Rays Prospect Jeremy Hellickson Sidelined With Shoulder Strain

by Tommy Rancel on May 6, 2009 8:55 AM EDT

One of my personal favorites, and one of the Rays top prospects, Jeremy Hellickson left Tuesday's game after two innings with what is being called a "shoulder strain." Stacy Long tells us that it muscle Hellickson strained is the supraspinatus muscle and he will be re-evaluated in the next few days. After some quick research, I learned that the supraspinatus is one of four muscles in the rotator cuff and is often the most injured of the four. According to Biscuits Manager and former Rays coach, Billy Gardner he will likely miss his next turn in the rotation.

"He felt something funny, something he hasn't felt before," Gardner said. "Right when he said he felt something, we got the bullpen going."

Any time a young pitcher of Hellickson's abilities gets injured you fear the worst, but according to Hellickson himself, he feels good and feels the injury isn't serious. Let's hope he's right.

"I'll be all right," Hellickson said after the game. "It feels good now. There was a little discomfort on a pickoff throw, but nothing too bad."

Ranked anywhere from 5th to 8th amongst the Rays top prospects according to various outlets, Hellickson was cruising through Double-A this season. His current record is 2-1 wit h a 1.93 ERA/2.27 FIP in five starts. Once again he is exhibiting his excellent control with a K/9 of 10.61 compared to a BB/9 of 2.57. This season he has improved on keeping the ball in the park at the Double-A level. After allowing 15 home runs in 75 innings last year, he has surrendered just one home run in 28 innings this year.

Cross your fingers on this one.

(H/T to Kevin)

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Comments

Don't like to hear shoulder when it involves a pitcher

If he misses one or two starts, that’s fine

by Raymondo on May 6, 2009 9:11 AM EDT reply actions

No no no no no no no.

by R.J. Anderson on May 6, 2009 9:24 AM EDT reply actions

Hopefully this doesn't cause his velocity to drop by 5 MPH like other Rays pitchers...

by matthan on May 6, 2009 9:26 AM EDT reply actions

MPH is sensitive to crowd intensity

Science

by PlayOnWords on May 6, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions

The more people in attendance.

The warmer the stadium becomes and the tighter the molecules get, creating tighter shoulders and allowing for better loading of the scapula which in return allows for higher velocity upon pitch releases, but only for the home team thanks to exclusive molecule compressing fabric made available to you by the good folks at Reebok.

by R.J. Anderson on May 6, 2009 9:35 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

I see Joe Madd chirping about attendance now too

by Raymondo on May 6, 2009 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Link or you're being a deceptionist

by PlayOnWords on May 6, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions

You mean 'Rbk'

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on May 6, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions

You're leaving out the magical magnetic necklaces

In Play, Out(s)

by Top Gun Numba 1 on May 6, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't wait to find out that those things cause cancer.

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on May 6, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I'd say they cause brain damage, but lets face it, baseball players are probably the dumbest group of people on earth anyway.

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on May 6, 2009 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

B-b-b-ut Brian Bannister!

by Suttree on May 6, 2009 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Outlier

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on May 6, 2009 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

For every Bannister there are 12 Sean Casey's

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on May 6, 2009 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Or Harold Reynolds, who actually said "Clogging the bases" last night on MLB Network.

Please, MLB Network. Let KLaw or Neyer on the show, or just buy BP. Get a big fucking check, the biggest check you can find, like the ones on game show’s, and ask BP to come up with any number. Then buy them.

Also, I started listening to Simmons’ podcast yesterday… but, then I realized between Simmons and Sean Casey, I was going to want to stab myself in the eye.

by Suttree on May 6, 2009 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I loved Casey calling Tropicana Field and Independant League stadium

Also, Simmons basically called Casey the best hitter of a generation.

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on May 6, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Because owah pahk is bettah than yowah pahk!

If the Trop had been around since the early 1900s, I’m sure people would love it. Fenway’s such a bullshit park.

I am a Simmons fan, but I can’t stand when he talks about baseball.

by Suttree on May 6, 2009 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Fenway is the Strom Thurmond of ballparks.

by Suttree on May 6, 2009 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Incorrect. Fenway has no secret colored children

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on May 6, 2009 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Jim Rice?

by Suttree on May 6, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Jim Rice was less a child than an abscess

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on May 6, 2009 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions

and 100 Ron Dibble's

"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base."
~Dave Barry

by PriceMultiCyYoungs on May 6, 2009 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

You know what's hilarious? The Hot foot. Absolutely hilarious. Perhaps we could do it 1,000 more times? Shaving Cream? To the FACE?!?!?!

BWAHAHAHA

Until Next Time,
The Sports Chief

by Top Gun Numba 1 on May 6, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions

However long it takes, just don't let him throw a ball until it's 100%.

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on May 6, 2009 9:38 AM EDT reply actions

this.

by walkoffwalk on May 6, 2009 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions

As someone that had superspinatus soreness quite often....

I would say this is more then likely not too serious. That is a normal area to experience some pain as it does a tremendous amount of work. I believe it is one of the signiicant muscles in decelerating the arm.

by td32 on May 6, 2009 9:57 AM EDT reply actions

Does anyone know if this injury is ever a precurser to surgery or a torn rotator cuff? Beause sometimes you hear a pitcher has a sprained elbow and the next thing you know he comes back in six weeks, hears a pop, and has a torn UCL.

by walkoffwalk on May 6, 2009 10:39 AM EDT reply actions

Tough to say....

Any shulder pain can turn into something worse, especially if you try and pitch through it. It is early in the season, and maybe his arm is fatigued and overwhelmed. This is not an uncommon occurrence.

by td32 on May 6, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

It sounds like this is the first time he's felt anything weird and they took him out immediately

The Rays will be overcautious with his arm which is a good thing. I’m glad that the Double-A staff reacted the way they did. No need to rush him back.

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on May 6, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions