Parallel between Jason Windsor and Dan Meyer?

by nodaclu on Jul 21, 2006 3:10 PM PDT

Bored and digging for nuggets after an off day and before today's game, here's something I found very interesting.

Buried at the bottom of a Chron article on July 16th, discussing Windsor's MLB debut, was this tidbit:

Dan Meyer, a main part of the Tim Hudson trade with Atlanta, had surgery in New York to remove an impediment in his left shoulder...Mets team doctor David Altchek performed the surgery. Meyer probably will be ready to throw in extended spring training

This goes a long way toward explaining Meyer's contuned problems and inflated ERA this season.

Then strangely enough, buried in today's (7/21) CC Times article about Windsor was this:

He (Windsor) had regressed a bit last season (2005), during which he was bothered by a right shoulder impingement, and went 3-6 with a 5.72 ERA in 11 starts at Double-A Midland.

Now, I don't think we can expect Meyer to come back next year and go 12-1 in the minors as Windsor has, but now that they have finally found (and fixed) the problem with Meyer's shoulder, it seems increasingly likely that come Spring Training 2007, we may see the Dan Meyer of 2004 that we originally traded for.

This could definitely bolster, change and alter the scope of what has been looking like a fairly thin rotation for next season.

Thoughts?

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I sure hope that Meyer's surgery

will see him recover, but I'm not holding my breath. Speaking of, we'll probably need to put him on the 40 man if he isn't already.

Windsor's problem last year was arm fatigue, really. He was doing awesome till he got dead arm, had a few crappy starts, and they shut him down.

by Zonis on Jul 21, 2006 3:16 PM PDT reply actions

I'm sure that's the hope.

However (don't you hate those?), Meyer will have missed essentially two years of pitching, so it's not realistic to hope he picks up in March, 2007 where he left off before the fateful March, 2005. And whether he'll ever throw 93MPH again is also an answered question.

That being said, we know he had what it takes to be a top major league prospect before, and if he's ever healthy there's reason for optimism that maybe he can be a top major league prospect again.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 21, 2006 3:17 PM PDT reply actions

I had a shoulder impingement ...

my senior year of HS in my non-throwing shoulder, which I got from overswinging. A decent number of pitchers get what was explained to me as "impingement syndrome," a rotater cuff irritation that is cured by a steady diet of rest, odd stretching exercises and ice after workouts. Pedro had the same problem in '02.

HOWEVER, I don't think you can draw a parallel between the injuries. Shoulder impingements are much less serious than what was found in Meyer's shoulder. As far as I know, impingements are inoperable and cured largely through lenghty rest, which is why we saw Windsor's rebound.

As for Meyer, I have two questions:

Wasn't Meyer shut down about this time last season? Wasn't it an elbow injury, and wasn't that supposed to get him back to his '04 forum?
Why would we need to put him on the 40 man for '07? It's not a huge deal, but would it be not to lose him as a minor league free agent, or so he could be readily activated when he's finally healthy?

by RyanFromBonas on Jul 21, 2006 6:02 PM PDT reply actions

He was shut down in 05...

...for the same thing - shoulder pain. The shoulder was also described at various points last season as "dead" and "tired".

Thinking it was the more routine impingement that you described, they shut him down early last year, and he rested clear through until Spring Training. But the shoulder issue persisted.

The A's shut him down again, and was told to rest further. Apparently he decided to get a second opinion, and was operated on 18 days later.

If Meyer's issue was indeed more serious then Windsor's was, then to me it's all the more reason to be optimistic that Meyer will finally be able to return to form.

Nico mentioned that he has missed two years. However, it's not as if he hasn't pitched in two years. He's missed roughly half a season each of the past two years. That's a lot different then not having thrown a single competitive inning in two seasons.

Frank Thomas hasn't played much in the past two years either, but he played some - enough that it only took him 6 weeks to regain his timing when healthy once again. Meyer might not be lights out right out of the gate next year, but I wouldn't expect it to take an entire season for him to round back into form either.

On top of everything else, he learned a lot the past two years about trying to pitch without his best stuff. Though it had to be a painful process, both physically and mentally, I'm willing to bet that, if he gets completely healthy, he'll be a better pitcher for the experience.

`I think every morning I wake up I'm a little dazed. For some reason, I'm used to hitting things with my head.' - Eric Byrnes - 6/25/05

by nodaclu on Jul 21, 2006 8:59 PM PDT up reply actions

they found a loose piece of bone

in his shoulder!!!

by OaklandSi on Jul 21, 2006 9:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Here's what I just don't get

with Meyer. Fine, he "hid" his injury. But I saw him pitch in spring training of 2005, and my comment after the game was, "He looked like he was throwing around 85MPH--is he trying to pitch hurt?" And I didn't even have access to a radar gun, which apparently agreed he was throwing mid-80s.

A guy is supposed to throw 93MPH, he says he's fine, and he's only throwing 85MPH. Hello??? Why did the A's continue to let him pitch?

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 21, 2006 9:21 PM PDT reply actions

Nico

I think we're reaching the point where everyone just hates the guts of the A's medical team, really of anybody who has a hand in the decisions, including Beane.

It's just so seemingly incompetent that it's mind blowing.

by RLangford on Jul 21, 2006 9:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Have to agree...

...it becomes more obvious by the day that this organization can't (or won't) deal with injuries and potential injuries in a manner that would be considered proper and normal for most teams.

I'm not quite sure why that is - time may tell. But I don't think any of us can deny any longer that it's true.

And it's sad. And it may be the undoing of this franchise in the long term.

`I think every morning I wake up I'm a little dazed. For some reason, I'm used to hitting things with my head.' - Eric Byrnes - 6/25/05

by nodaclu on Jul 21, 2006 9:41 PM PDT up reply actions