Stras' TJ Highlights Injury-Marred Season

Post date: Aug 28, 2010 12:40:46 PM

Pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg will have 'Tommy John' surgery and miss the entire 2011 season

The 2010 season has easily been the most challenging one in franchise history. A series of trades which actually began prior to the '09 season continued into and through the 2010 campaign, continuing to remake the roster in what has been an open movement towards the future. That future took a major hit this past week thanks to the 2nd factor that has derailed the current season - repeated devastating injuries.

The most recent, the expected lengthiest, and perhaps the most devastating injury of all to the organization actually came during Week #20 when top pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg was pulled mid-week with an arm injury. The 2009 WFBL Vukovich Award winner and A's organizational Davis Award winner (both for Top Prospect) was initially diagnosed with a strained flexor tendon, but the worst possible outcome was realized when the team announced yesterday that Strasburg had a major tear in his UCL that would require 'Tommy John' surgery. The surgery and rehab mean that the team's top young arm will be lost for 12-18 months, and will likely point towards Spring Training of 2012 for a full comeback.

The Strasburg injury was the most recent and worst, but far from the only major injury to strike the club this season. The troubles began as Week #2 was set to begin and shortstop Jimmy Rollins experienced a pull while running in pre-week warmups. His leg injury ended up costing him half of the season between two DL stints. When JRoll returned, it was just a week before 2nd baseman Chase Utley went down with his own injury that cost him most of the 2nd half. The A's middle infield combo started together for just 2 of the first 20 weeks of the regular season.

On July 23rd, the A's traded long time 1st baseman Mark Teixeira to Saint Louis, getting 1st baseman Justin Morneau as a part of the return package. Morneau was on the DL with concussion symptoms at the time, but the club expected to get him into the lineup within a couple of weeks. They are still waiting over a month later, and with just one week remaining in the regular season are prepared now to have to wait until 2011 for the big-hitting 1st sacker.

Closer Huston Street, acquired at the Winter Meetings, began the season on the DL after being injured in the spring. He spent the entire first half of the season on the DL. Others spending time on the DL for the club this year have included Jair Jurrjens, Wade Davis, Carlos Guillen (2x), Scott Kazmir, Nick Johnson, Milton Bradley, Ted Lilly and Aaron Rowand.

Through all the changes and injuries, the A's still have been able to qualify for the playoffs out of the Owens/East division for the 10th straight season. Manager Buck Showalter was rewarded with a new 5-year contract that will take his stewardship of the team through the 2015 season. "We've taken some hard hits this season" said Showalter. "But we have a plan here, and these injury things have a way of balancing out. Don't shed a tear for us, we'll be just fine."