NewsOutman to have elbow surgery Tuesday
A's left-hander to have likely season-ending operation
By Mychael Urban / MLB.com
06/29/09 7:08 PM ET
OAKLAND -- A's left-hander Josh Outman is scheduled for left elbow surgery Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala., likely spelling the end of his breakout 2009 season.A rookie pitcher who was 4-1 with a 3.48 ERA in 14 games -- 12 starts -- when he was initially placed on the disabled list, Outman will submit to a procedure similar to the surgery that knocked projected closer Joey Devine out for the season.
Noted elbow specialist James Andrews, who performed the surgery on Devine, will handle Outman's procedure as well.
The A's announced the scheduled surgery late Monday afternoon, before the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Tigers at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The club said further details, including Outman's expected recovery time, will be released Tuesday or Wednesday.
"What they do and how long he'll be out will be determined by what they do in the surgery," echoed Oakland manager Bob Geren.
Geren told a television reporter that he didn't know if the procedure would be arthroscopic, but arthroscopy is highly unlikely. Andrews specializes in ligament-replacement surgery, i.e., "Tommy John," the recovery for which is typically 12-18 months.
Outman, 24, left his June 19 start in San Diego after 1 2/3 innings. He was placed on the 15-day DL June 24 (retroactive to June 20) and transferred to the 60-day DL four days later to make room on the 40-man roster for second baseman Mark Ellis, who was activated from the 60-day DL on Sunday.
Gio Gonzalez, given the first shot at replacing Outman in the starting rotation, made a throwing error and gave up six runs (four earned) on 10 hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings in a loss the visiting Giants on Wednesday.
Gonzalez, 23, will make his second start of the season in the second game of the Detroit series on Tuesday. Asked if Gonzalez needed to pitch well against the Tigers to hang onto his spot in the rotation, Geren was evasive.
"I'd like to see him throw strikes, keep his composure and stay consistent," Geren said.
Pressed on the issue, Geren, clearly agitated, bristled and said nobody was guaranteed anything, noting that he'd seen some positives from Gonzalez, who struck out six against San Francisco.
"To say what he does after his next start would be unfair," Geren said of Gonzalez, who was 4-1 with a 2.51 ERA in 12 starts at Triple-A Sacramento before being recalled last week.
Gonzalez has been called up three times this season, working in long relief in his only other two appearances in the Majors. He's 0-1 with an 8.03 ERA overall.
Mychael Urban is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
