Sunday, August 5, 2001
[ PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL ]
A freakish result on an innocent bunt has sidelined Jay Spurgeon for the remainder of the 2001 baseball season. Shoulder injury shelves
Spurgeon for yearBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comThe Baltimore Orioles had called him up the day he was scheduled to start for the Rochester Red Wings of the International League to provide some relief for an overworked Baltimore bullpen.
"But, as soon as I got up there, we used just two relief pitchers in the five days I was there and they only pitched one inning apiece," Spurgeon said. "I was off for nine days."
In his first start after returning to Rochester, Spurgeon injured his left shoulder. He sailed through the first two innings without giving up a run, but disaster struck in the top of the third.
"I was pitching well. Then in the third, the first guy laid down a bunt up the third base line for a hit. The second guy bunted up the first base line," Spurgeon said. "I went to field the ball and, as I dove for it, I felt something pop in my left shoulder.
"I knew right away something was wrong. It was the same shoulder I dislocated in the offseason when I fell while running. Very clumsy, very clumsy. I rehabbed it then, got it strong and everything was fine."
A 6-foot-6 right-hander, Spurgeon had an MRI exam four days later that indicated a tender labrum (the soft tissue deep in the shoulder socket).
He waited a few more days to see if there was any positive progress during another rehabilitation. There wasn't. He was put in the disabled list July 3 and had surgery July 27.
The surgery revealed a torn and detached labrum.
"When it didn't respond, I had to have it fixed," said Spurgeon, who earned the Jim Palmer Prize as the Orioles Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2000.
"It's unfortunate, because a lot of guys are being called up (to the Orioles) for spot starts because of all their postponements."
The 2001 season hadn't been as spectacular as 2000 when the former Rainbow advanced through the Baltimore farm system from Class-A all the way to the Orioles while compiling a combined 13-3 record with a 3.12 earned run average.
"This year was kind of up and down. The ERA (4.55) wasn't great and the won-lost record (3-5) wasn't great, but I had given up less hits (85) than innings pitched (87). And, Rochester had the worst record in Triple-A much of the season," Spurgeon said. "I felt like I was doing OK. I was just waiting for my shot to go up."
He expects to be completely ready for spring training and is even hopeful of pitching some winter ball, probably in Puerto Rico.
"Next spring is a big one for me," Spurgeon said. "The Orioles are in limbo for pitching and I don't think they are going to go out and spend a lot of money for it. I just hope the opportunity is still there next spring and I'm ready for it."
Spurgeon and his wife Melissa have returned to Fresno, Calif., where they are building a house.
Pitching record
Year, Team, League G IP W L Pct. H ER BB SO ERA 1997, Bluefield, Appalachian 9 35 1 1 .500 35 13 14 32 3.34 1998, Delmarva, South Atlantic 27 136-1/3 11 3 .786 112 10 48 103 2.64 1999, Frederick, Carolina 26 146 6 9 .400 176 77 53 87 4.75 2000, Frederick, Carolina 16 91-2/3 8 2 .800 75 42 31 92 4.12 2000, Bowie, Eastern 6 39 3 1 .750 32 7 7 27 1.62 2000, Rochester, International 2 13-2/3 2 0 1.000 5 1 9 10 0.66 2000, Baltimore, American 7 24 1 1 .500 26 16 15 11 6.00 2001, Rochester, International 15 87 3 5 .375 85 44 27 61 4.55 Minor League totals 101 548-2/3 34 21 .618 520 224 189 412 3.67 Major League totals 7 24 1 1 .500 26 16 15 11 6.00 Notes
>>Drafted in 27th round by the Houston Astros, June 3, 1994. Did not sign.
>>Drafted in eighth round by the Baltimore Orioles, June 3, 1997. Signed June 24, 1997 for $87,000.
>>Named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week (June 29-July 5, 2000) after pitching 8-1/3 hitless innings against Winston-Salem, walking five and striking out 13.
>>Named Baltimore's Minor League Pitcher of the Month for July 2000 after compiling a combined earned run average of 0.85 with Frederick (Carolina League) and Bowie (Eastern League).
>>Named International League Pitcher of the Week (Aug. 7-13, 2000) after his two victories for Rochester.
>>Made his major league debut August 15, 2000 with the Baltimore Orioles at home against the Chicago White Sox, pitching one inning and getting three fly ball outs on five pitches.
>>Earned the Jim Palmer Prize as Orioles Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2000.
>>Finished eighth in earned run average (2.64) in the South Atlantic League in 1998.
>>Led Delmarva in wins (11) in 1998.