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Nate Robertson's Elbow Bails Out the Tigers

Has Nate Robertson's elbow allowed the Detroit Tigers to fix their Nate Robertson problem?

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Has Nate Robertson's elbow allowed the Detroit Tigers to fix their Nate Robertson problem?

Following up on this morning's post about Fu-Te Ni being called up from Triple-A Toledo, the Detroit Tigers soon thereafter announced who would be moved off the roster to make room for him.  (Had we waited about an hour or so, we could've included everything in one tidy post.)

Nate Robertson is headed to the 15-day disabled list, due to a cyst-like mass in his left elbow.  He'll head back to Detroit to be examined by team doctors, with surgery to remove the mass likely coming on Tuesday.

According to Tigers head trainer Kevin Rand, the mass in Robertson's elbow was causing tingling and numbness in his fingers by pressing on a nerve.  From Jason Beck's article:

"He's had the masses, but it's like someone who has bone chips," Rand said. "People who have bone chips or bone spurs in their elbow, they don't do anything with them until they become an issue. It's something that had not affected him in any way pitching prior to this. It's starting to affect him with numbness and tingling in his hand."

For the season, Robertson has a 7.74 ERA in 21 innings, allowing 25 hits with 17 strikeouts and 14 walks.  Since losing his job in the starting rotation in Spring Training, Jim Leyland has struggled to find a proper role out of the bullpen for him.  In recent appearances, Robertson failed to perform as a situational left-hander.

While it might be a stretch to claim that the elbow problem is the primary reason for Robertson's struggles this season (he'd hadn't pitching well for quite some time), at least it gives the Tigers a convenient opportunity to make a roster move that temporarily solves a season-long dilemma.  And now, perhaps the Tigers can utilize a pitcher who can fill that situational lefty role better, allowing the overall bullpen to work more smoothly.

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Yup.....

…..He will be on the DL until the rosters expand Sept 1……BRILLIANT!!!!

by BennieBladesFan on Jun 28, 2009 8:42 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I never thought I could love

a cyst this much. Even Nate’s body couldn’t stand the way he was pitching.

by Trysdor on Jun 28, 2009 9:04 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Why

Why does a struggling pitcher with an injury continue to stay on the team and pitch poorly? Just go on the DL and get it fixed, it would help everyone involved.

by actioncuse on Jun 28, 2009 10:41 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

+1

Wonder how long this has been happening to Nate…

by demondeaconsbaseball on Jun 29, 2009 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

totally put that comment on the wrong page.

it’s in reference to starters coming off the DL or with a huge ERA and shutting Detroit down.

Well anway, nothing to see here!

by MackAveKurt on Jun 29, 2009 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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