Reusse interview with Pat Neshek

[spoofbonser]

If people caught this on ESPN, Neshek eluded to two wrong decisions made by the MN Twins medical team.

 

1) Not getting an MRI on Neshek's throwing arm at the end of 2008, which he stated he had requested. Instead deciding on a rest and rehab program.

 

2) Starting him back in the big leagues in 2010 out of Spring Training following surgery, as opposed to building arm strength in AAA. He stated that in hindsight, this "was the worst" possible scenario for getting back to full strength.

 

Unfortunate to hear how he was mishandled. We know he's not alone. I hope they can get their act together soon.

[drjim]

Perhaps this is a good time to remember that the head trainer has since been fired.

 

And perhaps it is luck, but pitching injuries seem to be down quite a bit this year for the Twins. Only Pelfrey right?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Perhaps this is a good time to remember that the head trainer has since been fired.

 

I'd like to reiterate that this is a very good time to remember that so if any of you want to pile on the Twins medical staff, you better be doing so in the past tense.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'd like to reiterate that this is a very good time to remember that so if any of you want to pile on the Twins medical staff, you better be doing so in the past tense.

 

Agreed, but man I'm scratching my head at number 1...

[Seth Stohs]

I can't remember the details, but there was also his hand/wrist injury where they gave him a cortisone shot in the wrong spot. Cost him a couple more weeks. That became an issue when he talked to me about it on my site. Not good.

[Rosterman]

Of course, the Twins tried to send him down by removing him from the 40-man roster, expecting no one else to grab him. So glad for him to make the All-Star team. Not that it will be a Minnesota crowd, but I hope the applause will be loud at the Game!

[DocBauer]

Always been a Neshak fan. Always hoped for the best for him. I think it's hard for any of us, as fans, to ultimately know what truly happened/went on with Neshak and a whole series of injuries Twins players went through that had mystery attached. It seems that nightmare may be over, but you have to wonder at times what truly happened, and what might have been. I sure wish Neshak was still a healthy and productive part of the team.

[spoofbonser]

Perhaps this is a good time to remember that the head trainer has since been fired.

?

 

Can you or anyone remind me who they brought in from outside the organization?

[jharaldson]

Perhaps this is a good time to remember that the head trainer has since been fired.

 

In all fairness, my understanding is that they fired the head trainer, promoted his #2, and kept everyone else so it isn't like there is a new group of people there.

[spoofbonser]

on his elbow injury

"It started bothering me later in the season in 07.......and we got to August and I noticed my slider wasn't sharp and I just felt like, a dead feeling in my elbow, and I went in and I wanted to get an MRI, and.... we never did that, and they prescribed me a lot of rehab, so they shut me down with 3 weeks left in the season..... and we did rehab the whole winter and then I came back and I didn't feel much better and I ended up blowing it out on May of 08."

 

on velocity and coming back from TJ

"I relied a lot on the deception.... and that is still doing well for me now....the ball kind of sneaks up on a lot of guys.....it's 92 but ya know it might look like 99, because they can't really pick it up, especially to the right-handed guys. I came back in 2010 and my whole plan was let's get a good half year down at AAA or wherever it is, AA or wherever and build up arm strength, you know I missed 24 months in between games.... and my whole thing was I wanted to pitch..... and I had a pretty good spring.... and sure enough I made the team and that was probably the worst thing that could have happened to me that year. I wish I could have just went down to AAA and pitch my butt off every other day and built my arm strength back up..... my velocity then it was at first 84, 85, there were some flashes were it would be 88, 89 , but it was just kind of a struggle and I wish I could have been able to pitch a little bit more."

[drjim]

A cold reality is that relievers are fungible assets. What was good for Neshek was probably not all that good for the organization in regards to coming back from TJ. Even if they followed his plan, Neshek still wasn't all that effective until this year (4 years later), and I wouldn't be surprised if his second half takes a big dip.

 

He seems like a great guy, is a great story coming back from personal tragedy and it is awesome that he is an all star in his home state.