he will use the now-former Angels closer as a set up man for closer Matt Capps, and "probably as an occasional closer if I use the other guy too much."
Capps entered Friday with six saves in eight chances since Minnesota acquired him in a trade with Washington last month.
Before the season began, the Twins lost closer Joe Nathan to elbow surgery.
The 35-year-old Fuentes is due to fly from Southern California to join his new team for Saturday's game against the Mariners.
"At this time of the year, you look at opportunities that can potentially make you better," Angels general manager Tony Reagins said. "As you go through the waiver process, there's a lot of things that come into play. Minnesota happened to be the team that claimed Brian, so we had to look within their system to see if we had an opportunity to get a good player in exchange for Brian. And we feel like we've accomplished that."
The player the Angels will get from the Twins will be chosen by Oct. 15, Gardenhire said. Minnesota began Friday with a lead over the White Sox in the AL Central.
The manager mentioned how tough Fuentes is against left-handed batters. It also doesn't hurt that he instantly becomes the most experienced of the three left-handers Minnesota now has in its bullpen.
The other two are Randy Flores, claimed off waivers from Colorado this week, and Glenn Perkins. Minnesota recalled Perkins from Triple-A Rochester two weeks ago.
The Twins lost lefties Ron Mahay (torn rotator cuff) and Jose Mijares (right knee surgery) earlier this month.
"We knew he was out there, and as all players go through waivers we put in a claim for him along with everyone else," Gardenhire said of Fuentes, who has 542 career appearances. "We got to him first, and he got to us.
"It's another very good arm out in the bullpen, with experience. He should help us a lot, after losing two left-handers recently. ... After we lost Mijares, we've been looking around."
Gardenhire said he was "hoping" Mijares could return from the disabled list in three weeks.
The 35-year-old Fuentes helped the Angels win their third straight AL West title last season, leading the majors with a career-high 48 saves after joining them as a free agent in December 2008. The AL Central-leading Twins will be his fourth team in 10 big league seasons. He began his career with Seattle in 2001, then spent seven seasons with the Colorado Rockies.
"There are a lot of relationships I've made here," Fuentes said just outside the Angels clubhouse. "But on the flip side, the business side takes over and there's an opportunity to make both clubs better. So I'm looking forward to my time in Minnesota and getting back in the hunt."
Fuentes was 4-1 with a 3.52 ERA and was 23 for 27 converting saves this season for the slumping Angels, who were 91/2 games out of first place in the AL West at the time of the trade. He was 1-5 with a 3.93 ERA and 48 saves in 55 chances last season, his first for Los Angeles after signing a $17.5 million, two-year contract in December 2008.
He is likely to become a free agent again after this season. Gardenhire said after speaking to general manager Bill Smith that Fuentes has a vesting option in his contract for 2011, but that his current numbers make it unlikely those will "come into play" for Minnesota.
Fuentes allowed three runs in the ninth inning for the Angels in a loss to Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
The Angels will promote set up man Fernando Rodney to replace Fuentes. The 33-year-old right-hander had 37 saves last season with Detroit, and converted all five opportunities he had in April after Fuentes went on the disabled list with a back strain. Reagins said the club won't need to look for a closer in the offseason.
"We feel good about Fernando and what he can bring in the ninth inning to close out games," Reagins said.
ROCKIES PUT CORPAS ON DISABLED LIST: The Colorado Rockies have placed reliever Manuel Corpas on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained ligament in his right elbow.
The Rockies also said Friday that reliever Rafael Betancourt, struggling with a lower abdominal strain, is likely unavailable. To fortify the bullpen, Colorado recalled pitchers Samuel Deduno and Franklin Morales from the minors.
Deduno had been starting at Triple-A Colorado Springs, where he was 3-1 with a 2.93 ERA. He was brought up to replace Corpas in a long relief role.
Corpas relieved starter Esmil Rogers in the second inning Wednesday against Atlanta but had to leave the game in the fourth due to injury. Colorado's medical staff diagnosed Corpas with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament, and he will get a second opinion Tuesday when he visits Dr. Lewis Yocum, a noted orthopedic surgeon based in Anaheim, Calif.
Colorado also placed second baseman Clint Barmes on the bereavement list so he could return home to Vincinnes, Ind., to be with his ailing father. Barmes is expected to rejoin the Rockies in San Francisco on Monday, at which time a roster move will have to be made.
Morales, a left-hander, went 3-0 with a 2.67 ERA in 24 games at Colorado Springs. When Barmes returns Monday, the Rockies will have three second basemen. They are likely to option Jonathan Herrera to Colorado Springs, at least until rosters expand Sept. 1.
Corpas, who is 3-5 with a 4.62 ERA and 10 saves in 56 games, has pitched in a variety of relief roles this year. He's been dealing with elbow soreness throughout the season and could face Tommy John surgery at some point to repair his worn ligament.