[ BASEBALL ]
The pitch smacked into the catcher's mitt and the scoreboard flashed: 100 mph. Yates hurts elbow on
100-mph pitchBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletinThe crowd at Harbor Park, home of the Norfolk Tides of the International League, cheered, then there was a hush.
Tyler Yates had dropped to his knees after delivering the pitch, his 16th in a relief assignment against the Rochester Red Wings. He was in pain.
"There was a lot of pain. I didn't feel it pop, but that was the pitch I blew my elbow out," said the 24-year-old Yates, who was having an outstanding season for the New York Mets' farm team.
That was last Monday. Tomorrow, the Kauai High School graduate and former Hawaii-Hilo pitcher, will have "Tommy John" surgery in New York to repair a completely torn medial collateral ligament. Yates will miss the remainder of the season and probably all of the 2003 campaign.
The pitch that registered 100 mph wasn't the first sign that something might be wrong in his right elbow. A week before while on the road in Syracuse, Yates experienced a slight burning sensation in the elbow after a game. The next day he asked Tides manager Bobby Floyd for time to rest.
He took a week off, then threw in the bullpen a week ago Saturday. The elbow felt fine, but he got another day off before being called up for what turned out to be his final trip to the mound this year.
"On the 15th pitch I gave up a base hit, but felt that same burning sensation in my elbow," said Yates. "You can't be disappointed. You can't be negative. You just have to go out and work hard."
Following surgery, he will return home for three weeks, then move to the Mets' spring training complex in St. Lucie, Fla., where he will spend a year to 18 months rehabilitating the elbow.
Yates was traded to the Mets last December in the David Justice deal and was enjoying the best season in his five years as a professional. Sporting a career 4.38 earned run average entering the 2002 season, the 6-foot-4 right-hander had a 1.32 ERA in 24 appearances for Norfolk.
"I worked hard and was really excited to play this year. I just went out there with a good attitude and tried to make my pitches. The defense helped me at times. I won't say it's all luck because I pitched well at times," said Yates. "At times I had better command than last year, but, at times, I didn't because I already had half as many walks (13) as I had all last year (27)."
Yates complemented his mid-90s fastball with a curve and slider, and he has a change-up, but never threw it.
"A change-up is used a lot more when you pitch two or more innings. I never really went through a team's lineup more than once," said Yates who alternated between the setup and closer roles.
He did get called up by the Mets for one day, but didn't see any action.
"The day after the injury, the Mets called up a pitcher and I really feel it would have been me if I hadn't hurt my elbow," said Yates. "But, this is a good organization and we'll see what happens."