According to Phillies general manager Pat Gillick, left-hander Randy Wolf will pitch in a simulated game Tuesday in Clearwater. Wolf, you'll recall, underwent Tommy John surgery last July 1. That procedure, pioneered in the 1970s, involves replacing a ligament in the elbow.
Typically, the recovery time from Tommy John surgery is 10-12 months, so Wolf is slightly ahead of schedule. During spring training, Wolf said he was hoping to pitch in minor-league games by June, and Tuesday is May 23.
But, before anyone gets too giddy, Tommy John survivors often don't start pitching like their pre-surgery selves until the 20-24-month mark. So, while Wolf's return may well give the Phillies' rotation a boost, he also may not be as effective this season as he will be next year.
Wolf, who will be 30 on Aug. 22, is 65-60 with a 4.14 ERA in his career. He won 16 games for the Phillies in 2003 and posted a 3.20 ERA in 31 starts in 2002.
Currently, the Phillies' starting rotation looks like this:
RHP Jon Lieber (3-4, 5.50 ERA)
RHP Brett Myers (2-1, 2.73)
RHP Cory Lidle (3-4, 4.84)
RHP Gavin Floyd (4-2, 5.71)
LHP Cole Hamels (0-0, 3.18)
2 comments:
If Hamels delivers I say keep Wolf in rehab. The pen has plenty of lefties.
Here's my question: Is Wolf, even at a fraction of what he might be next season once he's back to his pre-surgery form, an upgrade over Floyd?
That's something the Phillies will have to decide. But what does everyone out there think?
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