The spring injury bug was relatively kind to the Portland Lumberjacks this season, but it did hit one player and it hit him hard. Tomas Franco got the news he didn't want to hear this past week after leaving a spring game against Hawaii on Monday. After feeling some discomfort in his throwing arm, Franco left the game and went straight to the hospital to have his elbow examined. X-Rays and MRIs revealed that Franco had bone spurs floating around inside the elbow and will have to have surgery to remove the chips. Though the surgery is a relatively easy one, going inside the throwing arm is problematic for a baseball player, especially a pitcher. Due to that, Franco will miss the entirety of the 2058 season.
"I was excited for the opportunity to prove myself here in Portland" Franco said after the news was reported. "After not pitching at all last season, I was grateful that the Lumberjacks were giving me a shot and was determined to make the most of it. This news really sucks. But hopefully everything will turn out ok with the surgery and I can be back on the mound next season."
Franco was expected to compete for a spot in the rotation in Portland this season. He had an up and down spring. His last 3 outings, including the game against Hawaii when he left early, he allowed just 2 runs in 8.2 innings pitched. This was preceeded however with an outing in which he allowed 8 runs on 6 hits while recording just one out in a 15-1 loss to Omaha in his second trip to the mound.
"It's a tough blow" added assistant General Manager Kate Fiscus. "We had Franco slated as a possible 5th starter. On a personal note, you hate to see anyone get injured. But on a business stand point, we signed a lot of arms this off-season. We had, at one point, close to 25 guys up here throwing during spring training. While you don't like seeing injuries, sometimes injuries help make roster decisions a little easier."
Porltand is expected to start the season with 14 arms on the pitching staff. Franco and Derrick Chaney will begin the season on the Injured List.
