Off Topic
I can officially report that it has not been lost on YS9 faithful who are huddled around the Lukewarm Stove League (I mean, what do you expect with all this climate change, right?), that future HoF candidate Carlos Valle was lost for the second season in a row. A torn meniscus cost him almost all of 2047, while a torn flexor tendon shut him down after 17 starts last year.
That was a popular injury among Nine starters, and youthful phenom Loan Duval also succumbed to such a problem in only his third start.
While every big injury is worrisome, the Valle loss was a real gut punch, as the veteran had been posting startlingly amazing numbers, 8-1, 1.90 (2.95 FIP)—numbers that, if they came close to sustaining, are the kind of things that lead to Nebraska awards, which would have been his fourth.
Anyway.
Enough of living in the past.
What Nine fans want to know is whether the Julian Carmona Medical Center is staffed with anyone who specializes in flexor tendon repair. I mean. If there’s a ever a time for over-performing, this is it. Looking at the American Log of Trainer Skill Rankings, we see the Carmona Medical Center as “Excellent” for rehabbing arm injuries, but we’re not sure that’s good enough. Some guys are rated as “Outstanding” after all … and “Outstanding” seems better than “Excellent.” Add it that we can fid others listed as “Legendary” and you begin to ponder just what “Excellent” might mean. What, after all, do you call the person who graduates last in his medical class—Nine fans are concerned that you call them “Dr. Carmona.”
# # # The point here is pretty clear.
If Valle and Duval come back at something solid, they join Dave Lee, Jerry Bourque, and Antonio Hernandez to make up a rotation about anyone would like. If not, well, it could get ugly again.
There is a little depth—guys like Ivan Molina and Alberto Romero had moments of success at times last year, and Sergio Herrera also provided workmanlike service when needed. Prospect Edgardo Mota could be pressed into service. But fans are fans. They don’t want to know about work arounds and other fancy stuff. They know that these other guys mean a chase for the Heartland division title is going to be greatly limited.
They want to know is this: Can Julian Carmona patch a pair of Humty Dumpties back together, or not?
And the answer to that won’t be known for at least a couple more months.
