FORT MYERS, Fla. — The fireballer has flamed out once again, and this time it may be for good.
Minnesota Twins reliever Joel Zumaya was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right elbow on Sunday, meaning his latest comeback bid has ended almost before it began.
Zumaya had signed an incentive-laden, one-year deal with the Twins, who hoped he could bolster their bullpen with his 100 mph heat. General manager Terry Ryan knew Zumaya’s long injury history when he offered the contract, but the possibility of getting the overpowering arm that electrified the Tigers in 2006 intrigued him.
“I took a risk. It was a high risk with high reward,” Ryan said after the MRI exam revealed the torn ulnar collateral ligament. “Unfortunately it didn’t work. And he feels bad. I feel bad.”
I would like to say that I am surprised, but being a diehard Minnesota sportsfan… this is something you come to expect on a monthly basis… you know its almost baseball season when you start to read one by one each Twins player’s season has ended due to some injury… at least it wasn’t while playing Guitar Hero this time…
Just add this to the long list of reasons we will be bitching about this season… Zumaya was one of the few prospected bright spots in our pitching staff… Even if Mauer and Morneau have All-Star type seasons… I still see no way we will ever contend in the shitty A.L. Central with how awful our pitching looks to be… guess the only thing left to do is get bombed off of $10 beers at Target Field all summer
